How to create your own home gym
Have you ever thought about having a gym in the comfort of your home?
The reasons for having a home gym are many. For some, the very thought of attending a commercial gym causes feelings of apprehension and intimidation. For others, having a home gym means being able to train and exercise while spending time with their children. Perhaps the price of a gym membership as well as the time and cost of travel are too high for you.
Having a home gym gives you the opportunity to maximize the potential of your workouts and we will give you some tips to get you started building your home gym today.
Choose a suitable room
Depending on the size of your home, you may or may not have a lot of free space to make it your new gym.
You can free up some space by cleaning your garage, guest room, or even a corner of the TV room. Make sure the space has enough lighting, electrical outlets (if necessary), and a suitable flooring. Including a pair of speakers and a full-length mirror are a great idea, and if you plan on doing cardio or watching exercise DVDs, make sure you have adequate space for a television in your new gym.
Plan the space strategically
On the Precor website you will find an excellent tool called Space Planner, which allows you to strategically design the layout of your future gym. Our tool allows you to use default templates or, if you prefer, you can create your own space using the dimensions of the room you have.
We love this idea - how about replacing your sofa with an elliptical, treadmill, bike? They take up practically the same space as a sofa, so you can burn off some calories while watching your favorite shows or movies.
What you must have
Fill your gym with equipment you know and love, like cardio machines, weights and dumbbells, stabilizer balls, yoga and Pilates mats, and whatever your heart (and muscles) craves. In your selection of equipment you must consider the ease-of-use factor and choose long-lasting elements. Make sure you are properly trained in how to use the equipment that you will put in your gym, since the last thing you want is to hurt yourself or cause any damage to your home.
Invest wisely
Avoid having a cardiac arrest when you receive your credit card statement, plan wisely the investment you will make in your gym.
Take the time to think about what you will actually use in your own gym (Is it realistic to have just a couple of dumbbells and a training bench in your gym to cover your training needs? Or do you require more equipment?) Remember to be practical regarding the needs of your gym so you can get the most out of the space and save money.
Search when buying
If you don't have a big budget, shiny new equipment may be out of your way.
Don't be afraid to think about buying used equipment. Often times when gyms and hotels renew their equipment they put the old equipment up for sale. There are websites, such as MercadoLibre, eBay, and Amazon, where you can find second-hand equipment, as they offer people the opportunity to sell equipment and exercise equipment that they no longer use.
When buying used equipment you should be a bit cautious, make sure you know the reason why the equipment is being sold, since it may have technical problems or require some major repair. If possible, test the equipment to make sure it is working properly.
Also consider if the equipment is still under warranty, as this will surely save you headaches in the future.
Bottom line: good strategic planning is the key to optimizing your home gym. Be smart when selecting equipment, how you arrange it, and the investment you will put into it. Do not lose sight of these factors and you will see that, in a very short time, your neighbors will ask you how you managed to be in such good shape
The reasons for having a home gym are many. For some, the very thought of attending a commercial gym causes feelings of apprehension and intimidation. For others, having a home gym means being able to train and exercise while spending time with their children. Perhaps the price of a gym membership as well as the time and cost of travel are too high for you.
Having a home gym gives you the opportunity to maximize the potential of your workouts and we will give you some tips to get you started building your home gym today.
Choose a suitable room
Depending on the size of your home, you may or may not have a lot of free space to make it your new gym.
You can free up some space by cleaning your garage, guest room, or even a corner of the TV room. Make sure the space has enough lighting, electrical outlets (if necessary), and a suitable flooring. Including a pair of speakers and a full-length mirror are a great idea, and if you plan on doing cardio or watching exercise DVDs, make sure you have adequate space for a television in your new gym.
Plan the space strategically
On the Precor website you will find an excellent tool called Space Planner, which allows you to strategically design the layout of your future gym. Our tool allows you to use default templates or, if you prefer, you can create your own space using the dimensions of the room you have.
We love this idea - how about replacing your sofa with an elliptical, treadmill, bike? They take up practically the same space as a sofa, so you can burn off some calories while watching your favorite shows or movies.
What you must have
Fill your gym with equipment you know and love, like cardio machines, weights and dumbbells, stabilizer balls, yoga and Pilates mats, and whatever your heart (and muscles) craves. In your selection of equipment you must consider the ease-of-use factor and choose long-lasting elements. Make sure you are properly trained in how to use the equipment that you will put in your gym, since the last thing you want is to hurt yourself or cause any damage to your home.
Invest wisely
Avoid having a cardiac arrest when you receive your credit card statement, plan wisely the investment you will make in your gym.
Take the time to think about what you will actually use in your own gym (Is it realistic to have just a couple of dumbbells and a training bench in your gym to cover your training needs? Or do you require more equipment?) Remember to be practical regarding the needs of your gym so you can get the most out of the space and save money.
Search when buying
If you don't have a big budget, shiny new equipment may be out of your way.
Don't be afraid to think about buying used equipment. Often times when gyms and hotels renew their equipment they put the old equipment up for sale. There are websites, such as MercadoLibre, eBay, and Amazon, where you can find second-hand equipment, as they offer people the opportunity to sell equipment and exercise equipment that they no longer use.
When buying used equipment you should be a bit cautious, make sure you know the reason why the equipment is being sold, since it may have technical problems or require some major repair. If possible, test the equipment to make sure it is working properly.
Also consider if the equipment is still under warranty, as this will surely save you headaches in the future.
Bottom line: good strategic planning is the key to optimizing your home gym. Be smart when selecting equipment, how you arrange it, and the investment you will put into it. Do not lose sight of these factors and you will see that, in a very short time, your neighbors will ask you how you managed to be in such good shape