How To Create A Gym Inside Your Own Home
Having your own personal gym at home can give you more motivation to stay fit and save money in the long run
It’s not just being careful about what you eat that is important in maintaining a healthy lifestyle; taking the time to do some exercise is also essential. But in this time when inflation is at an all-time high and prices are soaring rapidly, we need to be wise about what we spend on.
Because of this, purchasing gym memberships may not be a priority for most of us. So instead of going to a gym, some homeowners have chosen to build gyms inside their own homes. After all, working out in the comfort of your own space does have plenty of benefits.
But just like any decision regarding the home, building a personal gym is something to be considered carefully, not only because it can be quite costly but also because it is a big responsibility. With help from a homeowner and an interior designer, here are the things you need to know about creating a gym inside your own home.
Should you build a home gym or not?
You may have an extra room in your home that you don’t know what to do with just yet, but should you turn it into a personal gym? A variety of factors should be taken into account when deciding whether or not to do this, such as its practicality. For homeowner RJ Yu and his wife, working out is part of their daily routine, so creating a home gym was automatically part of the plan for their home. “Since we don’t have kids yet, we decided to convert one of our spare bedrooms into a gym so that we could have an easily accessible place to do our exercises.”
There are plenty of other reasons and advantages to creating a personal gym, especially for fitness buffs. First, you get to save money. “Gym memberships can often be costly and you can’t always have access to one,” says interior designer Erika Uichanco. RJ shares another advantage: There’s no need to travel elsewhere. “The gym is always available at any time you want,” he shares. “With a gym right in your home, it removes some of the mental barriers and excuses people make to avoid the gym.”
There is also a sense of privacy that comes with having a gym in the comfort of your own home. “You can wear anything you want and don’t have to worry about looking presentable,” RJ says. Additionally, having your own equipment means that you can use them whenever you want. “With your own gym, you don’t have to wait for equipment or space to free up,” he adds. “You’re the priority all the time and it allows for faster workouts, which in turn, make it more likely you’ll do it.”
Of course, turning that extra room into a personal fitness area will not be the most ideal or practical solution for everyone, especially if you are too busy or if exercise is not very high on your list of priorities. But if you do want to make a gym inside your own home, these are the things that you need to keep in mind.
Purchasing the right equipment
The first and most important part of building your own home gym is purchasing the equipment you will need. But before you visit your nearest equipment store or start browsing online, make sure that you know what kind of exercise you intend to do first. “The type of exercises you do will determine what equipment you need,” says RJ. For example, because he prefers running and cardiovascular exercises, he purchased an elliptical machine. On the other hand, for his wife, who practices yoga, he purchased yoga mats and installed full-length mirrors.
However, if you don’t have any specific kind of workout in mind or want to do a little bit of everything, Erika shares some types of equipment that will be necessary to create a fully-functional gym:
- A barbell and plate set for developing the muscles
- Kettlebells for developing the hamstrings, glutes, and core
- A treadmill or a bike for cardiovascular exercises
- A jump rope for cardio workouts (a great alternative for the treadmill or bike)
- Yoga mats for stretching and floor exercises
You don’t have to buy the most elaborate and expensive equipment. Just make sure that you have everything you’ll need to make exercising an easier experience.
Setting up your home gym
Once you have your equipment, the next step is to arrange them accordingly inside your home gym. This may seem like an easy thing to do, but a lot of thinking must be put into how you arrange your equipment. “When organizing equipment in a gym,” says Erika, “[consider the] frequency of use of an item. Do you normally use this every day or just a few times a week? This is so you can easily access them whenever you please.”
Erika also advises, “Group similar items together—heavier machines and equipment should be [placed] all together, [while] the bench and the rack, and the barbells and dumbbells [should be kept] closer to each other.” Again, proper arrangement of your equipment will allow for faster and easier access once you do your workout.
Another important part of setting up your home gym is the type of flooring you will use there. Though it may seem like a trivial factor, the right kind of floor finish can make a difference in your home gym. Erika says, “Make sure that you invest in proper flooring in the home gym. This protects your machines and equipment and can make it last longer.” Also, since the gym is an area where you will be sweating a lot, the right kind of floor will help prevent accidents. Erika suggests commercial grade foam flooring, which is both affordable and long-lasting.
Another thing you can do to make sure that your gym is not only functional but also a fun place to spend time in is to paint it in an energizing and motivating color. Let in natural light and blast some music that will keep your momentum up, and you’ll definitely enjoy workout time.
Maintaining your home gym
Of course, creating a gym in your own home also means that you have to keep it spic and span, along with every other room in your house. Performing simple cleaning tasks is an easy first step. “Make sure the space is clean and clear. Give it some love by doing general cleaning every so often,” Erika shares. Depending on the kind of material your mats are made of, make sure to clean them to prevent the spread of bad odors and mold. Wipe down your equipment and other gym accessories after every use. Spray the air with air freshener or use an essential oil diffuser.
Keeping your gym uncluttered is also an important maintenance task. Just returning your equipment and accessories to their proper storage areas is already a helpful way to keep clutter at bay. If your gym (and every other room in your house) is always clean, it will automatically be a more fun place to spend time in.
Creating a personal fitness area inside your home can be both challenging and expensive, but the long-term benefits far outweigh the short-term stresses. Not only do you save more money, but you also achieve your fitness goals and keep yourself healthy and happy!
