Home Gyms

How to invest in your fitness without spending a fortune

We’ve all learned some interesting things about ourselves during the Covid-19 shutdown. Life changed radically for many of us and we had to find ways to keep fit and healthy while quarantined at home. Exercising on a consistent basis is a vital part of staying healthy, which is more important now than ever!  Creating an area in your home that can be used as a home gym not only makes working out possible now, but will make it convenient for you even after life returns to normal. Whether your workout involves cardio, weight training, yoga, Pilates, calisthenics, or another type of exercise, it’s possible to create a functional and convenient gym at home on a budget.

Location

First, figure out where your gym will be located. A spare room, game room, or garage are good options. You’ll want to carefully measure the space before you buy any fitness equipment. Be sure to allow enough space, as cluttered equipment becomes neglected equipment. Do you have room for a treadmill or elliptical in the spare room? You can set up weights or a squat rack in your garage if you weight train. If yoga or Pilates is your thing, you can set up the appropriate blocks and straps in addition to rubber flooring squares for cushion in your game room.

Mirrors

Installing a mirror for your home gym is an important consideration. All professional gyms have mirrors for good reason. A gym mirror allows you to check your form and avoid injuries as you exercise. In addition, it provides powerful motivation: as you see the results of your work on your body, you are more inclined to continue with your fitness program. They also make smaller spaces feel much larger. Contact Liberty Glass and Mirror in Frisco for a free, no-obligation quote.

Tech Support

A set of wireless speakers or sound system will help you pipe in motivating music for your workouts. It can also be used to listen to a workout you’re doing along with an instructor online. You can use your phone or a laptop to connect to headphones instead if the sound will disturb others nearby. A small flat-screen TV can also be mounted if you’d like to follow an online instructor that way.

Storage and Decor

Your home gym can be high-end and elaborate, spartan-like, or somewhere in between! As long as it is an area that is convenient and will motivate you to achieve your fitness goals, it’s hitting the mark. The most important thing is for this space to reflect what you want from a workout, so customize it based on your fitness goals. Storage is your friend in a home gym. Fitness racks can store dumbbells and resistance bands. Cube storage and foldable and bins can help you stay organized and reduce clutter. You may want a hamper in which to toss sweaty towels.

Equipment

What kind of fitness equipment do you want to have? It depends on the types of workouts you want to do and your budget. Fitness equipment is a good investment in your health. You can start with free weights like dumbbells and kettlebells for loading the basic full body movements. When you’re ready for the next level, investing in a barbell and some plates will allow you to add weight and keep increasing strength. If you’re not an experienced weight trainer, it’s important to invest in at least one personal training session so that you can get trained on how to use your equipment properly.

Weights aren’t a requirement, however. There are also a lot of budget-friendly exercise options that you can do using your body weight. Bodyweight exercises are practical and easy to do anywhere. You have a wide variety of exercise options you can perform. Resistance bands of various tensions are versatile and ideal for single-joint exercises. For cardio or HIIT (high-intensity interval training), jumping rope, kettlebell swings, mountain climbers, high knees in place, burpees, squat jumps, and bear crawls spike your metabolism while providing great cardio benefits.

Whether you’re doing cardio, weight training, or other types of exercise, a home gym is a smart investment. (Calculate the cost of a monthly gym membership that never gets paid off, and a home gym becomes an even more appealing option!) More importantly, it’s a convenient and accessible way to take care of yourself. You don’t need an enormous amount of space to accomplish your fitness goals. Regardless of size, it’s possible to create an organized and highly functional area that will encourage you to stay fit and healthy now and in the future.