When building a home from scratch, it’s a good idea to include a fitness studio in your design, choosing the best location for your home gym, taking into account the views you want to enjoy while exercising and whether you need privacy.
A garage conversion, extension, or garden room can make a great home gym. Creating a home gym doesn’t have to be expensive, as you can dedicate an existing room to a home gym or even use a corner of your bedroom or home office.
Choosing the Right Equipment
Adam Clark, from Rugbystuff.com, says building a home gym doesn’t need to be expensive or time-consuming, and you can create a useful space with versatile equipment that is easy to store. He recommends starting with a few pieces of equipment and gradually adding more as you go.
Good ventilation and ample natural lighting can significantly improve your workout experience, says James Bickerstaff, from OriGym. Measuring your space and creating a scale plan can help you determine the best layout for your equipment, allowing you to move around it easily.
Related: Creative designs for downstairs toilets
Eloise Skinner, a fitness instructor and author, advises against planning your space in an abstract way without considering how you’ll move around it. You need room for arm and leg movements, space to move around equipment, and space to warm up and cool down, making it essential to consider these factors when designing your home gym.
They emphasize the importance of considering the space’s functionality and your own movement within it.
Defining Your Fitness Goals
Before choosing your equipment, define your fitness goals and how you plan to achieve them. Alasdair Nicoll, a personal trainer at The Fitness Group, recommends starting by defining your fitness goals, whether it’s strength training, cardio, flexibility, or a combination of these, and then selecting equipment that aligns with these objectives.
A cross trainer is a great piece of equipment for a home gym, as it’s foldable and ideal for a full-body workout with minimal impact on the joints.
Related: Historic Granary Gets New Lease on Life
Creating a Comfortable Workout Space
Proper flooring is essential for a home gym, as it needs to be non-slip and absorb the impact of jumping and weights. You may want to consider investing in purpose-made gym matting.
If you’re lucky enough to have space to turn over to creating a dedicated gym – a spare bedroom, say, or conservatory or garage, think about how you’re going to decorate the room and what flooring to choose. You could go with the large mirrors that you find at the gym, as James points out, “They are useful for monitoring form and technique, and ensuring exercises are performed correctly to prevent injury.” Or avoid mirrors altogether, and go for a calming, yoga-studio zen-like vibe – the whole point is: this is your space so you can do whatever you like.
Ultimately, the key to creating a perfect home gym is to consider your individual needs and preferences, and with the right equipment, flooring, and lighting, you can create a space that motivates and inspires you to reach your fitness goals.
