Top-searched home gym equipment
With the year winding to a close, the season of the holiday snack is here (Temptation, thy name is festive shortbread cookie). If you find yourself stuffed with too many holiday goodies, take the opportunity to launch (or relaunch!) a fitness program when the calendar turns to 2015. Because resolutions and all that good stuff.
But how and, more importantly, where to work out? Some people are natural gym rats. Others, though, prefer to get pumped in private. And that requires a home gym, which can be easily assembled with a measure of online sleuthing. Every home gym arrangement will vary — free weights? cardio machine? complete gym system? — but it should reflect your budget, available space, and workout goals.
Read along, then, as we construct a complete home gym from the ground up, using the most popular home gym search queries on Yahoo as our road map to a fitter you.
Flooring
No structure can stand without a solid foundation, and the same is true for your workout space. Gym flooring comes in an assortment of shapes and sizes: Interlocking mats that snap together and spools of cushioned rubber that roll up for easy storage are two of the most common options. Regardless of price point, all good gym flooring should lend a degree of nonslip safety and sound dampening.
Search for home gym flooring on Yahoo.
Complete gym systems
A complete gym system is the centerpiece of any home workout area, and it typically assumes one of three primary forms: a home gym with customizable components (such as a bench press) that employs weighted stacks to target specific body parts; a Total Gym system, which uses body weight to build strength and flexibility; or a Bowflex machine, which is designed around polymer pulley rods to simulate resistance and gravity. These items are some of the most frequently searched fitness products at Yahoo, scoring sixth, fourth, and second, respectively, on our looked-for list.
Search for home gyms, Total Gym, and Bowflex on Yahoo.
Bluetooth speakers
For every workout, there is a workout playlist to help you blast through the pain. Listen to yours in style with a pair of smartphone and tablet-compatible Bluetooth speakers for an easy, convenient, and wireless experience.
Search for Bluetooth speakers on Yahoo.
Cardio machines
Eager to burn off sugary treats with a high-intensity workout? Get to the heart of the matter — I'll just show myself out, thanks — with a new cardio machine. The top-searched models at Yahoo include treadmills (the single most popular home-gym-related search query!), exercise bicycles, stair climbers, elliptical machines, and rowers. Choose the one that matches your sporting interests, and sweat away the excess pounds.
Search for treadmills, excercise bikes, stair climbers, elliptical machines, and rowing machines on Yahoo.
Water coolers
After you work up a sweat, you'll need to replace all those fluids with cold, refreshing water. Why? Because science tells us that H2O regulates your body temperature, keeps your skin soft, and flushes toxins from your system. In other words, it's really good for you.
Search for water coolers on Yahoo.
Free weights
Free weights might seem like an analog solution for a digital world, but their health benefits are multitude: improved balance and strength, a fuller range of motion (including sport-specific movements), and an increased difficulty factor (when compared to their fixed gym counterparts), which has been shown to burn more calories. The free-weight components Yahoo users search for the most include workout benches, dumbbell racks, kettlebell sets, and medicine balls.
Search for workout benches, dumbbell racks, kettlebells, and medicine balls on Yahoo.
Mirrors
As your fitness improves, you'll want to see the hard work reflected in a more toned physique. And one of the best ways to assess your buffer self is with wall mirrors. They'll give your confidence a boost, keep you focused on the task at hand, and help you maintain proper form. Remember, kids: When you look good, you feel good. Love yourself!
Search for wall mirrors on Yahoo.
Ab/stretching area
Want to tighten up that tummy? Carve out a space in your home gym for stretching and core-specific exercises. The ab accessories Yahoo users are looking for the most are workout mats, yoga mats, stability balls, and foam rollers.
Search for workout mats, yoga mats, stability balls, and foam rollers on Yahoo.
Televisions
Including a television in your home gym might seem like a recipe for trouble, but it can fill an educational role if you incorporate a workout DVD into your routine. And for those who just want to catch up on the latest episodes of Law & Order, a television can provide a welcome distraction as you stamp out a furious pace on the elliptical machine. Multitasking for the win!
Search for televisions on Yahoo.
Workout DVDs
Itching for some structure? Unsure where to start? Schedule at odds with the local gym's hours? Pick a style of exercise — the most-searched titles on Yahoo include P90X, Beachbody, and Insanity Total Body Workout — and ratchet up your fitness regimen by learning from the experts at your own pace and in the comfort of your home gym.
Search for workout DVDs on Yahoo.
