kitchen timers, keeping a handwritten
exercise log, and learning how to take
your own pulse.
CARl WALDMAN
Special to the Jewish News
N
ow that the weather is
turning colder, many peo- .
ple may be thinking of set-
ting up a home gym inside.
Working out at home can be both a
luxury and a value.
For retiree Fred Erlich, 57, and his
wife, Patti, 58, a gym with a tread-
mill, recumbent bike and weights on
the first level of their Bloomfield Hills
home is all about convenience. Fred
has been working out at home for
two years. "It's right here" he says.
"There are no excuses. When the
stock market slows down about noon,
I jump on the treadmill for an hour
and watch CNBC."
Patti Ehrlich, who started working
out six months ago at home, adds, "I
also love the accessibility of having a
home gym. Working out has given
me the energy and strength I need to
feel great about myself at this point in
my life."
Yet for some, getting started at
home can be confusing and even dan-
gerous if the right apparatus is not in
place.
The Right Stuff
"For the 50-plus age group, home
gyms should include bask compo-
nents for both aerobic training and
strength training, along with a mat
for stretching and abdominal work,"
Key Elements
•••••;( :4 :,:
says Danny Sherbin of Exercise
Warehouse in Livonia and Troy.
"Determining your workout goals
before setting out to the stores will
narrow your search to fewer options.
A good strategy is to spend most of
your budget on one solid aerobic
training piece, say a high-quality
treadmill or a recumbent bike, then
build around it with inexpensive
strength-training equipment such as a
workout bench, a mat, a set of 5-25-
pound dumbbells, and exercise
bands."
Sherbin's suggestions for solid
pieces include: a rowing machine to
work the back, arms and legs; a seated
Airdyne stationary bicycle to work the
?:- ..;'.• •
arms and legs; a treadmill to let you
walk or run at varying speeds and
inclines; or an elliptical trainer, which
puts your legs and feet through a low-
impact, aerobic workout.
Sherbin adds, "If you're thinking
about purchasing any piece of exercise,
equipment, be sure to do your
research, evaluate your alternatives
and try it out before you buy it."
From there, ask yourself if added
bells and whistles, such as timers,
heart-rate monitors, and calories-
burned displays are necessary. If not,
a basic, good-quality piece will pro-
vide just as effective a workout.
You can inexpensively duplicate
many of the added features by using
Once the home gym area is set up,
there are three key elements to an
effective program. Personal trainer
Bari Beckett of Waterford says the
first step to a workout program is
stretching for flexibility. Stretching
keeps muscles and joints flexible and
helps prevent injury and soreness.
The second element is cardiovascu-
lar. Beckett recommends using a
treadmill or stationary cycling bike to
burn fat and strengthen the heart and
lungs. And the third element is
weight training for tone.
"Weight training is a must to help
prevent osteoporosis and retain mus-
cle strength as you get older," says
Beckett. "Using weights builds mus-
cle, strengthens bones, and boosts the
metabolism. Exercise bands, tubing,
and .large stability balls, which can be
purchased at area sports stores, are all
lightweight ways to train and are very
effective for balance and flexibility.
"As you approach your 70s, even
soup cans are effective for resistance,"
she says.
According to Beckett, cardiovascu-
lar activities should be done at least
three times a week, starting with I 0
minutes and building to 30-45-
minute sessions.
With free weights, start with light
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