How to create a home gym this winter

When it’s crisp outside, it can be enticing to get all cuddled up with a cosy blanket and fuzzy socks by the fireplace, and retreat there for the entire winter season. However, there are other ways to stay warm that also happen to keep you fit. Whether you’re looking to lose weight and increase tone or lift heavy and gain muscle, we have tips to create your very own home gym to keep you in shape all year round.

Think about the design 

 

Firstly, you need to take into account what kind of space you have to create the home gym.

Will your home gym share a room with your home office to boost productivity?

Will your gym be an impressive full basement gym to hold your personal training sessions?

Decide on the space you will be using and go from there. Have a section for your cardio and a section for your weight training. Design the gym based on your own personal taste and if you’re lucky enough to have a view, we recommend facing the cardio machine toward the view. So even though you feel like you’re dying of exhaustion, you can have a pretty view. 

Go bargain hunting for equipment 

 

With online second-hand buying thriving right now through platforms like Gumtree and Facebook Marketplace, bargain shopping for equipment has never been easier. Unless you want to create a very upscale home gym for your own clientele if you’re a personal trainer or wellness coach, there’s really no need to go all out. A well-loved treadmill on Facebook Marketplace will run you between 100 AUD to 500 AUD depending on what kind of features you’d like it to have. 

Stock up with the essentials

 

To have an effective home gym, the two areas to focus on are strength training and cardio. Therefore, begin with adequate equipment to satisfy both of these fitness components. 

Cardio. Good machines to purchase for the purpose of cardio are treadmills, ellipticals, spin bikes, rowing machines, and stairmasters if you really want to push yourself. Cardio machines aid in weight loss, balance, and increasing your endurance and overall health. 

Strength training. Resistance training is extremely beneficial for the purpose of improving all elements of the functionality of the body including joint function, bone density, ligament strength, heart health, flexibility, balance, and not-to-mention the improvement in physical appearance aspect. Strength training leads to weight loss, a more defined body, more youthful appearance and even boosts your immune system. Good equipment to choose for strength training are dumbbells and barbells in a variety of weights, weight machines, medicine balls and kettlebells. You can even do plenty of resistance training using your own body weight including squats, push-ups, and planks. 

Install a mirror 

 

As much as this will deter you at the beginning of your fitness journey, you’ll appreciate it as you see progress and ultimately reach your goals. If you want to splurge, hire a professional to install mirrors on your wall for a more professional at-home gym look. If you have a tighter budget, simply shop around online or in local shops to find a full-size mirror to visually observe your progress.  Having a mirror in your at-home gym will also be perfect for observing your own form to make sure you are lifting correctly and to ensure symmetry during your lifts to encourage consistent muscle targeting and prevent potential injury.

Ventilation 

 

Make sure your lungs are supported by opening windows, doors and keeping a fan in the space to have air moving about. Face the fan toward your cardio machines to keep you cool during your workouts. Ventilation will also keep the space smelling fresh and odourless. Install an air freshener to keep the gym extra nice smelling. 

Create a space of transformation 

 

In order to create a space of transformation, you want to create a space that motivates you to transform into the best version of yourself. Whether this means painting your gym a funky colour, installing a tv to entertain your mind as you train your body, or decorating the mirrors with motivational quotes, use this space to motivate yourself to meet your personal fitness goals. Personalise your gym to support your own style of working out. If you love yoga, incorporate a yoga mat into the space. If you love reading magazines while you exercise, keep a pile on your treadmill to read them as you work out. We recommend putting up a calendar to track your progress and to visually plan out the goals you have with dates attached to them. 

Save money 

 

By transitioning from a commercial gym to a home gym, you will be saving big. According to Canstar Blue, the average Aussie spends an average of 65 AUD per month on gym memberships which is 780 AUD annually. If you're living with your partner, that's 1,560 AUD per year saved. To top that all off, 52% don’t go to the gym as much as they thought they would at time of signing up. Excuses not to go to the gym are pretty hard to create when your gym is in your home. Therefore, a home gym will save you money and you will benefit from it more. Put that money toward saving for a home deposit or a well deserved holiday instead. 

Get your blood pumping

 

Lastly, make a list of your fitness goals and use the home gym you created to meet them! The purpose of keeping your gym in your home is to benefit from its convenience, health boosting capability, and increased productivity. Remember to complement your home gym commitment with getting out into nature and a healthy clean eating plan or growing your own fruits and veggies. You will be on your way to achieving all of your goals.

Let this winter be the season you slay all your fitness goals and get into the best shape of your life. 

If you need help creating your home gym, get quotes now from the professionals.

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