Hey Team,

Over the years, I have often been asked what the best home fitness equipment a person should purchase is. My standard answer is NOTHING! The biggest reason we cannot stay in top fitness shape is not so much about the equipment available but the factors affecting our habits. How we live our life, our daily routines, and what we make a priority is what determines our fitness level. People will purchase expensive home gym equipment or buy a costly gym membership to generate motivation… but once the inspiration expires… all that is left is a home gym doubling as a clothes rack and an expensive way to use the gym sauna. So, let's review the Top Four Reasons your Home Gym Workouts will Fail!

TOP FOUR REASONS YOUR HOME GYM WORKOUTS WILL FAIL!

1.  No Mentor:  Fitness and health are complex. What works for one person may not work for another. This is funny because our physiology is pretty much the same. But the most significant variable is the fact we all have different mindsets. The mindset is what separates our experiences. Also, we have various medical histories, training experiences, aches or pains, and body makeup - preventing a One-Size-Fits-All approach. Using a non-customized home gym program leads to injury, training errors, frustration, and discontinuing your home fitness program. Finding a mentor or coach is the most significant difference in allowing people to be successful long-term. A great coach can evaluate your body's limitations, flexibility issues, past medical history, and training experience to build the best and safest program for you.

2. Socially Isolated:  We are social people! People who have the most success in their fitness journey are socially connected. Successful programs built around a culture of people who share a like-minded approach tend to bring about long-term commitment. The more connected we are to others... the more accountable to the process we become. We learn much faster in a group because we share our successes… and failures. We discover collectively so much quicker in a group, and thus our ability to be successful in fitness is multiplied. We are held accountable and motivated by our shared group experiences. Home gyms create isolation. To work in isolation is riddled with eventual failure.

3. Self Doubt:  Part of starting a new program is to determine what your purpose is and what your goals are. Thoroughly understanding the goal will allow you to set up the proper programming. You will develop confidence in the process with appropriate workouts geared toward your personal goals. Why does this matter? Not understanding how to properly program your fitness towards your goals leads to self-doubt. Here is what self-doubt looks like when you are isolated. Which workout gets my desired results? Will these exercises cause an injury, or am I doing them correctly? This self-doubt leads to frustration and, ultimately, a failure in continuing your home fitness program.

4. Big Purchase:  As mentioned earlier… people look to invest in their fitness journey by purchasing expensive equipment. This financial commitment appears to be a good purchase because it is something tangible - they can always sell it in the future and recoup their cost. However, these purchases are usually fraught with frustration instead of a positive outcome. Significant investments tend to lead to guilt…because when we end up not using them, we only think of the money we wasted and the lack of space in the spare bedroom or garage. In time… home gyms do not work, which is why so many pieces of gym equipment are sold on eBay and Craigslist. 

Overall Team. Why do I tell people not to purchase home gym equipment? Because 95% of them usually fail. Too many variables are required to allow individuals to perform a successful training program and achieve their desired results. Why is this so important? Every time someone adds the motivation to make a change in their life and fails… it makes the next attempt even more challenging.

Aging creates complications with your body! Planning in your 40s, 50s, and 60s can help make your future self healthier. Home gym purchases distract people from meeting their goals and lead to eventual failure, frustration, and guilt. People need the proper help, guidance, programming, and connection to keep them accountable and successful.   If you are 40 or older and do not know where to start with your health and fitness journey, please reach out to either listed contact below. Helping you make the most of each day means the absolute world to us and is the best part of our day. Keep Moving!

•          The author, Rob Sumner, is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and owner of Sumner Specialized Physical Therapy. He's happy to answer any questions about this article, wellness, fitness, or physical therapy overall by phone at (509) 684-5621 or by email at Rob@SumnerPT.com