Now I don’t know about you, but when I had membership at my local gym in Milton Keynes, I found it nearly impossible to make the time to go. Like many of us I began with the very best intentions, but soon found I was paying the monthly fee for absolutely no reason at all. For me, I really did have a problem with time and not a lack of motivation. I’ve got a full time job and three children to run around after and I just haven’t got enough hours in the day!
A friend suggested that I try building my own gym in my spare room at home, so that I could use it when the kids were tucked up in bed, without needing a babysitter! Once I looked into it I found it relatively easy – so I thought I’d share my tips with you.
It’s a mistaken belief that you have to go to the gym to develop your body fully. It is really possible to build an effective and safe home gym right inside your house and get amazing results—sometimes even faster than joining a gym.
Training at home has many benefits. Exercising in the gym can, at times, be extremely distracting. People talk to you, machines are being used by others when you want them and people are slamming weights everywhere you turn. When you train at home, there aren’t any distractions. And you’ll be able to set up your gym however you like. Just be sure to answer these important questions before you begin building your gym.
1: HOW MUCH SPACE WILL I NEED?
Space is the major factor in building your home gym. I used my spare bedroom, but a garage or basement also make perfect workout rooms. Your space needs enough room to fit your basic equipment in – you should be able to fit an Olympic barbell in at a bare minimum.
You’ll also need to be aware of your floor. If you live in a flat (unless you live on the ground floor) it wouldn’t be wise to set up an area for deadlifts.
Make sure the windows are not in the way of where you’ll be setting up your equipment. The room must be properly ventilated to make sure you’re cool in the summer and warm in the winter, although you can use portable heaters and fans.
2: WHAT WILL IT COST?
It can easily get very pricey if you let it. But remember, it might be a fairly hefty outlay at first, but once you’re using it every day it quickly becomes a bargain compared to gym membership. You’ll avoid the enhancement fees that some gyms charge and you’ll also save on the cost of transporting yourself to and from the gym.
Set yourself a budget. You can have a workable home gym for under few hundred pounds. First, decide what equipment you want and need.
My essentials are:
Olympic barbell and weight plates
Squat stand with adjustable set up
Adjustable dumbbell
Adjustable bench that goes decline, incline and flat
Cardio equipment (elliptical, treadmill, bike or even something as simple as a jump rope)
The machines you purchase will depend on how much space you have and how much your budget allows. If you have a double garage and a large budget you can build an amazing gym! But by the same token if all you have is a small room and a budget to match you can still build a gym that will give you the results you want.
Once you’ve decided what equipment you’re getting . . . make sure you shop for a bargain! Use sites like Ebay, Gumtree and Facebook Selling Pages to find great equipment for pennies! Be patient when shopping for equipment and wait for that bargain.