Well, you’ve done it. You’re ready to ditch the gym and make the most of that extra room in the basement by making your own fitness haven. Whether you’re into yoga, cardio, sports, lifting heavy, or some combination of all four, having a gym at home can be one of the best decisions of your fitness journey, but it’s important to make sure you know what you’re doing before you leap in with both feet. We’ve got some tips here for you to consider before you start stocking up on machinery. Give them a read, and you could save yourself a lot of money and heartache in the process.
Make Sure It’s Worth It
Look, we’re not trying to talk you out of anything, but before you head to the fitness warehouse and start picking out your new treadmill, it’s important to calculate just what you’re spending here. Add up the cost of everything you plan to spend on equipment and materials and then divide by your monthly gym dues. The total you get is how many months it will take for your home gym to pay for itself. It’s important to know that it can take years for your investment to be worth it, so you want to make sure that you know what you’re getting into. With that in mind, it’s also important to remember that you can’t buy your way into good habits with your gym equipment. Dropping serious cash at the fitness warehouse on that top-of-the-line treadmill might seem like motivation enough to get you up and running, but if you don’t have the habits built in, you may end up with a pricey coatrack collecting dust in the corner.
Be Mindful of Your Space
When you’re planning your home gym, it’s important to consider the space you have to work with. Are you in a basement or a garage? A spare bedroom? Are you in an area of the house where your workout might disturb the people below you? If so, how can you solve those problems? What kinds of equipment can realistically fit in your space? Make sure that your workout space isn’t overcrowded or cluttered, which could cause a potential safety hazard.
Get Some Bounce in the Floor
No matter where you decide to set up your home gym, one of the first things you can do is lay down some synthetic rubber flooring to get some cushion in the floor. This is especially important in garages and basements, where you might be dealing with concrete flooring. Rubber mats can help warm things up and make it more comfortable, as well as providing crucial protection for weightlifters.
Don’t Let the Cold Send You Back to the Couch
Another tip for basement and garage-dwellers: invest in some space heaters. One of the biggest perks of the home gym is not having to commute to the gym in the cold, but that perk is wasted if your gym space is too cold to use in the winter. Invest in a few space heaters to keep your home gym warm during the cooler months. If you’re doing strength training and cringe at the idea of having to deadlift a frigid bar, consider storing it inside the house and carrying it out with you when it’s time to work out.
Mirror, Mirror
There are a ton of reasons why gyms utilize mirrors, and those are the same reasons you need mirrors in your home operation as well. Mirrors help you correct your form, as well as adding light and the illusion of space, if that’s something you’re concerned about. If floor-to-ceiling mirrors aren’t in your budget, or if they’re not readily available in your area, you can recreate the look with several full-length closet mirrors mounted side-by-side.
A home gym can be an amazing investment in terms of your wallet and your commitment to your health. If you work smart and make shrewd choices at the fitness warehouse, you could be on your way to the perfect home fitness lair in no time. Talk to representatives at a trusted fitness warehouse to help make the choices that are right for you.
