Turning Your Basement into a Home Gym That Will Keep You Motivated

1. Building a home gym has many wonderful advantages, and the perfect location is your newly remodeled basement. With the commute as simple as walking downstairs, you'll get a great workout and add hours to your day without even leaving home. You may have plans to remodel your basement and add a home gym, or you may just have existing space to turn into a workout area. Either way, you should consider a few things before starting. Will your basement be a good gym? Many people are so excited about having a home gym that they only focus on the equipment they plan to buy, not the room details themselves. Although it is true that a home gym needs equipment, the first step should always be to plan the space that will soon become your workout haven. To do this, the room must be physically ready and prepared. Taking planning time will help make your fitness journey as enjoyable and pain-free as possible. Here are some things to consider: Space - How much space to work with? If your basement is a large room, you have plenty of options and shouldn't face any problems. However, if your basement is divided into smaller rooms, you should plan before starting. Depending on the size of your home gym, you may want to remove some walls. Or there's always room dedication option. One room for cardio and another room for weights and resistance training. Ceiling - How high is your ceiling? Many basements have low ceilings that may hinder some machines. Unfortunately, there's really no cost-effective option to fix this problem, but it's a good idea to be aware of limitations. The excitement of buying and assembling your shiny new piece of equipment can quickly become a very frustrating and annoying waste of time when you realize you can't use it because your ceiling is too low.

2. Ventilation - Proper ventilation is often overlooked, but it is important to both your remodel and your home gym. If your basement isn't climate controlled, it should be if you're going to turn it into a gym. Fans can help keep air flowing, and if your ceiling is high enough, you can install a ceiling fan. Unfortunately, without proper ventilation, your workouts won't be pleasant, and if you don't enjoy exercising in your new space, your home gym will soon become a storage area and collect cobwebs! Flooring - Concrete floors are common in basements, and great for home gyms. They can support heavy exercise equipment and withstand your workout's rigors. They're also building a great floor for you. One flooring option, interlocking rubber tiles are easy to install and great for absorbing sound and impact. Walls - Use fabric-covered finishing panels on your walls to help absorb the sound. The market has many different types. Some are designed as pictures or paintings to reduce not only noise, but also its purpose. Keep in mind that basements are known to be humid environments, so choosing something that's mildew-resistant is a good idea. Lighting - Adequate lighting is not only important for safety, it also makes the workout environment more enjoyable. Lighting may seem simple, but there are a number of options and things to consider. Designing your basement as a gym Once you've solved the fundamentals of your workout space, you can start designing your home gym layout. Make the room your space. Room look and feel should motivate you. Your goal is to make your workout space a place to enjoy spending time. Some things to consider: Television - If you plan to work with streaming videos or DVDs, quality TV is a must. Many people enjoy watching TV while working on a low ceilings treadmill. Whatever your plans, you can add a TV to your home gym.

3. Sound System - Quality speakers can make a difference when exercising. Whether you're working on DVDs, watching TV, or just listening to music, a quality sound system can keep you motivated. Since you'll make the music selection decisions, there's no need to get tangled up in your headphones' cords anymore! Mirrors - This is personal preference, but if you plan on lifting weights, installing at least one full-length mirror can be helpful. Having a mirror in your gym will allow you to check your form and make any necessary corrections to prevent injury. Mirrors can also make your workout space appear larger and lighter. Storage Bins - Cluttering is a good idea. You may have some smaller items in your workout arsenals like jump ropes, yoga mats, ab wheels, or foam rollers. If you have a place for these things, you can keep your home gym neat and tidy. Extras - You may want to consider putting your water bottle on a table, or wall hooks to hang clothes and towels. A small fridge can easily keep your water cold. Also, having a towel shelf can be a nice addition. You can make your gym as simple or detailed as you like. What's important is that you create a room you enjoy, and it's a place where you feel motivated to work. Choose Home Gym Equipment After completing all the necessary renovations, it's time to fill your home gym with workout equipment. Here are some of our best tips for your new workout space: Take Your Time—Your workout will evolve over time and it's a good idea to gradually build your exercise equipment. If you take your time, you will be able to buy higher-quality equipment and enjoy expanding your gym with new equipment as you enter new types of exercise. Consider your home gym as an evolving process, never complete, yet it meets your current workout needs.

4. Be Selective and Look for Bargains - It can be expensive to equip a new gym, you can spend a lot of money. Decide what's important for your workouts and invest. You can build your core equipment. There are also plenty of opportunities to buy used equipment on Craig's List, and finding nearly new equipment is not uncommon. Many manufacturers offer equipment they have accepted as returns at low prices, and large gyms often sell their current equipment to make room for new machines. The best time to buy lower-end workout equipment is around mid-January. If you can wait, you'll get your dollar's best bang! Look for versatility - A number of great companies manufacture workout equipment that offers versatility. TRX gear can give you a great body workout, it's relatively cheap and takes up very little space. Bowflex also offers excellent equipment and many machines offer total body resistance workouts. Leave some open floor space - Equipment like treadmills can take up lots of floor space and can be difficult to move. Leave some floor space for yoga, stretching, workout DVDs, free weights, or any other type of workout you may want down the road. Don't forget the Dumbbells – Dumbbells, kettlebells or some other type of handheld resistance equipment can be an important part of any home gym. It's a common misconception that if you try to lose weight, you need cardio equipment. In reality, combining cardio with strength training is the most effective weight-loss method. Stability Ball is a great addition to your home gym! They're cheap and versatile. Use the ball for your workout as well as flexibility. These balls are great for a few ab crunches and hamstring curls. Infrared Sauna - Infrared saunas are rarely thought of as a home gym, but in truth they're a great addition. There are so many wonderful health benefits that regular sauna use can provide, and not as expensive as you might think! Jumping into a sauna after a hard workout will not only help you relax, but help your body recover!