During the COVID-19 pandemic, people have been spending more time at home than before. The stay-at-home order left people with no choice but to convert their rooms into a home office, study area, entertainment space, or even a gym.
Many fitness enthusiasts got inspired by transforming their living spaces into workout areas. Without a gym to train, they have to think of creative solutions to stay fit at home. Some took it seriously by having their own gym at home equipped with complete workout equipment. Others even hire an HVAC contractor to install a cooling system for their home gym.
If you plan to have your own gym right at your home, but you’re on a strict budget, we got you covered. Here are ways to set up your own home gym without breaking the bank!
Choose the right fitness space
There are three points to consider when choosing an ideal area for your workout sessions: the amount of space you have, the amount of space you need, and the comfort level of your chosen space.
Ideally, you need a dedicated fitness area. If it seems unrealistic for you, pick a place with enough room to work out. No worries, there are plenty of effective workout routines designed for smaller spaces. This can be your living room or home office, where you can do quick workouts in the morning. This works if you’re not sharing the house with the family or other occupants. Of course, the last thing you want is to get constantly distracted by those who keep passing by or need to use the same room.
Your best bet is to use the spare room or unused spaces in the house so you can easily convert it into a mini home gym. This way, you can do workouts whenever you want to without spending so much time setting up.
Next is to consider the type of workout you’ll be doing the most. This will determine the amount of space you’ll need to perform your desired workout routines. For example, if you’ll be doing a lot of strength training, the workouts will require a lot of heavy equipment. This means you will need plenty of space to accommodate all the workout equipment, such as body bars, barbells, and sandbags.
After choosing your desired workout area, you should also ensure you will be comfortable and motivated enough to use the space for workouts. The key is to pick space-saving workout equipment, such as a door-mounted pull-up bar and a TRX System. You can also try classic exercises, such as lunges, squats, sit-ups, push-ups, and other exercises that are enough to get your blood pumping without requiring too much space.
Pick the ideal workout equipment
The next step is to identify the type of gym equipment you’ll need. Arguably, the best way to build a low-cost home gym is to buy used equipment. There are plenty of online sources of used workout gear, such as Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, LetGo, OfferUp, and local garage sales.
Another technique is to build your own equipment, especially if you love DIY projects. There are a lot of things you can DIY, such as plate holders, pull-up bars, kettlebells, farmer’s walk bars, and a Bulgarian training bag. If you’re keen to invest in your home gym, you can buy new equipment from low-priced providers.
Depending on your workout, you will need a variety of equipment for different training styles. For example, cardio workouts include a yoga mat, skipping rope, ankle weights, and resistance bands. For strength training, you will need dumbbells, kettlebells, fitball, and a bench. For post-workout recovery, improve your stretch sessions using a yoga mat, foam roller, and a trigger point ball.
Set up your workout area
When setting up a home gym, it’s important to set up your space to maximize convenience. This way, you’re more likely to be motivated to work out.
Consider getting a full-length mirror. Having a mirror helps you observe your form and check if you’re performing the exercise correctly. This will also add more light and dimension to your workout area, making it more spacious.
You should also ensure your space is free of clutter to have plenty of areas to work out. This may require you to buy additional storage for gym equipment instead of letting your items scattered on the floor. A storage cabinet or shelf is an ideal storage option for yoga mats and small weights. For bigger items, such as barbells, you need a permanent storage area to keep them organized.
The ideal home gym should be a place that motivates and inspires you to work out. It should also be a safe and clean environment to ensure no injuries or accidents occur. If you’re ready to start your own home gym, make sure to follow our suggestions above for a convenient and effective workout experience.
