If your New Year’s resolution is to establish or ramp up a dormant workout routine, a home gym may the perfect impetus. Especially if you have a gym membership and are weary of the same-old people, facilities and equipment. Assembling your own home gym doesn’t have to be ridiculously expensive or time consuming. Are you in the planning stages of a new home? Incorporate some or all of the suggestions below. Are you freshly ensconced in a new Florida home? All you need is space and basic equipment. Regardless of the situation, the sweat and results are up to you.
Find the Space
Use what’s available, but make sure your home gym won’t bother anyone else in the household. It’s also important to be able to shut a door and work out without interruption. This may mean commandeering the garage, basement or an extra bedroom — that office you were going to install, for example. The ability to concentrate is crucial for any daily practice.
Find the Equipment
Forget machines (unless your budget and space are unlimited, of course). Open shop with a good set of basic free weights. These include dumbbells (the hand weights that sequence from five to 100 pounds), barbells (that long steel bar that you bench-press with) and weight plates to attach to the barbell.
You also need an adjustable weight bench and a power rack (that cage-like apparatus that allows you to perform barbell exercises without a spotter; it keeps you from being squished or injured).
If space is an issue, try adjustable dumbbells. That means two dumbbells that you can dial up or down on poundage. They’re more expensive, but take up far less space. A full set of dumbbells — and their storage rack — can dominate an entire wall.
Find the Motivation
Is Arnold Schwarzenegger your bodybuilding hero? Wallpaper the room with cheesy 1970’s posters of Arnold at his competitive best. A mirror, while not totally mandatory, sure helps with proper technique. You don’t have to call a glass installer to acquire a mirror. Many big-box home furnishing or discount stores stock large, affordable floor mirrors that will do the trick.
Also consider light — a dark basement doesn’t sound inviting, does it? — and perhaps a sound system if ear buds, headphones and your phone aren’t sufficient music and/or podcast background.
Consider the Extras
It’s another budget-dependent item, but a handy bathroom near your home gym makes pit stops and clean up a breeze. Yet another perk is a solid piece of cardiovascular equipment that allows you to knock out that part of your fitness regimen without leaving the house. Yes, you can run the neighborhood or a nearby hiking trail, but it’s super-convenient to jump on a bike, cross-trainer or elliptical in bad weather or, to save time.
Ready to find your new Florida home and create your own gym? As Florida’s Custom Home Builder, ICI Homes offers many completely customizable plans. Click here to start.
