Hello World! Welcome Friends! So, you’re thinking about creating a home gym. This guide has everything you need to know about creating a home gym; from equipment you’ll need to what to use to protect your flooring. For floor coverage, refer here for gym floor covering to see what you will need.
Personal fitness is an admirable goal, and an at-home workout station has become more appealing for many people amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. But before you buy a bunch of equipment, and gym software, you must sort out some essential details.
Determining the Equipment You Need
Your fitness goals will largely determine the look and layout of your home gym. If you have a clearly defined objective, you have to buy the proper tools to achieve it.
If you want to gain weight or muscle, focus your efforts on finding this equipment:
- Bench
- Barbell
- Weight plate set
- Squat rack
- Adjustable dumbbells
- Cable machine
- Pull-up bar
If you want to lose weight, look for cardio machines:
- Treadmill
- Elliptical
- Exercise bike
- Rowing machine
- Stairmaster
If you want a variety of strength and cardio training, get a little bit of both. The equipment you buy plays an important role in determining where you will locate your home gym, but you have to take many other factors into account.
Indoors or Outdoors?
Both locations have pros and cons, but it all depends on what works best for you. Consider these factors when making your decision:
- Your fitness goals: Which setting will allow you to use the equipment you need to meet your goals?
- Your family: Which setting will work best for your family? Your gym should accommodate everyone in the house.
- Available space: Where do you have the most room to create your home gym?
- Climate: Does your region’s weather make indoor/outdoor more appealing?
- Property value: If you plan to sell your home in the future, how will your home gym affect its value?
- Neighbors: Do you trust your neighbors not to use or steal your equipment? Will a homeowners association (HOA) give you any trouble?
- Privacy: How much do you value your privacy?
No matter which option you choose, it’s important that you took a step forward in achieving your fitness goals. You’ve set your plan in motion, and now you can make your vision a reality.
Creating an Indoor Home Gym
Most homes have enough space for a modest home gym. Here are some common areas around the house where you can clear space for your equipment:
- Garage
- Basement
- Attic
- Spare bedroom
- Screened in deck/porch
Once you pinpoint the area in which you want to build your gym, follow this step-by-step guide, so you get everything you need.
Clear Out Your Space
Start by removing all furniture, decorations, and other valuables from the area. A sufficient home workout area requires as little as 50 to 60 square feet of space, so you shouldn’t have to do that much rearranging. During this step, it helps to visualize where you’ll place each piece of gym equipment. You can also sketch a floor plan if you want your equipment in specific spots.
Buy Foam Floor Mats
If the area you choose doesn’t have a concrete floor, you have to purchase interlocking foam mats to protect yourself and your floors. Hardwood, linoleum tiles, and carpets don’t provide the proper traction for fitness training and the equipment could cause damage. Buy all the mats you need to cover your desired space, no matter what equipment you plan to use.
Buy Your Equipment
Purchase the equipment you need based on your goals, as discussed in the first section. To avoid buying too much equipment or items that are too big, you should acquire each piece one at a time and slowly build your gym like a puzzle. You can easily change the layout if necessary.
Move the Equipment Into Place
Moving your equipment into place can be a challenge. If you can’t move something because it’s too large or heavy, invest in some tie-down straps and a furniture dolly, and enlist the help of your family and friends. It’s better to build your indoor home gym on the ground floor to avoid this exact dilemma, but if you’re a basement/attic person, you have options.
Set the Scene
A gym’s atmosphere is vital to its success. If your home gym looks like a dark, damp dungeon, you’ll probably find it more unpleasant to use as time goes on. Make sure you have warm lighting and sufficient airflow. Add motivational decorations wherever you see fit.
Creating an Outdoor Home Gym
While indoor gyms have the advantages of privacy and longevity, outdoor gyms take the upper hand in several important attributes, including:
- Versatility: Outdoor gyms usually have more space, allowing users to get a wider variety of equipment and change the layout whenever they want.
- Atmosphere: People enjoy outdoor exercise more than indoor exercise.
The step-by-step process of selecting and buying equipment is effectively the same, but with outdoor gyms, you have many more options to choose from – especially bodyweight exercise equipment that provides an effective workout and a fuller range of motion than you might get indoors. You can build an entire jungle gym in your backyard if you have the space.
While versatility is great, outdoor gyms present some unique challenges to their owners, most notably protecting equipment from the elements and thieves. Here are some items you can purchase to address these problems:
- Awning
- Canopy or tent
- Outdoor furniture covers
- Tarps
- Cable locks
- Security cameras
- Motion-sensor lighting
Even the mildest climates can experience severe weather and the nicest neighborhoods can fall victim to intruders. Outdoor home gyms provide a fantastic exercise experience, but you have to take all necessary security measures to keep your equipment safe.
Take the First Step Today
Every person and household has different needs, so we can’t definitively say if one option is better than the other. They both have their advantages and disadvantages. The only thing that matters is your health and wellness goals.
You can create an effective exercise space in any environment with the proper planning and tools. Take the first step towards achieving your goals today and start drawing up plans to create a home gym!
Click the links below for any posts you have missed:
Benefits of Living in a 55+ Community
A Beginner’s Introduction to Zoning Laws
Falling Out Of Love With your Home
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Toodles,
This is a very informative blog, and I appreciate the author taking the time to write it. After reading this blog, I learned a lot about how to set up a home gym with limited space.