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A gym at home

This, you promise yourself, will finally be the year.You will get in shape in 2011 — and while at it, you will finally do something with that eyesore of a spare bedroom. No more slacking off. It is resolved.
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Here’s everything you need to get a total body workout

This, you promise yourself, will finally be the year.

You will get in shape in 2011 — and while at it, you will finally do something with that eyesore of a spare bedroom. No more slacking off. It is resolved.

And because you are a born multitasker, you will accomplish both vows by turning that room into a home gym. Brilliant!

But just how do you go about transforming a spare room (or garage or basement area) into your personal health club, minus the sweaty, grunting bodybuilders, onerous monthly fees or not getting a registration for a fitness class you’re interested in taking?

The logistics and up-front expense might at first be daunting enough to send you reeling to the couch until at least February. But setting up a home gym that fits your needs is no herculean task.

Two years ago, Ashlee Gadd, a public-relations manager in Sacramento, Calif., cashed in a pricey health-club membership and converted a spare room into a workout space complete with a treadmill, a weight bench, free weights and a stability ball.

All that’s missing is a perky receptionist handing her a towel and wishing her a nice day.

“We put in a full-length mirror and hung up corkboards and magnet boards with workout regimens from magazines,” Gadd said.

“We have a TV that sits on a tall dresser so we can watch TV while we exercise, or use it to play workout DVDs. We have a bookshelf that houses nutrition books and health magazines, as well as a decorative ladder that holds my yoga block and yoga strap.”

You don’t need an entire spare room to pull off this project, said Ruth Tara, owner of New York-based Home Gym Design.

“Some people without a lot of space will put the cardio (machine) in the bedroom and the rest in the den or even the family room,” she said. “But most people want a whole room.

“I like people to be creative in their gym. Otherwise, it becomes a boring place to be. You want to make it as motivating as you can,” Tara said.

As for the equipment, Richard Martinez, manager of Fitness Outlet Exercise Equipment in Sacramento, said a fully equipped home gym should carry out all four training principles: cardiovascular, flexibility, resistance and strength.

And note: Consumer Reports cautions that, when buying equipment, “Look for (warranties) that provide at least two to three years of coverage on major moving parts and a year for labor.”

As for the rest — flooring, lighting, ventilation, decor, etc. — it depends on your home-design flourishes and personal preferences.

But much depends on your own resolve. If you want a measurable gain in your fitness levels, you’re going to need to invest in effort.

To make your effort pay the best dividends, you’ll need some basic gear to isolate muscle groups. That gear will require at least a little space for storage and use.

Sounds like a project. Sounds like a resolution.

Spend a little or a lot — it’s really up to you

Got the resolve? Ready to start? Here’s a basic rundown on some of your requirements and options for a home fitness centre.

You might be surprised by how minimal the minimum requirements can be.

The room

Space: You need at least a 10-by-10-foot area with an 8-foot height clearance. (The base of most treadmills and elliptical machines puts the exerciser 6 to 18 inches off the ground.)

“Remember that if you have a ceiling fan or overhead lights, you need a higher clearance,” said Richard Martinez, who manages Fitness Outlet Exercise Equipment in Sacramento, Calif. Be prepared to install additional electrical outlets if you plan to have more than one cardio machine.

Flooring: Most experts recommend hard rubber flooring, though you can get away with carpet directly over concrete. Carpets with pads are squishy and “lead to a wobble with the machines,” said Martinez.

Home Gym Design’s Ruth Tara said many clients prefer interlocking rubber tiles that people can install themselves. Wood flooring is not recommended because “it can crack when you drop a dumbbell on it,” she said.

Mirrors: They’re not just for vanity. Experts say full-length mirrors help the exerciser stay balanced and work on form. Tara said the cost for a floor-to-ceiling mirror covering one wall usually is about $1,000. But you can pick up several closet or apparel mirrors and simply put them together.

Lighting: If you’re working with existing light in a spare bedroom or den, Tara recommends installing a dimmer switch.

“If you’re doing some stretching or yoga, it’s mellow time,” she said. “Turn down the lights. But you need to make sure there’s enough light — you want it bright when you’re doing cardio or strength.”

Ventilation: Sure, it’s winter now, but you want a space you can use all year. Central air conditioning is the standard.

“But you can use a window air conditioner and then put an oscillating fan in front of it to spread the cool air around,” Tara said. “Some people don’t like having a fan blowing on them.”

Entertainment: A TV is a must for long workouts on the treadmill, bike or elliptical machine, Tara said. “The height needs to be of the average person,” Tara said. “Place the TV in front of the treadmill. The biggest problem I find is that people are tilting their heads right or left to look at the TV. You multiply that by a half-hour, three or four times a week, and you’ll get a big neck ache.”

The equipment

Cardio: Treadmills remain the most popular cardio-workout option, but elliptical machines are gaining ground because they help the user avoid the joint-pounding of running (or walking) on a belt.

Standard-quality treadmills range from $1,000 to $7,000, with the high end featuring such options as iPod docking, USB outlets and even DVD players.

But Martinez of Fitness Outlet said many people who simply want to walk on treadmills don’t need such high-end machines. They can work out quite nicely on a fold-up model (which saves space) .

Elliptical trainers, which simulate walking and running without the impact, also vary widely. One of the best (and priciest) is the Octane Q47ci ($4,699 at www.octanefitness.com). On the lower end, Martinez recommends the Esprit EL 255 ($880 to $1,000).

Stationary bikes take up slightly less space in a home gym but don’t work as many muscle groups. As Consumer Reports recently opined, “With stationary bikes, you generally get what you pay for.”

For those who already have a bike, indoor trainers are an inexpensive choice. Another advantage is the bike already fits you, and you can take your training outside in good weather.

Strength and resistance: Those accustomed to circuit training at health clubs will be drawn to so-called cable-and-pulley “universal machines,” all-in-one strength units.

Those who use free weights can mix and match from a variety of dumbbells and racks, and easily spend $1,000 or more, said Home Gym Design’s Tara.

But those on a budget can purchase simple resistance bands (about $25) and get virtually the same upper- and lower-body workout. (Check the Internet for a bevy of how-to videos.)

Then again, you also can get a good core workout using a stability ball (about $25 at any sporting-goods store) or even body-weight exercises such as push-ups, planks and crunches (free).

Flexibility: “All you really need for this,” Tara said, “is a yoga mat and, maybe, a video to guide you.” Mats can be found for about $20 and up, depending on thickness. But Tara said that in a pinch, you can get away with a thick towel on the floor. “And you can check out a yoga video from the library for free.”