Top 10 Tips for Building a Home Gym
If you’re just starting out on your fitness journey or perhaps want maximum control over your workouts, you may be thinking about building a home gym. And, if my experience has anything to say, you might feel out of your depth. There’s so much to consider. From which brands to use to how big your gym needs to be. If you’re struggling with building a home gym, keep reading. This article will explore ten tips for making your home gym the stuff of dreams. So, what are we waiting for?
Table of Contents
1. Have a plan
One of the most important yet overlooked home gym tips is to have a plan before you start building. So many individuals rush into building a home gym without a plan. Lack of planning results in a poor home gym, which is often far from what they envisioned, and a lot of money wasted.
To avoid this, plan everything before you build or buy anything. Measure your room dimensions, plan where all of your equipment will go, and make sure you leave a little margin for error- the last thing you want is to mismeasure your power rack, only for it to be too big for your space!
If you’re struggling to plan out your home gym, there are plenty of great ideas on YouTube and other online platforms. You’ll start getting inspiration for your design when you see something you like.
2. Budget your build
Many people tend to underestimate the cost of building a home gym. They have an extensive plan in mind but spend their entire budget on the flooring and a couple of dumbbells. Their home gym is then left unfinished for years.
So, make sure that you look at the cost of all of your equipment before you start building anything. You should cover everything from the floor to lighting and budget a little extra for shipping and mishaps.
It’s also usually better to opt for quality equipment over quantity. For example, I’d rather have only a high-quality squat rack and barbell that I can trust than a dozen poorly built machines.
3. Find the perfect location
The location of your home gym is very important. A well-located home gym will be easily accessible, both for everyday use and building, but won’t disturb other members of your family.
An excellent location for a home gym is a garage. Garages have sturdy flooring and ample space and are generally far away from the rest of the house so that you won’t disturb anyone with your grunting and weight slamming! Another great option is a basement if you have one in your home.
Ideally, build your home gym on the ground floor (or basement). Because the equipment you’ll be using is very heavy, an upstairs room might be unable to take the load. This is one of the essential home gym tips to remember.
4. Get the right flooring
If you’ve ever been to a commercial gym, you’ll notice that the free weights area has a rubber floor. The rubber helps stop any damage to the floor underneath from the ‘look at me crowd’ dropping heavy weights from a height onto the floor.
Rubber flooring is an essential investment for your home gym and one of the best home gym tips I can give you. It will reduce the damage to your floor and help make your workouts quieter, keeping the peace with your family and neighbors.
Rubber flooring is reasonably priced too. You should easily be able to install a commercial rubber floor in an area 20 feet x 13 feet for less than $800.
Gym flooring should be high in quality and the first thing you install. It will last a lifetime if you maintain your home gym properly.
5. Install some speakers
One of the worst parts about going to a commercial gym is listening to the music they blast on their speakers as you work out. Who wants to hear Katy Perry midway through a bench press PR? (Sorry, Katy Perry fans)
Luckily, building a home gym allows you to have control over the music. Take full advantage of this fact by installing some great quality speakers. Music is a massive motivator for many lifters, and decent, well-placed speakers will help you more than you think on your fitness journey.
Speakers take up relatively little room too, and there are various options for all budgets. Select speakers that work for you (within your budget), and you’ll be able to blast your favorite tunes to your heart’s content.
6. Use smart storage
Many people find that storage takes up more space than planned with their home gym. This can be incredibly annoying, as it can reduce the amount of equipment you can install. However, if you use smart storage options, you’ll be able to maximize the space available for new equipment while keeping everything organized.
For instance, use the walls as storage. Wall racks and hooks are easy to find, relatively cheap, and hold a variety of equipment that otherwise takes up a lot of floor space. Have a different shelf for towels, yoga mats, medicine balls, and other miscellaneous equipment. You’ll be surprised at how much space you can free up.
Maximizing every square inch available is especially important in small size home gyms.
7. Install a whiteboard
The next home gym tip is also one of the simplest. Installing a whiteboard might seem pointless, but it has many uses for any fitness enthusiast.
You can use whiteboards to write down workout plans, allowing you to check what’s next as you work out quickly. This is great for anyone who doesn’t like to use their phone when they workout but is also forgetful.
A whiteboard can also help you to track your progress and help you push for personal records. Having your PRs on display can give you a lot of pride and be a great motivator.
Finally, you can write your favorite quotes from fitness inspirations on a whiteboard. Whether it’s Arnold, Ali, or Laura Kenny, their motivating words can help you to push harder in a workout.
It’s a simple thing to do but one of the best home gym tips to implement.
8. Invest in gym mirrors
If you’re a little insecure or don’t like to look at yourself while you work out, a mirror is probably the last thing you’d want to buy for your home gym. However, it’s one of the most important pieces of equipments for every home gym.
A gym mirror will go a long way towards improving your form. Without a mirror, you’ll not know if you’re performing movements correctly. Over time, the incorrect exercise form can lead to serious injury, taking you out of the gym for weeks and stunting your progress. But, if you have a mirror installed, you’ll be able to fine-tune your form, resulting in improvement, rather than regress, each week.
9. Tailor your home gym to your workout needs
One of the most overlooked home gym tips is personalizing your gym for your needs. Many home gym enthusiasts need a bench press, squat rack, and leg press to get the progress they need. However, if you prefer yoga, calisthenics, or cardio, this equipment will be of less value to you.
So, consider your goals when building your home gym and prioritize the equipment you’ll use the most. For example, I love boxing, so a heavy bag, space for a jump rope, and a speed bag are essential for me. In contrast, a powerlifter’s home gym would look completely different.
Forget about what other people think is best for a home gym – build one that caters perfectly to your needs and goals.
10. Install a fan
One of the most underrated home gym tips is to install a fan in your home gym. So many people forget about ventilation in home gyms but trust me, you’ll be thankful when you install one.
Go with the most powerful fan that you can afford. During winter, you might not feel like you need one. But, in the summer months, home gyms can become unbearably hot, and adding a fan can help you stay on track with your workouts. This is especially true for garage gyms, which can become particularly toasty.
Fans aren’t expensive compared to many other aspects of a home gym. And, considering its necessity, it’s a good idea to invest in one as soon as possible.
Final thoughts
So, ten home gym tips that will make building your dream home gym much more straightforward. Building a home gym can initially seem pretty intimidating because there’s so much to plan and consider. But, if you follow these tips and know precisely what you want, you’ll have the home gym of your dreams in no time. So, what are you waiting for? Start planning your new home gym!
About the Author
James is a freelance writer with a passion for fitness. He has written for multiple businesses, and takes great pride in producing high-quality articles. When he’s not pounding away at the keyboard James is sweating it out at the gym, boxing, watching tennis, and playing video games
