How to Turn Any Space in Your Home Into a Home Gym
It only requires a little creativity to turn even the smallest space in your home into a gym. There are many exercises that are great for small spaces, and you won’t need to pay for a gym membership or take turns using the equipment. If you don’t feel comfortable working out at the gym just yet, your home is a great place to start. Here are some suggestions to help you get started:
- Envision where you want to work out
If there are small pockets of space in each room, then you can start by putting one piece of equipment in each of the rooms. For example, a treadmill can be placed in the living room. It will allow you to exercise while watching the news or your favorite soap opera. You won’t have to schedule gym time, nor spend the additional time traveling there and back.
When planning these locations, take consideration of the lighting, noise level, airflow, and space. This will help you optimize your home workout experience.
- Split rooms that you’re already using
A home gym doesn’t have to be big and spacious to do the trick. You can simply take the rooms you’re already using and divide them into separate “gym sections” or stations.
For example, if you want to work out your triceps, use one of your chairs. Place both hands behind your back and onto the chair and start performing those triceps dips.
- You can put it in the basement
If you have a basement, then this is a great way to start a home gym. Instead of using your basement as a storage area, you can free up some space for your gym equipment. If the basement has excessive moisture, then invest in high quality dehumidifier to reduce/remove the moisture.
The basement can act as a storage unit and a gym simultaneously. That way, when people come over to your house, no one will even know you work out at home.
- Create your own weights
You can create your own weights with something as simple as standard buckets. They can act as weights or dumbbells for your home gym. You can fill them with sand and use a scale to set the desired weight. If applicable, you can use larger buckets to create heavier dumbbells. If you want to get more creative, start lifting those 5-gallon water jugs.
- Create a multipurpose GYM
Before creating a multipurpose gym, you will need to calculate how much space you need to fit all your equipment. Here’s a quick guideline for some gym equipment:
- Treadmill or elliptical machine— 30 square feet
- Stationary bike— 10 square feet
- Rowing machine— 20 square feet
- Free weights— 20–50 square feet
- Single-station gym— 35 square feet
- Multi-station gym— 50–200 square feet
Also, if you prefer to include some aerobic exercise, make sure you account for adequate space to move around comfortably. If you’re considering working out regularly, investing the time and effort for this one-time setup is sure to pay off.