Creating a Home Gym That Makes You Want to Exercise

There is nothing better than being able to exercise at your convenience and in the comfort and privacy of your home. Not driving in traffic, bathing with strangers, being too hot or too cold, or wondering if exercise equipment has been recently disinfected. Even if you’re not a fitness fan, designing your own gym allows you to create the kind of space conducive to exercising. Here are some design inspiration and tips to help you design a home gym that invites you to exercise.

“Compared to the cost of a gym membership or personal trainer, creating a home gym can pay for itself in no time,” according to Dan DiClerico, home expert and smart home strategist at HomeAdvisor.

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And exercise equipment with Wi-Fi connection has increased the popularity of home gyms, he explains. “For example, a smart exercise bike with an interactive screen allows you to join your favorite spin class without leaving home.”

However, if you plan to install a Wi-Fi connected exercise equipment, he says it is important to ensure that there is a good internet connection in the training area. “That could mean installing additional wireless access points or range extenders to ensure fast internet speed. Otherwise, the weak signal could really slow down your workout. “

Space considerations

Fortunately, adding a home gym doesn’t have to be a major renovation project. “A finished basement or a spare bedroom will suffice,” says DiClerico. “Just make sure there is enough space around and above the exercise equipment. Clearance requirements vary by machine, but for treadmills you generally want at least 6½ feet of clearance at the rear of the machine and 1½ feet on each side. “

If you don’t have an existing space, DiClerico recommends finishing the basement. “The average cost to finish a basement ranges from $ 6,500 to $ 18,500,” DiClerico says. If you stick to the basics – hanging and painting drywall and installing plywood flooring – he says you can control some of the costs. “But for the best training experience, you’ll want good lighting, ventilation, and audio / visuals, all of which will add to the cost,” he explains.

If you’re setting up your home gym for power support, it’ll take up a lot of space, according to Atlanta, Georgia owner Shawn Breyer. Breyer Home Buyers. “The Power Racks allow you to set the height of the bar at any level, allowing you to bench press, squat, shoulder press, etc.” He recommends a wall mount electrical rack. “When not in use, they fold up and stick out five inches from the wall, allowing you to have your gym and your cars in your garage.”

Soil considerations

If you plan to use weights in your home gym, it is also important to make sure that they are evenly distributed along the floor beam. “You don’t want to carry a dumbbell rack that sits between two floor joists,” explains Breyer. “A 30-by-36-inch piece of 3/4-inch spruce plywood can hold up to 50 pounds without a problem, but the average two-tier dumbbell rack weighs 705 pounds.” Over time, Breyer says that plywood will warp or collapse under load.

Breyer also recommends the use of rubber mats. “No matter what equipment, weights or exercises you throw at them, they can handle it,” he says. “Other benefits are that they are easy to clean and provide excellent sound insulation, and that makes for a happy spouse.”

“Whether you’re setting up your gym in your garage or spare room, if you’re doing Olympic lifts like power cleanings and deadlifts, you need to have an Olympic platform,” advises Breyer. “Dropping weights can break concrete and plywood, costing you hundreds or even thousands to repair the damage.” That’s one to ruin your hardwood floors. However, you can buy an Olympic rig, or if you’re into DIY, Breyer recommends building your own.

Resale Considerations

When deciding on your gym design, consider how it will affect the resale value of your home. “If you’ve modified your home in any way, you’ll want to make the necessary repairs and changes before you put your home back up for sale,” advises Breyer. “And you need to put away your gym equipment.” That’s because home buyers like to imagine themselves in your home. “If exercise is not part of their lifestyle, a room full of gym equipment will decrease the chances that they will fall in love with your house and want to buy it,” he explains.

Equipment Considerations

Exercise Physiologist, Celebrity Trainer, and Fitness Consultant for Nautilus, Inc. Tom holland is the host of Bowflex’s weekly live broadcast “Breakfast Club.” According to Holland, his equipment is the key to successful training. “First, consumers need to take the time to select the equipment they are most likely to use consistently, especially cardiovascular equipment,” he tells Freshome. “While price is often a factor for most people, paying a little more for the equipment you will use is a much smarter decision than spending less on a part that will not be used.”

Holland recommends the following three teams:

“The Bowflex SelectTech 560 dumbbells are the first smart dumbbells to offer a fully interactive training experience with a Bluetooth 3DT sensor and the SelectTech app that guides you through your workout, saving you time exercising at home and reducing the number of dumbbells from 32 to just two, ”says Holland.

“The Bowflex Lateral X is a unique cardio trainer designed to provide a full-body workout and move in three dimensions: side to side, push and pull, and standing and squatting,” says Holland. “These movements mimic real-life movements like gardening, cleaning the house, and playing with your children, which can help strengthen those muscles that are otherwise neglected.”

“The Modern Movement is a line of products for balance, core and strength training that features the revolutionary M-Trac application, which allows users to measure improvement in balance and agility or use a digital personal trainer to guide them in their training, “says Holland. . “Both the Edge-Board Core Strength Trainer and the M-Pad Balance and Strength Trainer are easy to store, and if you’re short on space, they’re perfect for tackling core strength exercises from anywhere in your home.”