Home gym must haves

Say goodbye to gym memberships. By finding the right space and choosing the right workout equipment, you’ll get the weight loss, strength training, and fat-burning results that you’re after.

Having a home gym doesn’t mean that you need a total home renovation. All you need is creativity combined with careful planning. Here are the essentials that will help you create the perfect home gym.

Find a space

Before you start buying your gym equipment, you need to decide where to set up your home gym first. Space limitations will also narrow down your equipment choices. Any place, from a spare bedroom to an unused attic, can be re-purposed as a place to workout. If you want to maximise a small space, choose equipment that takes up as little room as possible.

According to William J. Hirsch, Jr., author of Designing Your Perfect House: Lessons from an Architect, “It’s best to place the home gym on the lowest floor of the house to reduce noise transmission from the exercise equipment.” Gym equipment tends to create noise that can be heard through wooden walls or floors, but the concrete floors of most basements absorb these sounds.

If you opt for an attic gym, you have the benefit of windows, natural light, and a great view. One disadvantage is that vibrations from your gym can be felt and heard in the rooms below. If you’re renovating your home, you might want to place soundproof insulation on the floor. You can also add additional bracing just to make sure that the floors are strong enough to support your gym equipment.

Hit the floor

Flooring surfaces can be critical to your workout. Sheet vinyl, tile, or hardwood flooring with a polyurethane finish are wonderful low-maintenance options. Carpet tiles are also recommended. They are durable, sound-absorbing, and easy to replace. If one gets damaged, there’s no need to replace the entire floor.

If you’re doing any weightlifting, you can purchase mats that are textured to prevent slips and accidents. Home gym mats are also useful for exercises that require you to lie on the floor.

Air quality

Good air quality will help boost your energy during a workout session. That’s why many people prefer to have their home gym cooler than the rest of the house. For added comfort, place a ceiling fan to let the air circulate properly. You can also bring in some plants for an oxygen boost. Ferns, bamboo, and spider plants are known for their air-purifying qualities.

Tools of the trade

Televisions, DVD players, and even iPod docks are probably just as much of a gym requirement as your exercise equipment, so be sure to include these items when setting up your home gym. Designate an area where you can store your fitness equipment to keep it neat and dust-free. Now that you’re all geared up, make sure that you put your home gym to good use!

To get started on your home gym project, get free quotes from our expert renovators now!