Finding the motivation to work out can be tough enough as it is, and even more so when you have to pack up and actually travel to a fitness center. A few good Home Gym Ideas can go a long way toward increasing your exercising frequency by making it drastically easier to get fit.
You can use these Home Gym Ideas to put together your own varied set of equipment and tools that will help you lose weight and improve your fitness in the comfort of your home. Not only does this allow you to save the time and trouble of transporting back and forth from a large gym, it also can save you hundreds and hundreds of dollars in membership fees and dues. If money and time have been major hold-ups in your quest for wellness, these home gym ideas are certainly worth considering.
Read on for a few home gym ideas that can save you money and help you put together a setup in your house that allows you to target different aspects of exercise — both cardio and strength training throughout the body — at your own leisure and at minimal cost.
Find The Right Space
One important consideration is that you don’t want to be cramped. Nearly all of these home gym ideas require a little space to move around so try to find an area the offers ample clearance. Spare rooms, basements, or living rooms with big openings are good ideas. A carpeted floor will provide some helpful padding for exercises that involve laying down or kneeling, in addition to a gym mat or foam yoga mat, which are always recommended.
Fresh Air Is Good
Try to ensure that you can get a good cross-flow of outside air in the room that you choose to implement your home gym ideas. As we all know, workouts can get hot and sweaty, and if the room gets stuffy and hot then you have a very unpleasant environment for your activities. Letting in air from outside ensures that you get good quality oxygen and during the winter months it can also be a helpful way to cool down after intense exercise.
Adjutable Weights Save Space
Varying weights is important for any strengh training regimen, but getting a full set can be extremely expensive and space-consuming. We recommend a set of Adjustable Dumbbells, which allow you to utilize a wide range of different weight levels from the same two pieces of equipment.
Resistance Bands Are Invaluable
Another alternative (or addition) for your strength training is to pick up a Resistance Band Set. These flexible bands allow you to work various muscle groups, gaining flexibility and balance while needing minimal space to work and not needing to worry about dropping heavy equipment.
Try Cardio Without Machines
Cardio exercise equipment, such as a treadmill or elliptical, tend to be rather expensive, costing hundreds of dollars in addition to being very large and taking up a big chunk of space. Did you know that you can pump up your heart rate and get an equal cardio workout without the need for any such equipment at all? Try completing several rounds of squats, lunges, jumping jacks, climbers, jumping pushups and more. Over at Shape you can find a full list of no-equipment cardio workouts with pictures and instructions.
With these home gym ideas to get you start, putting together your own mini fitness center is no sweat!
