Having a home gym—a dedicated space in the house for everyday exercise—could be the difference between being physically fit and getting stuck in a sedentary lifestyle. To avoid the latter, check out these 5 design ideas for your home gym…
With that in mind, it makes sense that your home gym needs to be tailored to you and your family so that it can offer the utmost convenience. Designing with the perfect home gym might not be simple, and many people might not even know where to start.
Luckily, this doesn’t have to be a complicated process.
Let’s take a look at some design ideas to make your home gym shine!
Room To Move
The ideal home gym must have a fair amount of space. The bigger the space, the more the equipment you can fit in.
You’ll need space to maneuver around in as well. That doesn’t mean you can’t have a home gym if you have only a small space, of course—it just means that you’ll have to be a bit more creative.
The basement or attic might be good spaces to keep in mind. You could even convert the garage into a workout area, as long as it hasn’t been taken over by tools, vehicles, and stuff in storage.
If all else fails, you might have to make do by clearing a space in your living room every other day when motivation strikes.
Ample Lighting
Your gym needs to be properly lit.
You need to be able to see everything clearly to ensure you don’t hurt yourself and to make sure your form is correct while exercising.
If possible, you should take advantage of natural lighting to get an energizing boost of Vitamin D. Large windows and open spaces are great for a home gym.
If your home gym is in a dark, windowless space such as the basement where it isn’t possible to get natural lighting, you might consider installing brighter bulbs with natural light bulbs.
After all, straining your eyes is counterproductive to your health kick.
Airflow
Most of us feel that air conditioning is an absolute necessity at home anyways, let alone when you’re working up a sweat in your home gym.
An adjustable thermostat is handy for kicking on the A/C before you start exercising and a ceiling fan is helpful too.
Make sure your HVAC filters are clean as well. For as much as you will be huffing and puffing, you’ll want to be sure the air quality is at optimally clean levels. Fresh air will serve you well too.
Crack the window and take a few deep breaths before you begin.
If you’re avoiding exercise because it’s too hot or humid at home, check your home repair insurance before you shell money out of pocket to fix the system. You can learn more about that here.
Multi-Purpose Equipment
Multi-purpose equipment is essential when you have limited space to workout at home.
It will save you on the costs of setting up the home gym as well. Equipment, such as adjustable dumbbells or kettlebells, are versatile and will allow you to grow with your workout routine without having to spend more money.
Look around the house for items you can repurpose as gym equipment.
Instead of a yoga bolster, you can use a throw pillow. If you’re working your way up to hand weights, start by lifting cans of soup or water bottles.
Additionally, a hand towel or dish rag can double as resistance bands.
Mirrors
Wall mirrors are another home gym essential. Exercising in front of a mirror is quite therapeutic.
It helps you concentrate on the exercise or meditation you are engaged in. They also help you to check your form every step of the way. You are able to track changes and progress that are happening with your body from the mirror.
In addition to mirrors, consider hanging motivational wall art or mounting a television to cast workout videos you can follow along with.
Designing a home gym does not have to be hard work. By carving out space—no matter how big or small, repurposing household items for fitness, and setting achievable goals, you’ll be seeing results in no time at all for a fraction of the cost of a gym membership.
