Home Gyms

You want to be fit. You'd like to exercise, but between work, errands and everything you have to do to run your household you just can't seem to find the time to make it to the gym. Don't despair. You aren't doomed to a life of flab and toneless muscles. There is a solution. Millions of people all over Canada have the same problem and have solved it in a variety of ways. Some newer condo buildings and apartments like King West Condos in Toronto have basement gyms for the use of their tenants. Some people use their commute to exercise by jogging or riding a bicycle to work. Still others make use of special exercises that can be performed while sitting at a desk. But the most common solution is the home gym.

Home gyms come in a variety of forms, from the treadmill in Toronto Dominion Bank's CEO's office to the weight machine in your plumber's basement. They can be simple, consisting of one favorite exercise machine like a stationary bike or a stairmaster that is used every day to a full gym with weights, mats, and a rowing machine. The key is to supply yourself at home with the means to exercise in a way that you find stimulating and above all sustainable.

If you're not sure whether a home gym is for you, ask yourself this question: are you more comfortable exercising alone or with others? If you find that you can't remain motivated without a friend, colleague, or gym buddy there to talk to or compete with, you probably won't stick with an exercise routine alone in your apartment. A better solution for you would be to move to a place with a gym like Liberty Towers where you can work out with your neighbors, or scout the neighborhood around your office for gyms you can visit on your lunch break.

However, if you're somebody who prefers privacy while exercising or you have a job where you're around people all day and want your off time to be alone time, investing in a home gym could be the right move. If you have a small place, don't worry. You don't have to buy Milton, Ontario real estate in order to have room for a home gym. You can even set up a home gym in the tiniest of tiny downtown Toronto condos. There are many companies out there who make specialized treadmills, stationary bikes, and weight machines specifically designed for small spaces.

You don't have to shell out thousands of dollars for a fancy machine, either. If your only goal is to work out at home, you could easily achieve it by paying a few dollars for an exercise DVD or making your own synthetic slings out of rubber tubing that will mimic the resistance of weights. Or, if you'd prefer a machine but can't afford one, why not split the cost of a machine with a neighbor and take turns using it? The options are endless. Keep reading through our series on home gyms for more ideas.