Home gyms are typically smaller areas, spaces that are used because they are not a priority in the home. Often, gyms will be added to smaller spare rooms or in a garage or conservatory. What this means is that often you will be struggling for space and even a small number of gym equipment items can occupy a fairly large floor area. So the question is, how can I make a gym space at home?
Takeaways
- How to identify the best space
- Ways to choose your gym equipment
- Space saving techniques
- Action plan
Identifying the best space
As mentioned previously, popular choices for a gym space at home include a spare room, a garage, a conservatory, or even a shed. People will always find interesting and ingenious ways to make space for fitness equipment, but it’s not always practical. Depending on the size of your bedroom, you could have a simple set-up there.
Is the area used frequently?
If you’re struggling for space, often people need to pay more attention to a spare room when they should consider it a valid space.
If you have visitors one or two times a year, why wouldn’t you consider a spare room a good place for a home gym? You are likely to use your home gym three to four times a week. At three times a week, that’s 156 times a year, which is more than a 48-hour period when Auntie Merrill comes to stay.
Will adding a gym here be negative for other members of our household?
If you have a playroom and your children are a little older or don’t use the room that much, then why couldn’t you change it to a gym? The main challenge for many is weighing up the pros and cons of each space. Your children would much prefer to have you here longer, so if you need to update their playroom to ensure that you are a healthier and more active parent for them, then perhaps reprioritisation is needed.
Popular spaces summarised
- Spare room
- Attic or basement
- Conservatory
- Garage
- Shed
Choose the right gym equipment
Choosing the right gym equipment for your space when you first set up can be quite a challenge. It is a good idea to visit YouTube and also consider finding some social media home gym groups. That way, you can get independent feedback from others who have been through the process themselves. Still confused? Then you can speak with an equipment supplier.
The most important thing to do, however, is to try and understand what equipment you need for the type of exercise you would like to do. For example, if you want to weight train, then the gym equipment would be slightly different from that of somebody wishing to do cardio or functional fitness.
Example:
Weight Training
- Barbel and weight plates
- Squat rack
- Bench
- Dumbbells
Cardio Training
- Exercise Bike
- Rowing machine
- Treadmill
Functional Fitness
- Gym power cage
- Barbell & plates
- Pull up bar
- Kettlebells
- Wall Ball and target
Use gym storage
One of the most important but overlooked opportunities within a home gym is gym storage. Imagine that you have a set of kettlebells, six through twenty, in pairs. That would be eight sets of kettlebells, 16 in total. That many kettlebells, even closely packed together on a floor, will still occupy a very large space, and anyway, how many can you use at once? So you see, it is important to consider maintaining a clear floor.
But what benefits does storage bring?
Organisation – This is the primary benefit. It means you can easily access your gym equipment and know where it will be each time you need it. This makes changing up in between sets much more effective.
Safety – If you are training at home, keeping your floor space clear avoids trip hazards and any unnecessary injury.
Pride – Being proud of your home gym and the way it looks will ensure that you use it more frequently and it becomes an asset in your home.
If you are considering gym storage, Mirafit suggests modular Storage solutions.
We asked them why, here is the response;
“It is important to consider the practical aspects of gym storage while understanding that your needs can change. Mirafit would normally suggest either a purpose-built solution, for example, a kettlebell rack or a modular gym storage solution, because this allows you to adapt and change in future. We find customers love our modular storage because it grows with them. Being able to add to your gym later when you know more about what you need is a great benefit to modular storage. It also means that you can purchase what you need now, knowing that you will be able to add to this later.” – Spokesperson from Mirafit.
What we’ve learned
We’ve learned how to identify the best space, how to choose your gym equipment, and some essential space-saving techniques. We’ve also explained the importance of storage and how this benefits your home gym.
Final thoughts
It is important to consider your space and how this works within your home. It does not make sense to use a room that is critical to the normal function of your home, we have explained some of the best places to consider.
Choosing to add a gym space to your home can improve your property’s value. However, we recommend that you add a gym at home for yourself in the first instance because of the value it brings from using it.
But could having a home gym save you money?
In some households, 2 to 3 people will have active gym memberships, and if you consider the numbers, you could be spending as much as £1500 a year on gym memberships. Setting up a home gym will initially have an outlay; you could be in credit by year two, and that money could go into a holiday pot, for example.
We hope that you found this article helpful. For more information and insights, read our blog here.