Gym Workout Versus Home Workout

Working out at home just might be the smartest move you'll ever make.

By Kevin Valluzzi

I was recently talking to a prospective client. She asked me where my gym was. When I told her that I don't have a gym but instead go to the client's home, she asked, "But how do you bring the machines?" "I don't bring machines," I told her. "How can I get a good workout without machines?" was her response. It is very easy!

Most people who work out at the gym are using "the machines." If the goal is to burn as many calories as possible, to use all of your muscles, and to become more functional, then you should stay off the machines. When you work out on machines, you're usually sitting down and only using the targeted muscle. The reason for this is because exercise machines are designed in such a way that only allows you to push the weight in a set path or set direction, thus using only the targeted muscle.

Just the opposite happens when using free weights. During free-weight exercises (dumbbells or bars, weight plates, body-weight exercises, etc.), you are forced to balance the weights or your body, thus forcing you to use more of your muscles, including the supporting muscles.

Look at gymnasts, who have incredible physiques, as an example. They rarely use machines, if ever. They mostly use body-weight exercises: push-ups, squats, lunges, etc.

Training at home will also make it easier to fit in a workout. No wasting time driving back and forth. No waiting to use equipment. It's open 24/7, 365 days a year. And you don't have to break the bank either. Free weights, a bench, a stability ball, and some exercise bands are all you need to get the best workout of your life.

So next time you are headed to the gym and you are stuck in traffic, head on over to the sporting-goods store and set up the best gym in town right in your own house.