Home Gym
Designing your in home fitness center
When creating your own home gym, ask yourself the question, am I a serious fitness buff or just a casual exerciser? This will determine what gym equipment you need, which in turn will affect space and budget constraints.
Making room for home fitness
Once you know what type of gym you need, choose where your home fitness center will be located. Would you like it out of sight in the basement or a spare bedroom, or easily accessible in a corner of the living room or home office? Many people will forget to exercise if the machinery isn’t in a high-traffic area of the home, so make sure you choose a place that will encourage you to use your exercise equipment.
Most equipment made for fitness at home is not for outdoor use, so use a climate-controlled area of your home. Also remember that space determines how much equipment you can handle and whether it must be easy to store.
Your budget will also decide what and how much equipment you purchase. If you’re on a tight budget, consider fitness machines that offer more workout combinations for the best value.
Laying the foundation with home gym flooring
Appropriate home gym flooring is important to protect your floors, your equipment and your body. Some options include rolled rubber gym flooring and universal interlocking rubber tile flooring. The latter can be found in several thicknesses and color options and is cost effective for all levels of exercise. Rubber tile flooring is easy to install and can be "loose laid" for easy relocation.
Bringing the gym home
Here are some of the top home gym items:
- Traditional home gyms use free weights or machines with several stations on a single steel frame. They are durable enough for exercise enthusiasts, but are also great for inexperienced users because they ensure good technique. However, they require a lot of space.
- Power rod home gyms are very popular. They use flexible rods of varying stiffness to easily change resistance levels. This system requires less space and is less expensive, but it is also less durable and not a good choice for serious athletes who require greater resistance ranges.
- Gravity resistance home gyms are lightweight, least expensive and usually easily stored. They will not hold up to workouts for serious athletes, though..
- Treadmills are great for cardio, but offer no resistance training. Serious runners need to make sizeable investments on machines that will hold up to heavy running, but casual exercises should be able to find a versatile machine for varying athletic levels at a reasonable price.
- An elliptical will give a full body workout, combining cardio with some resistance. Consider sturdy machines for smoother workouts.
- Stationary bikes come in many varieties and are able to fit into almost any space in your home. Ride away the pounds while you watch your favorite television show!
Completing your home fitness center
Finally, in order to create the perfect home gym, consider other necessary fitness supplies. If you have room, install a small refrigerator or a water cooler to keep cool water at your fingertips, and include hygienic items such as stacks of fresh face towels for mopping sweat and also wiping down machines after workouts.
Follow these tips, and you are well on your way to the perfect home gym!
by Little A
