How to Build the Perfect Home Gym

If you wish to improve the living conditions in your home in a way that it would also contribute to the health and fitness of the whole family, there is nothing better than creating a home gym. Although it would require an initial investment, it will soon pay off because you’ll have a nice feature that can be used by the whole family and guests and it also increases the resale value of your home.

So, if you realize that you have a spare room because your kid has gone to college or moved from your home or you’ve decided that you don’t need so much storage room in your basement, converting such space into a home gym makes a lot of sense. If that’s the case, what is your next step?

Make Sure It’s The Right Space

Depending on the type of gym you’d like to have, there are several things you need to consider. If you’re planning on introducing some heavy equipment, make sure you don’t install the gym on the upper floor, since the floor may not be strong enough to support all the weight. Consider turning your back porch or patio into a gym if possible, since you might want to have an opportunity to exercise outdoors.

Let There Be Light And Air

It’s very important that your home gym is as light and airy as possible. Ideally, you would have plenty of natural light coming from windows and doors, which would also make it possible for you to have enough ventilation. If that’s not really possible, you should install some kind of recessed lighting or simple lamps with soft white bulbs. Another option to make the space more inviting is to add plants. They will increase oxygen levels in the room and add a touch of nature to the place.

Get Rid Of Clutter

It’s very important that your home gym doesn’t contain any items that are not really necessary. Otherwise, you may run a risk of tripping and falling over and thus injuring yourself. It’s also important to find the right place for every machine you need. Should you decide to have one of those amazing exercise bikes, make sure you place them closer to the wall, so that it doesn’t create a problem for anyone using the gym at the same time as you. Also, it’s a good idea to place it closer to a window, so that you can get more fresh air as you exercise.

Step By Step

You don’t need to have everything at once. Some equipment is rather pricey, and you may not want to splash a lot of cash immediately. Instead, make a plan depending on your financial situation and furnish your home gym gradually. However, it’s important that you know exactly what you’d like the gym to look like so that you can tackle some construction works first. For example, if you know you want some heavy equipment, you need to make sure your floor is strong enough to support it and you need to address such an issue before you bring anything into the room. Also, it’s very important that everything you need for exercising has its place in the gym and that you don’t create a mess.

Use Your Gym!

The worst thing you can do is actually spend a lot of money and effort into creating a gym and then use it rarely or never. If you’re having trouble finding motivation, you could invite a friend and schedule a session together. That should help you keep your motivation high and you’ll both benefit from spending time together. Needless to say, if you have little or no experience with working out, you should consult a fitness trainer and your doctor before hitting the gym. The last thing you need is to jeopardise your health or injure yourself because you’ve chosen a wrong kind of exercise or pushed yourself too hard.

Having a gym at home is no longer the privilege of the rich and we should all use the opportunity to install one if we have enough room and are keen on keeping fit. Have fun working out!

Guest Contributor, Diana Smith