Home Gym Statistics: Adoption, Outcomes, & Equipment

Training with elastic resistance built as much strength as weight machines and dumbbells for both the lower body (SMD -0.11) and upper body (0.09)

Meta-analysis of eight studies across different populations and protocols; neither difference was significant.

Elastic-band training had a strong effect on strength in healthy older adults (SMD 1.30) and in those with functional limitations (1.01)

Meta-analysis of 11 studies with 834 people aged 60-79; the effect was moderate (0.54) in older adults with a disease.

6RM elastic-band push-ups and 6RM bench press produced similar strength gains over 5 weeks, 13.65-22.21% across the 1RM and 6RM tests

30 university students with advanced training experience, with exercises matched for muscle activation; the control group did not change.

Push-ups loaded to match 40% of bench-press 1RM built as much chest and triceps muscle as bench pressing over 8 weeks

18 young men training twice a week. Bench-press 1RM rose 5.0 kg in the bench group and 3.1 kg in the push-up group; only the bench group grew its biceps.

16 weeks of bodyweight high-intensity intervals improved VO2max as much as treadmill intervals and continuous running

55 healthy men; eight 20-second all-out calisthenics bouts with 10-second rests, three times a week. Treadmill intervals did more for running-performance measures.

In a 12-week suspension-training programme for older adults, compliance was 85% and 91% of participants wanted to continue

Feasibility study with 11 finishers; participants most often reported strength gains.

Home-based and centre-based cardiac rehabilitation showed no difference in mortality (relative risk 1.19, not significant) or exercise capacity up to 12 months

23 trials with 2,890 people after heart attack, revascularization or heart failure. Home-based participants were marginally more likely to complete the programme (RR 1.04).

Pulmonary telerehabilitation matched in-person rehabilitation on 6-minute walking distance (difference 0.06 m) and had a 93% completion rate against 70%

15 studies with 1,904 participants, 99% with COPD. Certainty is limited by the small number of studies.

Behavioural support cut drop-out from new exercise programmes to 17% at 3 months and 33% at 6 months, against 38% and 58% with standard counselling

1,336 adults at 18 community exercise facilities; computer feedback alone gave 27% and 52%.

63% of new members of a fitness centre quit before their third month, and fewer than 4% stayed beyond 12 months

5,240 members of one Rio de Janeiro gym, 2005-2014. A gym membership is no guarantee of training; consistency matters wherever the training happens.

Shared treadmill desks added 1,622 steps a day during working hours for overweight office workers

3-month randomized trial in 41 workers. Light activity rose and sedentary time fell during work hours.

Muscle-strengthening activity was associated with 10-17% lower all-cause mortality, with the largest reduction at about 30-60 minutes a week

Meta-analysis of 16 cohort studies. The dose with the most benefit fits easily into short home sessions.

24.2% of US adults met both the aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity guidelines in 2020: 28.3% of men and 20.4% of women

National Health Interview Survey; the report does not record where people exercised.

Compared with no exercise, elastic-resistance training improved strength and functional performance in healthy adults, but was not better than other resistance methods

Meta-analysis of five trials; against active controls, elastic training matched them on strength and fell short on functional performance.

Resistance training was associated with 21% lower all-cause mortality than no exercise, and 40% lower when combined with aerobic exercise

Meta-analysis of 11 studies with 370,256 participants; the studies did not separate home from gym training.