Last week’s blog about the luxury punching bag created by fashion designer extraordinaire Karl Largerfield made me think about the popularity of luxury home gyms. Home workout equipment is a billion-dollar industry, filled mostly with consumers who buy a treadmill, use it for two weeks, and then add it to their growing collection of useless stuff masquerading as a coat rack.
For those people who want to create their own gym to work out at home, here’s a list of the four most important pieces of equipment to get you started (of course, the LV punching bag is a must too).
1. BARBELL AND WEIGHTS
There are two main types of barbell: standard and Olympic. You can train your entire body with barbells and weights. Follow these instructions from Muscle and Fitness magazine on a four day training program designed to build muscle mass.
2. A POWER RACK
Think of a power rack as the centerpiece of your home gym because they add a considerable measure of safety. The pins will save you if you miss a lift, and the J-hooks allow you to perform nearly any free weight move. Many racks have attachments – such as dip and pull-up bars – to increase their functionality.
3. WEIGHT BENCH
Complete your home gym with a high quality weight bench to get the most out of your in-home workouts.
4. DUMBBELLS
Dumbbells offer you a wide variety of options in resistance training. They come in both Olympic and Standard sizes.
