Home Gym Equipment and Design Ideas
A home gym setup can be an effective way to improve your health. It allows you to workout whenever you want, without a membership fee or having to go anywhere.
Depending on your budget, your goals and the space you have available, you can build a home gym that will meet your fitness needs.
Location
The location of your home gym setup is a critical consideration in the quest to improve your fitness. Most people opt for garages and basements, but you can also transform your living room into a home workout space with some ingenuity.
Whether you’re a beginner or a pro, your workout area should be a motivating and enjoyable place to exercise. You may want to decorate your home gym with inspirational quotes, colour-coordinate your equipment, or install speakers to play your favourite workout tracks.
For starters, the best home gym has to be large enough for all your needs. While you’re at it, consider getting the latest and greatest equipment that meets your fitness goals. If you’re a weight lifter, it’s important to choose the right barbell and weight set for your workout style. This will help you avoid overtraining and injury. For more traditional cardio exercises like running and biking, a treadmill is probably the best choice for your budget and your safety. The best way to find out which machines will work best in your space is to test them out before you buy them. Then, you’ll know for sure if you need to upgrade your gear. Besides, you can’t beat the convenience of being able to do your exercises in the privacy of your own home.
Equipment
If you want to build muscle and get fit, a home gym setup is the best way to do it. It can be a single piece of equipment or a collection that allows you to perform a variety of different exercises.
The equipment you choose will depend on your fitness goals, available space and price range. A treadmill or exercise bike will help you build endurance and cardio, while dumbbells and kettlebells can help you tone and strength train. For full body workouts, a rower or elliptical machine will target several muscle groups and get your heart rate up.
A weight bench will allow you to perform squats, lunges and other exercises with free-weights. Some home gym systems also have a bench that can be adjusted, which is helpful for people with limited mobility.
Some home gyms also feature cable pulley systems that allow you to perform a variety of upper-body exercises. They can be expensive and require a lot of floor space, but they can be great for advanced workoutrs.
These are also popular with bodybuilders, as they can lift heavy without the need for free-weights and racks. Some of these have a fixed plane of motion for the lever (up to 500 lbs), which makes them safer than selectorized weight stack machines.
They often come with storage pegs so you can store your weight plates. They also usually have a large selection of attachments, which can make it easy to build a customized workstation.
The best home gyms will have progressive resistance levels that allow you to increase the weight over time. This is a great option for beginners because it will gradually challenge your body while still giving you the ability to build muscle.
If you’re a serious weight trainer and want to perform many exercises, look for a home gym with multiple workout stations and high and low cable pulleys. These are typically more expensive than selectorized weight stack machines, but they are worth the extra money.
If you don’t have a lot of space, look for compact and portable pieces of equipment that fold up or stow away when not in use. Some of these include resistance bands and ab rollers, which are small and easy to store.
Accessories
Choosing the right home gym equipment is important for a safe and effective workout. It should be appropriate for your fitness level and goals, and should provide a variety of exercise options.
The equipment you choose should also be space-friendly. For example, you might not have a lot of room to store a heavy weight set, but a folding power rack or rower will be easy to fold up and keep out of the way when not in use.
A home gym setup can also be a great way to encourage your family to get active. Having the equipment in your home can make it easier to include your kids and pets in a routine, says Danielle Buckman, founder of B WELL Healthy Lifestyles by Danielle Buckman, and mom of two boys.
One of the best home gym accessories to invest in is a barbell and plate holder, which will help you organize your weights and create more room for other equipment in your space. DMoose’s sleek and tall barbell and plate holder has six pegs that let you arrange plates up to 850lb, making it easy for even the smallest home gym spaces to accommodate all your weights.
Another great addition to any home gym setup is a plyo box, which is perfect for squats and push-up variations. These are also a great option for small-space users, as they’re portable and lightweight, according to Whitney Cole, a personal trainer and Pilates instructor in Marina del Rey, California.
Finally, a good first-aid kit is an essential piece of any home gym. This should contain all the necessary supplies for treating injuries, such as bandages and gloves, and it should be stored in a spot that is easily accessible.
There are a lot of great home gym accessories to choose from, but it’s important to remember that safety should be your number one priority. Having proper form, wearing the right shoes and clothes, staying hydrated and following instructions are all important ways to ensure a safe workout at home. In addition, you should also consider your budget before making any purchases.
Safety
Whether you’re a fitness pro or someone who just wants to get in shape, the right home gym setup can make a huge difference to your health and wellbeing. And with sales of home gym equipment rising 130% last year, it’s never been more important to take care of your gear and keep yourself safe while using it.
In a similar vein to wearing body armor, exercising with the proper safety measures in place can prevent accidents and injuries from occurring while you’re training. Here are some tips for ensuring you’re doing everything possible to make sure that your workouts are as safe and effective as possible:
1. Always close the door when you’re not using your gym. This will ensure that anyone else, including children and pets, can’t get into the room without your knowledge.
2. Use a spotter or partner to help with exercises that require heavy weights. This will reduce the likelihood of your putting too much weight on the bar and getting hurt by a fall or injury from improper form.
3. Always put your weights back after use and avoid storing them in places that can be used by children or pets.
4. Choose safe and functional equipment that can be used in different training styles, such as weightlifting or strength-based cardio.
5. Make sure that you’re using the equipment correctly and following the manufacturer’s instructions.
6. Design a safe and spacious layout for your home gym.
This will make your equipment safer and help you feel comfortable working out in it. If you’re unsure where to begin, it can be helpful to consult with a professional before you begin building your space. It’s also important to note that home gym equipment can be very expensive, so it’s a good idea to consider buying pre-owned pieces from thrift stores or charity shops. You can even purchase equipment as part of a bundle to save money.