Gyms and fitness centers are often full when you get off work and head out for a session. You often find yourself queuing behind others for a specific machine, only to realize that they are busy texting instead of working out. This is a massive problem, which pushes more people toward building a home gym.
The ideal home gym would feature a combination of exercise machines that allow you to target a variety of different muscles. If you manage to set up a gym that contains everything, you will be more inclined to get great results.
But what exactly makes a good home gym?
Today, we explore some of the ins and outs of the home gym and look at some of the expert tips to help you build your own home gym from the ground up. We will break down the process of determining how and what to set up in your home.
Start By Creating A Budget And Analyzing Available Space
The first thing you’d want to do is to create a solid budget that will help you determine what is affordable and what is not. You will notice that there is an expensive and cheap version of every piece of equipment available.
Once you have your set budget, space could be another problem. Ideally, you want to make sure that you have enough space for everything in your home. Without any space available, your equipment will often end up in some kind of storage.
Determine Which Equipment Offers You’re the Best Value
Whilst some like the Warm Body Cold Mind straps offer a ton of versatility at an affordable price (they can be used for barbell, dumbbell, kettlebell, etc.), things get a bit more tricky with larger pieces of equipment. Once you have an idea of what you want to use, you should plan on what fitness goals you want to achieve.
With your fitness goals in hand and a basic workout program, you can start looking for the equipment that will make it possible to train these muscles. Ideally, you want to have enough equipment to target at least all the large muscle groups.
Strength Training Equipment
Building strength should be a primary focus for you and this leaves you with one of two options. You can either choose a complete fitness machine, or you will need to stock up on some free weights. Whilst free weights can be better for specific exercises, it will be very expensive to build a complete set.
For beginners, a home workout machine that is adjustable and offers you a variety of exercise options is usually the best. The great thing about these machines is that you can slowly start your training program, whilst building up your free weight collection.
Cardio Equipment
One of the main reasons why people invest in a home gym is to lose weight. Whilst both strength training and cardio can offer you a way to lose weight, you want to have at least one cardio piece in your home.
If you don’t like running around outdoors, a good treadmill is very versatile and will offer you the option to warm up, or even cool down after a workout. You won’t need to worry about being robbed or hoping for the ideal weather conditions if you live in the United Kingdom. It is recommended that you invest into at least one piece of cardio equipment.
Accessories
Many people take the addition of gym accessories as a waste of money. However, when you invest in something as simple as gym straps, you will realize just how much more of a dimension it can add to your workout routine.
Accessories such as the gym strap, a medicine ball, and even the addition of a resistance band, can easily make up for some of the free weights you don’t have at the moment. It is one of the best budget-friendly options that will help ensure that you can maintain a great workout.
Slowly Expand
After a few weeks of working out, you might have been able to save up a couple of bucks. This is where things get fun and you can start expanding. Depending on your budget, you can slowly start adding new and more sophisticated equipment. When building free weights, the bench bar is one of the most important for versatility.
However, you should remember to pad your floor to ensure that you don’t damage the floor when you are dropping the weights. Adding some rubber padding should be cost-effective and it will definitely pay off in the long run.
Conclusion
Your home gym doesn’t need to look like the gym you visit every week. In fact, it only needs to look like something that will serve the purpose you have for it. Once you have it set up, you should remember to be consistent so as not to waste this investment. But, be sure to let us know in the comment how your ideal home gym should look.
