Alyse Siepler and Felix Mireles at home in the gym: For comfort, convenience, home gyms offer perfect workout

By Mark Feldman April 11, 2004
RACINE JOURNAL TIMES- When Alyse Siepler wants to get in shape, she goes to the basement.

There are no lines for exercise machines down there. No blaring music. There's no high-tech equipment, but she has more than enough gear to get a good workout right at the bottom of the stairs. When she's done, she doesn't have to take a shower in a strange place - she simply goes back upstairs. And at the end of the month, she doesn't have to shell out money for membership fees.

"I would love to go to a gym, but I really don't have time for it," Siepler said. "There is too much craziness in my life right now."

Siepler beats the craziness with home-style health and fitness, and it's a route many people who are too busy to join a health club or go to the gym are taking to get in shape and stay in shape.

Americans spent $4.3 billion on exercise equipment in 2002 (the latest figures available), up from $3.9 billion the previous year, according to the National Sporting Goods Association. Treadmills traditionally have been the most popular items sold, with $2.5 billion purchased in 2002.

In 1987, about 500,000 people said they used a treadmill at least 100 times that year. By 1997, that number had grown to eight million, according to the Fitness Products Council.

"There's the ever-growing message for how important it is for people to find some time to exercise on a regular basis," said Cedric Bryant, chief exercise physiologist for the American Council on Exercise. "I think the convenience of home offers people a very time-efficient solution."

Creating a mini-health club at home isn't as hard as it sounds. After finding a suitable space - a basement, office, or den - start looking at the equipment available. Home fitness equipment runs the gamut, from treadmills and step machines, to rowing machines, bench presses, free weights and resistance machines. You also can spend varying amounts. A Tulsa, Okla., couple spent more than $12,000 to build a 15-station gym in their home.

"You don't really need to establish that nice of a system," Bryant said. He suggested that people interested in having equipment at home should choose items that simulate real-life activities, like treadmills, stair climbers and exercise bikes. People investing in arcane, unusual equipment - like the stuff seen on late night televisions ads - often get bored with it, then don't use it, he said.

"The simplicity of these other pieces make them likely to be safer and used more often," he said. "And isn't that the point? I would do it in baby steps. I think people go out and buy a lot of things they don't use because they don't know what they want."

Siepler and her boyfriend, Felix Mireles, have assembled their own little gym that that can use whenever they want. In their northside Racine home, the couple has a treadmill in their office, a bench and free weights in the basement, a punching bag and gloves, Pilates balls and rings and various mats and pads.

They just have to get themselves revved up and use the stuff.

"It is hard to get motivated sometimes because it's just so easy to flop down on the couch," Siepler said. "But we manage to get it done."

The couple tries to work out together, usually early in the morning. They take turns on the equipment so they can monitor each other, and not let the other one take any extended breaks.

Siepler starts on the treadmill, which is conveniently located near a television. She walks slowly to warm up, builds to a fast walk for about 30 minutes, then cools down. After that, she dons a pair of boxing gloves to smack and kick a heavy bag.

"I bought the bag last Christmas as a present for Felix," she said. "But I started to do it and I found out that I really liked it. It can be quite a workout."

Siepler unloads for 10 minutes at a time, taking a break between sets. "It's a lot harder than it looks," she said. "A lot of people think it's easy, but they need to give it a try."

Mireles uses the free weights more than Siepler, but Siepler makes extensive use of the Pilates equipment. A large ball and rings are used to increase strength, develop muscle tone and provide flexibility.

"You really have to work to stay focused on what you're doing and what you want to do," she said. "It's not perfect, but I'm getting as much out of it as I can."

To create a well-rounded fitness area at home, home athletes should look for items that provide a total workout - cardiovascular, flexibility and strength, Bryant said. Treadmills can provide a good cardiovascular workout because they can be used for running, walking and even leg strength exercises with incline capability.

A set of free weights can provide strength training. These are less expensive than specialty machines and can provide better flexibility and variety in workouts.

And don't forget what can be done without any equipment, Bryant said: Push-ups, sit-ups, squats and calf raises. Having a gym at home can provide motivation as people have to walk past the equipment every day. Plus, there are no expensive membership fees and the gym is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

"The main thing to remember about fitness equipment at home is to use it," Bryant said. "There is a wasteland of unused, dusty equipment out there being used as coat racks and storage space. You can have the best home gym in the world, but if you don't have the self-discipline to use it, it won't do you any good."