Designing your home gym is the best decision that you will ever make. Here are tips to help you get started.

If you are struggling with workout motivation regularly or don’t like using the local gym, dedicating a space in your home to a personal gym may be the solution to all your workout woes.

The designing process can be overwhelming if you go in without a plan. Fortunately, plenty of tips and tricks will help you set up a gym that serves its purpose without compromising aesthetics. Read on for a comprehensive guide to designing a home gym with an ambiance.

Where To Put Your Home Gym?

The placement of your home gym heavily depends on your home size and your exercise routine.

You may think you need a huge room with expensive renovation to accommodate your gym.

If you have a big house with a backyard and prefer working out in the open, then the yard is a great place to place your gym equipment. However, if you are an introvert who prefers the comfort of your home, then using a spare room or an open space may be a better option for your home gym.

It is a good idea to place the gym near a bathroom is a good idea because chances are you want to shower after your gym session. If you feel like going the extra mile, install steam showers or a sauna for the full spa experience.

Determining the Size For A Home Gym

Your gym equipment and routine will determine the size of your gym. If you are into yoga, you can choose a small space to fit your yoga mat and a mirror to practice yoga poses and monitor your postures.

However, if you are an avid gym user or bodybuilder, a larger space to keep treadmills, cycles, and weights is ideal. For those who do cardio workouts, the height of the ceiling must also be taken into account to avoid injury during high-intensity jumps.

A general rule of thumb is to leave at least 20-50 sq ft if you are only exercising with weights, an additional 30 sq ft for the treadmill, and between 50-200 sq ft for a fully equipped, high-class gym.

Get the Home Gym Layout Right

You need to design the layout of your gym not only based on the size of the equipment but also to leave enough space to work out comfortably. Moreover, depending on the type of workout, you can divide your gym into different sections. For example, set aside yoga mats for the yoga section, weights for heavy workouts, treadmills for cardio, etc.

Keep in mind that only keep the equipment you will use and not just aesthetics. If you are using electronic machines, make sure there are outlets available. For garden gyms, Wifi and power must also be taken into account. You can also combine the gym with the pool house with storage for towels and clothes storage.

It is essential to leave ample space to lay your exercise mat for stretching exercises.

What Equipment Do You Need For A Home Gym?

If you have the space and the budget, develop a multi-gym with treadmills, weights, and rowing machines. For HIIT enthusiasts, you can invest in simple dumbbells and yoga mats.

There is now a market for home gym equipment that combines both luxury and technology so you can enjoy working out in an attractive and functional gym. For example, some of the best foldable treadmills available these days allow you to work out without compromising on space with the cumbersome traditional treadmills.

Factor Home Gym Lighting Into Your Design

Lighting plays an important role when working out. For yoga and pilates, soft lighting will help you relax and wind down, whereas HIIT workouts require proper lighting so that you can follow moves more easily.

Many prefer natural lighting by designing rooms with large glass windows. If your gym home is in the backyard, sliding or glazed doors that open into the garden will be a great addition to aesthetics and ventilation.

A combination of diffused LED strip lighting in the ceiling coffers for soft lighting and overhead downlights for bright light tasks is ideal. For an elegant gym, you can use accent lightings like bronze wall lights and sculptural contemporary crystal lights.

Avoid bright fluorescent lights, which can tire out your eyes. Instead, install layers of lighting with fixtures that can be controlled by fixtures such as chandeliers, sconces, or pendants.

Address the Floor and Walls

The gym walls and floors are very important to exercise, especially durability and easy cleaning. Vinyl flooring or interlocking rubber tiles either as mats or installed wall-to-wall. Alternatively, you can use individual mats, which can be used under stationary bikes to dampen the noise or even catch sweat.

For the walls, opt for an eggshell sheen which is easier to clean than a matte surface. Alternatively, you can use plywood for durability, but mirrors should be the absolute must-have feature in your gym. Not only does it let you watch your form as you work out, but, it also gives a larger sense of space. Mirrors also elevate your gym’s interior and add a touch of elegance.

In terms of colors, choose pastels if you want a relaxing feel for the gym. For a contemporary twist, you can choose neon colors but take care not to go overboard as the gym is still part of your home, and you would want it to synchronize with the rest of your house.

Colors like blue, green, and red can be used to motivate and uplift your mood during your workouts. A few accent pieces and some plants complete the look.

Ensure Ventilation And Heating Are Practical

As you will spend a significant portion of working out and panting in the gym, ventilation is essential to keep the room cool and avoid the overwhelming smell of sweat.

Keep the windows open when working out or installing dehumidifiers and extractor fans are great ways to keep the room from becoming too humid. The room should also be kept fragrant to consider other family members using the gym.

For the winter months, you can invest in a timed heating system that will turn on half an hour before the workout and be off the rest of the time the gym is not in use. You will also need to invest in efficient insulation to work out comfortably.

Add Smart Storage to the Home Gym Layout

If you work out regularly, you know how messy the gym can get. You would prefer an organized home with the clutter stored away in cute storage units for a neat home. Use whatever you have- baskets, chest drawers, and bookshelves to organize your gym equipment and add some style to the interior.

Pump Up the Volume

Workouts don’t have to be boring with the sounds of your grunts and pants for company. Music and tv have long been entertainment companions to gym goers to motivate their workouts and break the monotony of their exercise routines.

The same can be done for your home gym. Invest in some smart speakers and a TV to enjoy music or watch exercise tutorials or even movies while you exercise.

How Much Does A Home Gym Cost?

After all this planning and detailed design strategies, you may wonder whether your bank can support your vision. Setting up a home gym can be costly or incredibly cheap, depending on your plan for the gym, the equipment you want, and the interior you like.

If you are doing all the setup on your own, you may save considerable costs, but if you are hiring a firm, you will also need to factor in the consultation fee. For reference, the range is quite large from as little as $300 to more than $15,000 if you plan on going all out.

What Are The Benefits Of A Home Gym?

To start off, you can save a ton of money on a yearly gym membership. Furthermore, you can also invest that money to buy new equipment or upgrade your gym further. Given that the gym is inside your home, you are more likely to be motivated to squeeze in daily workouts.

Moreover, if you are too self-conscious about working out in a public space, then a home gym is the perfect solution to stay fit but work out comfortably.

Conclusion

Home gyms can be costly, but if you consider the long-term benefits, the advantages override the expenses. You can also customize the gym as you like and choose the equipment you wish to use. Moreover, you can use the spare space in your home and turn it into a productive space.

A corner or space of your house dedicated to your personal growth and self-improvement can make a huge difference to your physical and mental health.