Home Gym Safety
Safety is the number one priority for planning and outfitting a home gym. Yes, your fitness is important, but don’t forget to add safety features. Mike Tyson, the champion boxer, found this out in the worst way possible. His four year old daughter died as a result of playing on a treadmill.
When you’re planning out the fun aspects of the home gym, what equipment to buy, what color to paint the walls, which flat screen television is best for your dedicated home gym, don’t leave out important safety features.
Lock the Door
If you have a dedicated room for your home gym equipment, make sure you can lock it up when not in use. To children, this room can look like a playground, and they should not be in there unsupervised.
Telephones
If you’re injured in your home gym, you need to be able to call for help. Either have a telephone extension or make sure you have your cell phone with you. Many cordless phone systems now offer additional handsets that don’t need another phone jack installed, just an electrical outlet. We just purchased one at Sam’s Club for under $40 with three handsets. It’s well worth the minimal investment.
Cords
Make sure the power cords for the treadmill and other electric powered equipment are either taut to avoid trip and falls or have them covered with a cord cover, an inexpensive accessory.
Stop Guards
Many treadmills come with a monitor that when disconnected from the machine will stop it immediately. This is standard in regular gym equipment, but not so standard in home gym equipment, so try to find a treadmill with this feature. It’s easy to make a small misstep that can lead to serious injury if the machine doesn’t stop moving when you do.
Heart Rate Monitors
Your heart rate can tell you when you’re in the right exercise zone, it also tells you when there’s a problem and you’re exercising too hard. For under $50, consider investing in one of these simple accessories, particularly if you’re over 40.
With minimal investment and a little bit of planning, your home gym will keep the family fit, and safe while they work out.