Building a Home Gym

For fitness enthusiasts, physical exercise is a near-daily activity and a lifestyle. You want to either start the day with a morning routine to boost your energy or unwind by doing a workout after a long hectic day.

For both cases, a home gym fits the bill. It allows you to stick to your daily routine, get privacy and a perfect exercise environment, avoid expensive gym membership fees, evade the hustling of crowded gym centers, and most of all it’s safe.

But how do you create the best home gym? Garages are versatile rooms that provide enough space for a home gym. Yes, with the proper planning and design, you can turn your garage into a home fitness room.

So, here are 7 steps for turning your garage into a home fitness sanctuary:

1.    Create Space

With most garages doubling up as storage rooms, the first step to turning a garage into a home gym is to clear the space by getting rid of the things you don’t use. You can either donate, sell, or reuse some of these items to give way.

Once you have enough space for the gym, you can deep clean your garage to start setting up your home fitness sanctuary.

2.    Have a Layout Plan

The best way to utilize every inch of space effectively is by having a layout plan. A plan is a visual representation of how you intend to organize the garage space and where each piece of equipment will go.

With that said, here are other things you must consider when determining your garage layout as a home gym:

• Floor Space Size: This will help you determine the size and types of workout equipment to get for your home gym.
• Your Workout Style: Are you a weight-training person or you’re into cardio exercises? Whichever your mode of working out, plan your space accordingly, taking into consideration that cardio exercises like squats will require more space than weight lifting exercises.
• Installation Points: You must figure out where to put your electrical outlets for plugging in machines. Also, consider utilizing your wall space to install storage solutions like shelving racks for placing free weights, slat wall panels to hook or hang bikes, and storage cabinets for your gloves.

The beauty of planning the layout for your home gym is that it maximizes your wall and floor space. It also facilitates easy traffic flow when working out.

3.    Upgrade the Flooring

Most garage floors are concrete slabs, which increases the risk of slipping or falling when working out. You can avoid this by upgrading the floors with epoxy and garage flakes.

Epoxy floors with flakes have more traction and are more durable, as they have a higher load-bearing capability compared to concrete. The garage flakes provide an anti-slip surface which can increase safety while working out.

Other benefits of epoxy and garage flake floors include the following:

• Easy to clean and maintain.
• Have an elegant finish and are easily customizable to suit different needs. For instance, you can select a texture that will reduce slip and fall accidents.
• Are cost-effective as they have fewer repair costs compared to concrete floors.

Upgrading your flooring using epoxy and garage flakes will require the help of a professional epoxy installer for a job well done.

4.    Provide Insulation

Working out is a near-daily activity. So, ensure you insulate your garage to get a comfortable all-year-round working-out environment for your home gym.

You can choose from different types of insulations for your garage surface including spray foam and double bubble insulation.

Insulating your garage home gym benefits your workout sessions by:

• Maintaining a conducive working-out temperature throughout the year
• Providing an extra pudding to absorb sound from loud gym equipment
• Offers excellent moisture control

5.    Make Your Garage Comfortable

It can get really hot, sweaty, and smelly when working out. Consider installing a heating and cooling facility to provide a conducive working-out environment and bid goodbye to hot smelly workout sessions.

Installing a mini-split system should help control the heat and humidity while adding a window or installing some wall-mounted or ceiling exhaust fans will improve the ventilation of your garage.

6.    Opt for Good Lighting

Often garages are poorly lit areas, probably with one small window. You can improve this by adding more windows and skylights to bring in sufficient natural light which raises your mood and gives energizing vibes that come in handy when working out.

In case you prefer exercising at night, opt for some LED lighting. These will provide you with the perfect vibe to get your energy up for working out at night. Besides, they’re energy efficient.

7.    Maximize Storage

While you may have converted your garage into a home gym, it still remains a storage area. You can increase storage spaces by leveraging vertical storage spaces where you can hang baskets for small items. You could also use hooks to hang bikes, bags, and other gear.

Consider mixing overhead storage with open selves to enable you to keep your gym equipment out of the way while still making the room look big.

Conclusion

At first, you might find transforming your garage into a home gym a daunting experience. But by following the above 7 tips for upgrading your garage into a home gym, you can turn your garage into a fitness haven.

If you’re not too handy, you should contact professional interior and exterior home décor professionals to help you transform your garage into a home gym. They have a knack for functionality that’ll go a long way to achieving your body goals. Remember, upgrading your garage to a home gym might be the next best decision you make for your fitness goals and finances.