A drastic turn of events forced everyone to stay at home. You suddenly thought about the things you love doing outside and how you’re going to live without them. Oh, what about that gym membership?
Come on let’s be real, how many times have you gone there to exercise? Do you miss the part about getting all dressed up and getting on the road? Wouldn’t it be easier to head to an empty space in your house or garage and do some exercise with some gym or gymnastics equipment?
4 Easy Tips and Tricks for Building Your At-Home Gym
Build an at-home gym
Keeping a healthy mind and body should be one of our priorities, no doubt, but going to a gym can be complicated, time-consuming, and expensive.
Fret not. Here are some tips to create the perfect place to stay fit from the comfort of your own home. You can do some stretching, a series of movements, and even core exercises. If you miss the gym and the motivation to set up your home gym to keep you inspired, set up a home gym.
Build your dream at-home gym!
1. Identify the right spot
Sure you can exercise anywhere inside (or even outside) your home, but if you’re going to set up a personal home gym, you need to find that ideal space.
A spare room, the garage corner, your backyard? Consider your exercise routine and equipment required, so you have an idea.
If you live in an apartment or sharing a small house, the only space you have might be in your room (this shouldn’t stop you if you want a personal home gym). You just may need to be a little more creative when setting up your home gym, perhaps even using alternatives to weights.
2. Get your gym items and equipment
Identify the essential pieces of equipment you need for your at-home gym. Adjustable dumbbells, kettlebells, exercise or yoga mat, resistance bands, jump rope, workout bench, and some balance discs would be perfect for starters.
Tight on budget? Some items come cheap if you know where to find them. You can buy some used equipment or even do your own (time to practice those DIY skills!). Check out some second-hand marketplaces or join fitness groups for tips.
Get some equipment, try them out, sell them if you realize you don’t need or like them. If you are lucky, you can also find places that sell higher-end workout equipment at affordable prices.
3. Design your gym setup
If you’re converting a spare room to your home gym, make sure that it’s free from distractions and clutter to focus on your workouts. Make sure your gym has good ventilation and plenty of natural light, if possible. If not, get some good quality lighting.
You might need to cover the floor area with gym flooring or interlocking mats to provide cushion for your body while doing your core workout. This will also prevent your floor from getting slippery as you sweat on it.
Adding some mirrors will also do wonders for a small space, making it appear larger, which helps ease that cramped feeling. Mirrors can also guide you in maintaining proper form while exercising.
You also need to consider where to store your equipment when they’re not in use, or just to keep your gym clean. For limited space, you can get a hanging organizer and use your walls as a storage solution. For smaller gym items, you can get storage boxes that can fit under your couch or in a small corner.
4. Setup your TV and sound system
Not exactly your budget home gym necessity, but decide if you want to have a TV in your gym (or maybe just move your TV) if you’re planning to play home workout videos. A lot of people also train well while listening to music so blast that sound all over your gym.
At-home gym tip takeaways
Having a personal gym at home is a worthwhile investment. Instead of spending on monthly memberships, you can use the money to buy your equipment.
You can also save on gas, parking tickets, plus your time and energy driving. You can prepare healthy food right after your training.
You can do just about anything to get you motivated to achieve your fitness goals—no more excuses. Your gym is only a few steps away from you; you can workout anytime you want. Just like your regular gym membership, you will only see the benefits if you use it.
