Do-it-yourself guide to home gyms
Everything from jump ropes to treadmills selling fast as folks try to stay fit while staying home
Kevin and Cristina Coble are what one might call fitness nuts. He once played football for the Air Force in Europe while she used to be a personal trainer.
Until COVID-19 hit and their gym was forced to close, the New Braunfels couple regularly worked out six times a week. Once self-quarantined at home, though, they had a choice: Sit on the couch all day or find another way to stay in shape.
“The couch wasn’t going to happen,” said Kevin Coble, who teaches law enforcement at MacArthur High School.
After deciding they needed their own home gym, the Cobles paid $4,699 for a functional trainer, also known as a cable machine, and turned a portion of their garage into a workout room.
The Cobles aren’t alone in buying home gym equipment because their usual workout place has closed during the coronavirus pandemic. Tom Cove, president and CEO of the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, said he’s been hearing from retail members and manufacturers that sales of home fitness equipment are up 50 percent or more.
“Home gym equipment was doing well before COVID-19, but it’s even healthier now,” he said. “Across all sports equipment categories — apparel, footwear, balls — gym equipment is No. 1 in terms of sales.”
Among the most popular equipment sold by Dick’s Sporting Goods is the Sole F63 treadmill, a Gaiam Studio yoga mat, Fitness Gear neoprene dumbbells, the TRX Fit System suspension training straps and a Nike weighted jump rope, according to a spokeswoman with the retailer.
Some miss the camaraderie of group classes at the gym and are turning to what’s known as connected fitness, such as Peloton bikes that let you take virtual classes led by trained instructors, while others want basic weights and such.
San Antonio Fitness Equipment owner Jerrell Guy says residential equipment sales have been booming at his Marbach Lane store since the start of the COVID-19 stayat-home orders.
“I tell people that fitness equipment is the new toilet paper,” he said. “We’re getting people coming from Corpus, Laredo. Everybody wants it.”
While he said they’re selling plenty of exercise machines, such as elliptical trainers and treadmills, less expensive equipment that can be easily stored also is flying off the shelves, including dumbbells ranging from 5 to 50 pounds each.
And so far, supplies are sufficient, say retailers, although product is selling fast. On one recent Thursday, Fitness in Motion received a shipment of 16,000 pounds of freeweight plates. The next day it was all gone.
“That would normally keep us going for two months,” said general manager Mike Nichols. “We had 60 units of water rowers when this thing began and only have about 25 left. We’re selling two or three a day.”
Those who already have home gyms are finding the pandemic a good time to add to them. Sam Rice has long had a treadmill, dumbbells, free weights and weight bench in his home but recently paid $3,300 for a SportsArt
C545R recumbent bike. He’s using the bike twice a day, morning and evening.
“The fitness center in our subdivision shut down, and we don’t know when it’ll reopen,” said Rice, a regional vice president for a mobile home retailer. “I didn’t want to wait three months until I could ride an exercise bike again.”
Like a lot of people, Rice said he feels safer working out in his home.
In Texas, most retailers that sell home gym equipment have been allowed to remain open, although stores are taking precautions. Some are open by appointment only, while others place a limit on the number of customers allowed in the store at the same time.
For those considering starting a home gym, here’s what Hest fitness manager Eric Robinson suggests should be the first three items:
Functional trainer: Used properly, this might be the only piece of home fitness equipment many people need. The pulleys and weight stacks allow users to safely do a vast number of exercises on a machine that doesn’t take up a lot of space. Good for simple weight training, the machines can also be used to mimic movements when training for specific sports, such as golf, baseball or tennis. Prices start at about $2,500.
Rowing machine: Unlike a treadmill or elliptical machine, low-impact rowers build aerobic fitness while exercising both the upper and lower body. Adjustable resistance is created by air, magnets or water. Look for an ergonomic seat and models that are long enough to provide full range of motion. $1,000$2,000.
Treadmill: The meat and potatoes of exercise machines, treadmills can be safely used by a broad range of ages and fitness levels. Look for models with a solid base; a long, cushioned running surface and easy-to-use controls.
A lot of what these machines can do can also be replicated less expensively, too. You can get a heart-pounding, full body workout with a few simple pieces of equipment, most available starting at about $20 each, including resistance bands, a set of dumbbells, a yoga mat and a jump rope.
Need help with workout instruction? Many gyms offer group classes via Zoom and other online conference services, not to mention the wealth of fitness videos on Amazon and other streaming sites, as well as on YouTube.
Home gym equipment doesn’t have to be new, either. Most retailers stock used equipment, and there’s plenty of it for sale on Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace and other online sites.
Be aware, however, that if you buy from a private party, you probably won’t get any kind of warranty, so it’s important to put the equipment through its own workout. As you do so, make sure all the mechanics and controls work and that it feels solid.
One question that will remain unanswered until all this blows over is whether these shiny pieces of exercise equipment will continue to be used or will they become expensive towel racks. Robinson is optimistic. “They say it takes 30 days to develop a habit, and this quarantine has already gone on for about that long,” he said. “People have the time now to make investing in their health a habit.”
As for the Cobles, they expect to return to their gym once the doors reopen. But they’ll keep the functional trainer, even though it means their second car is relegated to the driveway.
“As long as there’s room in the garage for my Harley, I’m good,” Kevin Coble said.