Munich - Taking plenty of exercise is a great way of reducine stress, staying trim and warding off back, heart and circulatory problems. But some people are discouraged from paying regular visits to their gym by factors such as travel distance, inconvenient opening hours or they just feel uncomfortable exercising in public. Depending on how much space is available in your cellar, a home-gym including a sauna might be the answer. "A prerequisite for having a sauna is a high-voltage electricity supply," says Professor Reiner Pohl of the Bavarian-based initiative "Pro Keller", which seeks to promote homeowners' use of their cellars.
It's also a good idea to have a place to relax and cool down in a comfortable atmosphere. That makes having a sauna more fun and will encourage you to use it frequently. Another factor to consider is easy access to the outdoors and fresh air.
The sauna's shower should be constructed with what's known as a shower receptor - the base of the shower made from a single piece of material. Tiles encourage bacteria to grow in the seams, if the sauna is used a lot.
"We recommend a shower receptor that measures at least 120 by 120 centimetres," says Martin Koch from the German bathtub maker Kaldewei.
Shower receptors are excellent at collecting water from very large shower heads and are more comfortable to stand in.
But before you get to the sauna there's an exercise programme to get through first. An exercise bike and a gym mat are no longer sufficient for the average home-gym.
There's a wide range of expensive gym machines on offer to help you get ready for wearing a bikini or improve your stomach's six packs.
However, the experts advise anyone thinking of investing money in gym machines to carefully consider what their goal is first.
"Many of the gym machines on the market are simply rubbish," says Georg Stingl, chairperson of "Aktion Gesunder Ruecken", an initiative against back pain.
Many machines offer poor quality when it comes to their effectiveness and their durability. Another problem is that incorrect use of a gym machine can damage your body.
"A layman who begins using a machine at home without expert advice often makes mistakes that can affect their health," warns Claudia Ernst from the health insurance company Deutschen Angestellten Krankenkasse in Hamburg.
Ernst recommends getting advice from a qualified trainer in a commercial gym. She also recommends getting a check-up from a doctor before investing in gym machines for the home.
A compact home gym with a treadmill, stepper, cross trainer and mini trampoline comes at a cost of at least several hundred euros.
"The way you equip your gym will depend on how much space you have," says Ernst. There should always be at least one metre of free space around each machine with good ventilation.
However, even the most comfortable home gym cannot solve lack of motivation.
"Exercise should always be fun," says Stingl. At first, most people are very enthusiastic. But after just a few weeks the gym is hardly used at all because it can be boring exercising on your own in a cellar."
INFO BOX: Insulating a home gym cellar
You must be able to heat your cellar, if you intend turning it into a home gym. Energy saving laws will require you to have good insulation which an expert can help you plan and install. It's also a good idea to provide ventilation with double-glazed windows.
