The ongoing global pandemic has emphasised just how polarised our priorities concerning the day’s biggest issues have become. Health or the economy, laissez-faire or dirigisme, the many or the few…battle lines have been drawn and compromise found wanting.
Even in the world of fitness, sides seem to be forming, between those who are desperate to return to the gym proper, and those who have found a comfort and routine in home exercise regimes which they see lasting long after lockdown lifts.
Indeed, at the tail end of last year, Sky reported that almost half of Brits now preferred working out at home, with one in five saying they would never return to the gym. A variety of reasons emerged to explain this shift in opinion, with convenience and value for money the top two drivers of this new preference for home workouts. Interestingly, over a third of respondents to the study published by Sky said that it was the wider variety of apps and different workouts now available which made home exercise more appealing.
In fact, for some, this improvement in technology and tracking has made the gym feel a little redundant. The BBC reported in January that for those who said they will never set foot in a conventional gym again, it was ‘’wearable tech like fitness trackers and smartwatches, or live streamed exercise classes’’ which had helped optimise their home workout experience during lockdown and formed the main reason for this decision.
Of course, we wouldn’t want to put a dampener on the excitement that many are feeling for gyms reopening on 12th April, and there’s no denying the sense of community, camaraderie and motivation which fitness centres can offer. But if you are one of those who is keen to continue working out at home and considering creating a dedicated domestic gym space, then this one’s for you; here’s how to build the IDEAL home gym space in 5 simple steps.
LOCATION
First of all, you’re going to need to decide on the right location for your gym within your home, and whether it will, in fact, be a devoted ‘gym’ at all, or rather, a transient set up which you are able to pack away and unpack as and when you need it.
Home gyms can be any size, so it depends on your fitness goals and the space you have available. In most cases, the impermanent option is more viable, though homeowners with a garage, shed or spare room which rarely gets used could consider these spaces as viable options for a more permanent fitness fixture.
How you set up your room is up to you, but it’s a good idea to choose a space with a few windows to provide good ventilation and plenty of natural light to create a more comfortable environment for working out domestically.
FLOORING
Once you’ve decided on the ideal location for your home gym, you’ll need to think about the flooring. A wooden floor is fine for most of the gym area, as long as it is strong and durable. However, there are a few areas where something more substantial will be needed, since you may well be placing (or sometimes, dropping!) heavy weights on the floor and moving machinery around, which can leave wood prone to scratches and other, more serious damage.
Traditional gym flooring usually consists of squares of strong rubber flooring, which is actually made from shock absorbent foam with a layer of rubber on top. You can invest in a few squares to cover a corner of the room, since this type of flooring usually comes in small sections, each with jigsaw-like edges, if you’re only devoting part of a room to exercise.
If you’re looking to cover your entire gym space’s floor, should you be using your garage, shed or spare room for the project, then flooring made from epoxy works well, too; it’s easy to clean and doesn’t crack under high pressure, making it perfect for home gyms. This high-impact flooring is ideal for areas where you will be using weights extensively. The last thing you want to do is drop a heavy dumbbell onto the floor and damage it.
If you live in a flat with neighbours below, then the former option is much better, since it’s shock absorbent and will cushion any disturbances from above.
A gym mat that provides some extra padding between your body and the ground while protecting the floor is an alternative, more cost effective solution to the above.
WEIGHTS
Now to the fun part! Free weights should be considered the home gym essential, if gains rather than weight loss are your main goal. Small, affordable and incredibly versatile, free weights provide you with a huge range of exercises to strengthen your muscles and take up very little space. They’re generally pretty storage friendly, too.
A good set of dumbbells is a great starting point for your home gym. Most sets come with a range of weight plates in different configurations – say 2x 1kg, 2x 2.5 kg and 2x 5kg, allowing you to mix and match your workout regimes accordingly.
Though the initial outlay on dumb or bar bells does feel quite high – the perennially popular Pro Iron 20kg Cast Iron Adjustable Dumbbell Set will set you back £139.99, for instance – rest assured that, due to their durability, such iron sets lose little value over time. This means they command a high resale value should you decide to move on or move back to the gym. Should you find that after working out a while, your strength exceeds your set, weight plates in larger kilogram configurations are available online as single units.
Vinyl weight plates are also available online, and do represent a more affordable option. Be warned; looks can be deceptive and they are much larger (in size) than cast iron plates. As such, storage can be an issue.
In recent months, in response to the huge rise in demand for home workout equipment, some surprisingly compact bench presses have entered the market, enabling the home workout fanatic to diversify their weight lifting regime to incorporate dumbbell bench presses at an incline and decline, perform supported shoulder presses and so much more. Several are available on Amazon for under £100, and fold up to fit under your bed or sofa. Oh, the possibilities!
Another versatile free weight for your home gym is the kettlebell. Kettlebells are a great choice for your home gym since you can use a single kettlebell for a huge range of exercises and give your entire body a workout using one. They take up little space, and are portable too, so you can take them outside, to the park or anywhere else and get a full-body conditioning workout.
If all this equipment feels prohibitive, either for your wallet or for your domestic storage space, then you can actually fashion weights and routines for home workouts from stuff you already have at home, such as water bottles and even a bag of potatoes. Check out our 5 IDEAL tips for creating a free home gym with items you already own for inspiration!
CARDIO
It is possible to do cardio on home gym equipment but it is important to find the right machine for this purpose.
No home gym is complete without some form of cardio equipment. Sure, you could take yourself outside and go for a run, but sometimes, the weather or your schedule presents an obstacle to a comprehensive alfresco workout. As such, consider some home cardio equipment, which ranges from the very basic to the much more comprehensive.
On the basic side, you could start by investing in a set of aerobic steps. Small, portable and affordable, these will provide you with a wide range of exercises so you can enjoy a full cardio workout and strengthen your leg muscles from the comfort of the corner of your home. You can also adapt your workout based on the intensity you want, and it’s a great option for weight loss.
Or, you could get properly humble, and invest in a skipping rope. There is nothing quite as simple, affordable and effective, and this is a great option if you are building a home gym on a budget.
On the other hand, you might want something more comprehensive (and expensive). There is a diverse range of cardio machines to consider, including cross-trainers, rowers, exercise bikes and treadmills. Though these take up more space than a skipping rope, for instance, they are perfect for home gyms. Currently on the market, fold up home exercise bikes represent a fantastic space saving option, with many available for less than £100 from all good online fitness retailers.
ENTERTAINMENT
Let’s face it, no gym would be complete without stealing a few moments between reps for a full length flex in the mirror. Nor would a workout feel right without a soundtrack of grunting and way-too-loud-on-the-treble techno. Imagine being able to fully appraise yourself post benchpress and dictate the playlist.
So, steering away from the workout equipment for a moment, your home gym would also benefit hugely from some full length mirrors and a proper, Bluetooth enabled sound system. You know it makes sense.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Back in July of last year, when the previous UK lockdown was lifting, a whopping 72% of people stated that they wouldn’t be returning to gyms when they reopened. Whilst that number has slightly reduced this time around, that still leaves a lot of fitness fanatics keen to optimise their home gym space in accordance with their fitness goals. We hope we’ve given you some great ideas on how to do just that!
Oh, and speaking of providing advice and inspiration for your fitness goals, do check out these tips on how to get the most from your home workout.