Get fit at home – create a home gym

Location

Firstly, decide where to locate it. A garage, spare room, outside room or back patio are all possible options.  But the golden rule is:  make sure it’s inviting. If it’s dingy, cold or hot, you’ll soon be finding reasons not to go there.

Experts recommend using the largest space available (so you don’t feel cramped), with lots of light and ideally, painted white (because warm colours are relaxing and can make you feel tired. You want a bright space that energises you.)

A garage is a popular choice for a home gym because it typically has adequate space and the floor will take extra weight. Bear in mind that it can be cold in winter, but good warm-up should take care of that.

Using a room in the house may have more appeal in terms of aesthetics and comfort.  Rubberise your floors to reduce impact on your joints and protect floors from heavy equipment.

Equipment

Once you’ve chosen your gym space, the next step is to decide on the equipment. The choice here is based on a combination of factors such as budget, how much space you have available, what the structure allows you to do – for example, whether you can safely suspend a punch bag from the ceiling – and what you’re trying to achieve from your gym sessions.

If you’re aiming for aerobic fitness, for instance, your equipment needs will be different to an aspirant bodybuilder. A good supplier can give you expert advice, so you can make a sensible purchase. Cardio-vascular enthusiasts don’t need to start off with an expensive treadmill or exercise bike. Skipping ropes give a good workout and are cheap to buy and easy to store. The same goes for resistance bands, which provide a full body workout that tones and strengthens muscles. Balance discs are another useful and inexpensive addition as they help to shape and tone your lower body while improving balance and flexibility.

Weight training

If weight training is your goal and you have some spare cash, consider a multi-gym. The benefit is that they have a variety of pulleys, bars, and levers that will give a good workout to all major muscle groups. Trying to do the same thing with different free weights will likely be even more expensive and take up even more space.

Mirror

Install a full-length mirror. It’s not about vanity, but for checking your form while doing different exercises to reduce the risk of injury.

Music

Lastly, don’t forget the music.  Research shows that when music is used during activity, it has ergogenic (work-enhancing) and psychological effects. It can both delay fatigue and lessen the subjective perception of fatigue, increase physical capacity, improve energy efficiency, and influence mood.

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