A really common concern of new lifters is whether it is possible to get a solid workout at home or whether it is only possible at the local gym. The short answer is Yes, you can build muscle at home if you go about it properly with the right equipment.

Gyms are great for several reasons including the companionship but they are not a requirement. Many lifters not only begin building muscle in their basement or garage but make that workout area and got to a gym only occasionally.

There are several reasons for this. Gym memberships can get to be spendy and it takes time out of your workout time just to travel back and forth. Many potential liters are also just a little shy of showing their underdeveloped physique in public until they get a little tone.

Don’t worry about it!

Working out at home can be great. Travel time from the living room to your workout area is in seconds not hours and you can go their anytime. You can set it up to suit your own personal tastes – music, lights, etc., whatever you want. You don’t have to worry about what anyone else thinks.

You can make any noise you want to as you go through your sets and when you get too pooped to go on, you can collapse on the floor for a bit before taking that long walk to the kitchen for a post workout shake.

Sound great?

There is a downside to building muscle at home and that is that unless you have a fully equipped gym – read expensive – your exercise routine selection will not be as varied as at the gym. Yes, you can buy home gym exercise machines that provide virtually anything that a gym does, but they are expensive and many of them take up more space than most people have.

The good news is that when you are just starting to build muscle at home you do not need the multi-purpose fancy equipment. Free-weight exercises can be substituted for many of the machine exercises you would typically perform at a gym. You can start  building muscle at home with some pretty basic equipment:.

A cast iron set with sufficient weights to permit you to continually progress from week to week is the best buy. Instead of purchasing an entire set of dumbbells, this will be more efficient and cost-effective. When you buy the barbell and dumbbells, choose ones that come together in a single set.

A sturdy bench will also be needed for doing bench presses and other seated movements. Be sure to find one that can be set on an incline and which has safety catches. This is critical if you are going to be training alone.

Typically the hardest and most expensive piece of equipment to get is a full squat rack. Squats are a major component of any solid workout, especially if you don’t have a leg press machine handy.

If you really can’t afford a squat rack then some creativity may do the trick. While building muscle at home, you have to get some sort of apparatus that allows you to safely unrack a loaded bar and drop it onto a safety catch if your strength gives out.
You should never squat without a safe place to drop the bar! As many full squat racks provide a chin-up bar on top, it’s easy to kill two birds with one stone if you invest in one of these essential equipment.

So there it is: five pieces of equipment necessary for setting up a home gym. You will not have to join a traditional gym to workout effectively if you equip your home gym with these tools. You find the best home gym equipment for your own needs by shopping online at several sites.

And if you just can’t afford any equipment to begin with, don’t give up your dreams of building muscle. Many builders have used bodyweight routines for years.

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Many individual things go into successful body building workouts but one thing is critical. If you ignore this, you are going to be wasting your time and probably a little money without having anything to show for it.

That one magical key ingredient is consistency.

There is no getting around this. You simply cannot succeed in reaching your goals if you are not consistent in what you are doing. This does not mean that you have to train every day or twice day without ever taking a break. If you are not training for the biggest competition of your life you really do not need to train like that.

However, if you are looking to get in shape, burn fat, build muscle and increase your health you will need to set aside a few days a week for your body building workouts and then you will need to make those workouts worthwhile. If your training is infrequent, then results will either be minimal or they will be non-existent. If you want to succeed then you are going to need to invest the time that is required.

Four Day A Week Program

On a baseline level, if you are a newbie and you want a few good body building routines to follow, it would probably be best to give four days per week to a mass building program. During this four day per week program, it would be best not to attack any body part more than once a week also make the complete week a cross training program that targets the total body.

Cross training here refers to mixing up workout routines for body areas and does not necessarily refer to integrating cardiovascular exercises into the workout, but if you did desire to add cardio exercise there is not anything incorrect with that at all. Whilst this may not look like an elaborate workout routine that is because it isn’t an elaborate one! Instead, it is a quite simple program that is very helpful and effective and can greatly assist in reaching one’s goals.

No Gym Required

The gym is a great place to socialize and share some time with your friends. But a gym is not essential to getting and staying in shape. You can perform bodyweight exercises like pushups, chair dips, etc. anywhere. If you are one of those who believe that bodyweight exercises do not have the same effectiveness as training with free weights, you need to take a look at the results Mike Thiga got with his The Muscle Experiment.

A word of caution. Consistency is important but that does not mean you should keep working if you are injured or just need to take some time off. Take a break if you need to.  One of the best ways to avoid over training and the resultant injuries and setbacks is to stop forcing yourself and take the break you want. But when you are performing your body building workouts, do them with consistency. Train smart.

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Remember Jeff Anderson’s Combat The Fat Challenge? It kicked off a couple months ago to introduce Jeff’s new Combat The Fat program. From the looks of the winners, as well as the runners up,  Jeff has another winner on his hands too. Just wait ’till you see these winning “before & after” photos!

Don’t know if you’ve seen them yet, but the 5 winners of the 12-week “body transformation” contest were just posted. What’s cool about this contest is:

1.  These were NOT “fitness model” types (just AVERAGE men and women from their 20′s to their 50′s!)… Yes, in their 50′s!

2.  They transformed their bodies using “bodyweight” exercises…

3.  And their PERSONAL stories are posted for you to read!

I promise you that once you look at these people and read their personal stories, you WILL look at at LEAST one of them and say……

“Wow…that person is just like ME!”

Here’s the link straight to their photos (nothing to buy or opt into):

http://muscle-building-reviews.com/combatthefatchallenge.htm

When you hear the challenges they had to overcome and see how THEY were able to not only change their BODY…but their HEALTH…and their LIFE……my hope is that YOU will take some sort of action TODAY! Anything! Just do SOMETHING that will place your own health as a top priority in your life and begin your OWN transformation!

Here’s the link again:

http://muscle-building-reviews.com/combatthefatchallenge.htm

Take a page from Nike’s play book and “Just Do It!”

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Thinking about choosing a new gym? Or still undecided whether gym membership is really for you? This is not a decision that should be taken lightly. Gym membership is no small expense and it takes time out your day just to get there. There are many things you need to consider, not the least of which is whether you are seriously committed to using the gym. Many times gym memberships go unused because they are purchased on a whim. The following article by Vince DelMonte is a great guide in helping choose teh gym that is a perfect match for you.

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Choosing A Gym – 10 Things To Look Out For
By Vince DelMonte

Now that you’ve made the commitment to starting a workout program, the next step is choosing a gym that you will feel comfortable going to on a regular basis. If it isn’t, chances are you aren’t going to stick with any type of regular plan and will eventually just stop going altogether. By being sure your gym is a good fit for you, you help take yourself one step further to realizing your health and fitness goals.

Keep in mind that if a traditional gym isn’t for you, you can definitely set up a home gym where you can get complete workouts all in the privacy of where you live. There are a number of home gym systems out there that include all the equipment you need to perform all the key lifts that should be included in any workout program.

1. Location

Who really wants to spend twice as long driving to and from their gym as it takes them to do their workout? After a long day of work you are not going to want to spend a good hour fighting traffic, another hour working out, and then another half an hour driving home. Think about either choosing a gym that is located close to your house or else on the drive to or from work. This is a great option since if you have to pass by it every day, you’ll be reminded of the fact that you should be working out if you choose to skip it.

2. Membership Cost

Gym memberships can really vary in costs so it’s a good idea to shop around before making that final commitment. Also consider how long you are signing the contract for as this can vary too. Many gyms like to rope you in for years and if you aren’t quite sure it’s going to be a long-term arrangement, you’re better off finding something that is more short-term.

Additionally, if you can wait until around late summer or New Year to sign up, you will find that often many gyms will have special promotions going on at this time.

3. Membership Demographic

Another factor to consider is the membership demographic that goes to the gym. Some women will prefer going to an all-ladies gym as it increases their comfort factor. For others, a mixed gym is the perfect solution because half of the reason they go there is to socialize and perhaps even find a date.

Whatever your needs, make sure you enquire about this and take it into consideration.

4. Additional Benefits

You will want to ask if the gym offers any additional services or benefits along with your basic membership and if there is a fee for these. Such examples would be daycare services, physiotherapy, massage therapy, nutritional counselling, and fitness testing.

5. Operating Hours

Always be sure to check the hours of operation of the gym. If you are an early morning exerciser you will want to be sure they are able to cater to this preference. Additionally ask about their holiday policies. Many people enjoy working out on the holidays because it is a relaxed day for them when they can really get in a good workout. If you are looking forward to this and then go and find out the gym is closed, you are going to be more than disappointed. Similarly there are some people who prefer working out late at night so you need to be sure that if this is the case you will be able to do that.

6. Personal Training Services

Having some good, qualified personal trainers on hand is critical to helping you realize your full fitness potential. Even if you are fine with your program right now, consider that in a year down the road you might be plateauing and in need of a ‘check-up’ so to speak on your current regime.

Having the option available of knowledge staff cannot be stressed enough. Unfortunately many gyms hire almost anyone who has a basic interest in fitness, so be sure to enquire about the actual certifications these trainers hold.

7. Group Fitness Classes

Be sure to ask about all the various group fitness classes that are offered at the gym you are considering. Often, when boredom kicks in on your workout plan, this is just the thing to get you going again.

These days there are currently thousands of different fitness class styles available, so there is sure to be something that suites your interest.

When checking up on this, again inquire if there are any additional fees associated with it so you are prepared for when you go to sign up.

8. Cleanliness

One very important factor you want to look for is the cleanliness of the gym. You do not want to be working out on equipment that is not clean as gyms are a place where germs can be in high concentration. Also make sure they have towels and spray bottles in various places around the gym to clean up after workouts, and have a look at the bathrooms and change rooms to make sure they are up to your standards.

9. Type/Quality Of Equipment

Looking at the type and quality of the equipment offered in the gym is another thing you must factor in. If you prefer free weights, make sure there is a large number of dumbbells present because during rush hours, these could be hard to come by.

Likewise, if you prefer doing your weight training on guided machines, you’ll want to be sure they have enough variety that you can work all the necessary muscles on your body. If you find yourself doing a lot of cardio training as part of your workouts you will want to be sure there are ample machines available.

Nothing is more frustrating than getting to the gym after work to find out that there is not a single machine in sight available for you to use. Ask if they offer a sign-up list where you can write your name and time down to reserve a machine. This is a great solution that many gyms have now come up with to make sure their members can get their workouts in.

10. Cancellation Policy

Finally take a look at the gym’s cancellation policy. If you sign up for a 3 year membership and then end up moving after a year due to work, are you going to be partially refunded? It will be a bad situation if they offer no refund or transfer membership.

Some gyms are good about this and some are not so you will have to weigh the likelihood of your cancelling among other things that are discussed above when making your decision.

So, be sure you are considering all of these essential factors when choosing gym. Overlooking just one could lead you to being less than happy with your workout facility and this could end up being the reason why you do not stick with your program.

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About the Author:

Vince DelMonte is the author of No Nonsense Muscle Building: Skinny Guy Secrets To Insane Muscle Gain found at http://www.VinceDelMonteFitness.com

He specializes in teaching skinny guys how to build muscle and gain weight quickly without drugs, supplements and training less than before.

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