Regular exercise is an integral part of living a healthy lifestyle. But with the constant demands of everyday life, exercise is usually first to fall by the wayside. Finding the motivation to get to the gym after a busy day can be daunting. So rather than spending your hard-earned cash on a gym membership, why not build your own home gym? After all, there’s few places more comfortable than your own home.
FINDING SPACE
The most important step in building your gym, is finding a space that you can dedicate to your workouts. You’ll need enough room for you to move around freely. If you don’t have space to dedicate to being a gym, make sure you have storage space for your equipment that is easy to access and quick to set up. Exercising outside if you have the space is great for summer days.
Painting the room can create a good atmosphere. Calming colors like light blues create a calming atmosphere while more vibrant colors like reds are great for getting that heart-rate up.
EQUIPMENT
When choosing the right equipment for your gym, consider what kind of training you do. You don’t need to stock up your home with all the equipment you’d find in a gym. Start off with the essentials and build from there. Remember that your body itself is the best equipment you can find.
Start with free weights. These are great because they’re cheaper and take up less space than machines. Many professional bodybuilders would suggest that training with free weights are more intensive than machines. You can start off with adjustable dumbbells and eventually add barbells and a bench.
Foam rollers are versatile and can be used for strength training as well as to correct your posture. Stability balls are great for flexibility and building core strength. Resistance bands are also nifty and you can just strap it onto a door. For something a little different, get a punching bag or jumping rope. These are fun and great for cardio.
Rather than investing in a treadmill or elliptical machines, try starting your workout buy running around the block. If you do want to add machinery and can afford it, go ahead. But keep a few things in mind: top of the range treadmills (approx. $8000) run better than cheaper ones. Also, some machines aren’t adjustable so make sure you buy the right fit.
Now that you’ve got the basics down, set-up your gym!
SETTING UP
Create a stimulating environment. Have a sound system set up to play your favorite workout tunes. Motivational posters work wonderfully for some people. Make sure there is good lighting. If there’s a part of your house that has a lot of natural light entering, that is ideal. Having plants around creates a natural atmosphere and releases that extra little bit of oxygen!
One of the main attractions of joining a commercial gym is that having people around you can be motivating. Maintaining motivation at home can be difficult, so make sure your gym is not somewhere you associate with down time, like your bedroom or living room. A neutral space is ideal. You could always invite some friends over for some sessions and enjoy being in your own space!
About the author:
Apex Window Werks is a home window repair company that services Illinois, Wisconsin and Ohio. Feel free to visit their website for more details about their other services and guarantees.
