If you've been watching infomercials that sell exercise equipment lately, you'll find that one of their major selling points are machines that either require no assembly or at least allow easy, interlocking pieces. This is key to buying a home gym. There are all sorts of equipment that look good in the brochure or ad but actually have a steep learning curve just to assemble. Why this should matter to you is simple: if the home gym equipment is easy to assemble, you can immediately start using it and feel good about buying it as well. Here are tips on how to choose a home gym machine that not only works but is easy to put together:
Go for the simplest.
In general, the simpler the machine, the easier it is to assemble. In the same manner, the fewer its parts, the easier they are to put together. When going out to buy a home gym equipment, consider the built and design. No matter what type of equipment it is, the more complicated its design, the more difficult it usually is to assemble. If it has a lot of parts that can be broken apart or disassembled, prepare to spend some time figuring out what part goes with which.
The only downside about getting a simple home gym equipment is that it might be so simple that it won't be able to offer a lot of variations in terms of workouts. If you simply aim for easy assemblage of the unit, you might miss out on excellent features that could help improve your fitness levels significantly.
Furthermore, certain exercise equipment belonging to the mid- to large-size categories such as the Weider Platinum, BodyCraft Family Xpress and the Tuff Stuff CFM series to name a few, come with parts that easily lock together, in spite of the fact that they are a bit bulky. To make sure you don't miss out on terrific exercise options, check out the features instead and then find out if the assemblage of the machine is simple enough for you.
Check the instruction manual.
Everything you need to know about any home gym equipment is in its instruction manual. Before you buy one, always ask if the unit comes with instructions or a user's manual. Manufacturers will give you the set of instructions you'll need to put their product together.
A visual breakdown of the equipment courtesy of the parts and functions page can also be a big help. You can use this reference to determine how parts go together. The way the parts connect will give you a pretty good idea of how easy the home gym equipment is to assemble.
Use reviews for reference.
Another way to find easy to assemble home gym equipment is to check online sites for professional and consumer reviews. Although manufacturers' sites are quite useful, you might not always see reviews there that offer frank appraisal of the machine. Seek out distributor's and retail sites or forums instead or use a search engine and type in the model and brand of the equipment you're eyeing.
Ask the salesperson to help.
When shopping for home gyms, ask for assistance. The salesperson in charge will be more than happy to help you find one that is easy to assemble. Tell that salesperson the fitness requirements you have and then ask for suggestions regarding home gyms that don't require a lot of work. Ask about design, the number of pieces involved when it's shipped and how the machine works. Simply by understanding how to use the equipment will help you put the parts together on your own.
How long is too long?
Sometimes, the amount of time it will take to assemble a good piece of home gym equipment doesn't really matter. It's perception of the task that does. To one person, for example, completing the assembly of an equipment in under 45 minutes means it's easy to assemble. To another, this is a lot of time.
Manual dexterity also has a lot to do with it. The more skillful you are with exercise machine parts and a few screwdrivers, the easier it will be to assemble the equipment. Sometimes, the inability to recognize the specific part that should go with another part can also play a role.
Generally, though, for simpler machines, you should be able to assemble one in 15 to 25 minutes on average. For larger, more complicated machines, you should be able to get your home gym ready to use in 30 to 45 minutes, give or take an allowance of 10 minutes for more nervous newbies.
