The pandemic really put a hurt on the gym industry. Most were forced to close and many will never open their doors again. Some of this is because of the loss of income but there is another reason. Many consumers have decided to make the switch from commercial gyms to home gyms.
If you are one of these consumers, you already know that building a gym is going to be an expensive proposition. Luckily, we can help with exercise equipment financing, but once you have the money, where do you do next? We can also help with that, take a look.
Pick A Spot For Your Home Gym
The very first thing that you need to do is pick a spot to build your home gym. This will dictate much about how you work out and what kind of equipment you have room for.
The easiest spot to build a home gym is in a garage, but this can potentially come with a lot of drawbacks. Garages can be cold in the winter and hot in the summer. This will make your home gym less useful since you will be more reluctant to put yourself in a bad environment.
If you can dedicate a room in your home for your gym, that would be the best solution because it would make working out much more comfortable and convenient. When something is convenient to do, it is much more likely to get done.
Even if you can not afford to dedicate an entire room to your gym, part of a room is almost as good. It just means that you have to buy smaller exercise equipment and be a little smarter.
Choose Your Cardio Equipment
Once you know what kind of space constraints you have, you can start shopping for your cardio equipment. Space makes a big difference when making a choice.
If you have a lot of room, you can choose just about anything from a stair climber to an elliptical machine. These machines are great for cardio, but they take up a lot of room.
When space is more of an issue, you need to look at cardio gear that folds such as a a space saver treadmill or a rowing machine that can be tucked under a bed.
Whatever you choose, be sure to go with quality. Your cardio gear will most likely contain a lot of electronics and motors and cheap gear will be unreliable at best. At worst, the equipment will be more difficult and unpleasant to use.
Pick Out Resistance Equipment
A good workout is not just about burning calories and getting your heart going. You also need to add some resistance training into the mix which will keep your muscles and bones in shape.
If you just want to stay tone, this can be accomplished with a simple bench and a set of dumbbells. Choose a bench that is comfortable and has an incline feature. As far as dumbbells go, if you are tight on space go with an adjustable set. If you have the room however, choose a variety of fixed weight dumbbells. They are much more comfortable to use and you don’t have to fumble with an adjustment knob.
For those of you who want to build muscle, you will need to invest in a bit more equipment. If you work out alone, a weight rack will prove to be very valuable. They allow you to set up a safety bar so that you do not have to worry about having a spotter on hand. A weight rack or cage is not as bulky as it might seem with most of them coming in at 4 feet by 4 feet. Placed on a se of furniture sliders, you could move it flush against a corner wall when not in use.
Once you have your rack picked out, choose a good set of Olympic weights. Pick your set based upon how much weight you expect to lift. If you plan on going over 300 pounds with any lift, you will need to go with a higher end set that will come with a stronger bar.
Finish Up With Accessories
You want to make it as pleasant as possible to exercise. To do this, select some accessories that make you want to be in your gym. This could be a wall mirror, a small television or some nice lighting. The beauty about having a home gym is that you can make your space however you want.
Don’t go overboard at first, just buy a few things and then put your gym to work. As you do this, you will realize what other gear you need and can buy your accessories without wasting money.
