How to Create the Perfect Home Gym

How to Create the Perfect Home Gym

Whether you’re just committing to working out or you’ve been doing it for years, a home gym can be a great addition to your life. It can help you save money and it makes it easier to fit your workout into your day. Nevertheless, if you don’t create the space the right way, it can end up just being a room that you never even look at, much less use. So, how do you create the perfect gym at home?

 

1. Find a space in your home

It might be a spare bedroom, your garage, or even a den. Maybe you even decide to go all out and build a shed to be your gym or an addition to your home. The point is to find a space in your home that can be dedicated solely to this purpose.  

It’s important that this room is designed for you to work out in, and not be a hybrid gym/guest bedroom. If it serves a dual purpose, you’ll be more likely to find excuses to skip workouts. 

 

2. Stock it with the necessary equipment

Whether you prefer dumbbells, a treadmill, elliptical machine, yoga mat, and props, or DVD workouts, stock your gym with the equipment you need and will use for your workouts. 

Full body machines are great for exercising multiple muscle groups. If you combine them with free weights and a cable routed pulley system, these machines by itself could be the entirety of your equipment. Or you could combine them with a treadmill or elliptical for your cardio. Whatever you decide to purchase, it should be easily accessible, fit your style and be something you’ll actually use. Don’t buy equipment just because it’s on sale or worked for your friend.

 

Do some research by going online and checking out various fitness equipment reviews and take your time to ensure that you get the most useful piece of equipment, so you get the most bang for your buck. Don’t forget to look for used equipment, too, in order to save some money. Also, consider a piece of equipment that might be smaller and less expensive but does the same job – such as jump ropes instead of treadmills or balance discs instead of stability balls. 

 

3. Remove any distractions from it

It’s tempting to watch TV while you’re working out. Particularly if you’re new to it, the thought of spending a half hour on the treadmill or lifting weights with nothing to do but stare at the wall sounds boring and more than you can handle. 

But the best results from a workout come from being present in your workout. Paying attention to your breathing, heart rate, muscle contractions and fatigue and more can help you get the most out of your work out. 

Additionally, unused electronics, books, or other things can quickly clutter up space and make it unsafe. Tape cords along the baseboards so you don’t trip, and if you use DVDs or streaming videos to workout, make sure that the TV is placed at the right height to allow for easy viewing. 

 

4. Prepare your favorite workout music

While you want to eliminate most distractions from your gym, there is one that you should keep: music. Music makes everything more enjoyable, and the right tempo will keep you moving faster and more energetically which will make your workout more effective. 

It’s a matter of personal preference whether you use a headset and personal device or a stereo with booming speakers to let the music flow, but music will make your workout seem shorter and easier. If you’re new to working out and afraid you might give up, choose some favorite tunes and only listen to them while you work out, so you have the motivation to stick with it. 

 

5. Start working out!

Once you’ve chosen a space, eliminate distractions, stocked your gym, and get your music ready to go, there’s only one thing left to do: lace up your shoes and start working out! Set a schedule for yourself, whether your workout is first thing in the morning or in the evening before dinner, three days a week or six, and put it in your planner or set reminders on your phone. Put on your workout clothes, tie your shoes, and get your heart pumping. 

Having a home gym will boost your health by improving the odds of you sticking with your workout. You’ll save money on gas and gym membership, save time by not driving, and avoid lengthy waits for machines, showers, or lockers. You can’t beat that.