Setting up a home gym can be a lot of fun, it can also become quickly overwhelming if you’re not careful. There are countless machines and accessories available on the market and it can be hard to know what you need to include and what you don’t. More than that, it can be difficult to figure out how to get some of the items you want into your home gym as gym equipment can be large and heavy. In addition to all of this, sometimes equipment needs to be set up once it’s in your home, and if this is done incorrectly you risk injuring yourself.
The following will break down the most important questions you need to ask yourself when setting up a home workout station. It will also dive into the possible answers you could have to these questions and what your answers imply for your home gym set up. As with any workout-related advice, always listen to your body and what it’s trying to tell you. Likewise, respect your personal budget. Health takes many forms and the mental stress of financial woes is just as important to consider as your physical fitness.
Know Yourself
We’ll start with the most obvious approach first. How do you personally work out? This question is going to get the ball rolling for you. If you typically do yoga, then you’re going to want to find yourself a yoga mat. If you love lifting weights, then you’re going to want weights. If you love running, you might want a treadmill. None of this is groundbreaking, but it is an excellent place to start.
Know Your Aims
There are three big categories for exercise. Maybe you want to dabble a little with all three, maybe you have specific fitness goals and you want to focus on just one. The categories are as follows:
- Cardio-based workouts
- Strength-increasing workouts
- Flexibility-focused workouts
Treadmill, Stationary Bike, or Jump Rope
Cardio might be your primary concern if you feel drawn towards running or biking. This type of exercise is particularly important if you are interested in improving heart and lung health. The equipment that fits into this category includes treadmills and stationary bikes as well as jump-ropes.
Weights, Kettlebells, or Resistance Machines
Strength-increasing workouts might be your focus if you’re interested in becoming stronger or more muscular. Equipment such as weights, kettlebells, and resistance machines can help you accomplish these sorts of aims. When choosing weighted items always be realistic and keep in mind what you can lift safely. It is more than okay to start with smaller weights and work your way up to heavier ones when you feel ready.
Yoga Mat, Bar, or Resistance Bands
Flexibility-focused workouts might be right for you if you’re interested in increasing your balance and flexibility. Yoga, barre exercises, and certain types of resistance training might suit you if this is the case. Yoga mats, bars, and resistance bands are some of the equipment designed for this type of workout.
When choosing equipment it is always best to do thorough research. You can click here for a collection of reviews on specific pieces of equipment that you’re interested in. In addition to studying the different versions of equipment available, it is equally important to research the proper use of exercise equipment. Workout injuries can be serious and result in lifelong pain or even fatality.
Something That Protects Your Knees
This is a very important point. If you are going to be jumping around at all, even just as part of your warm-up, you need to take into consideration the health of your knees. It is easy to damage your knees when exercising. Most gyms are designed with flooring that absorbs some of the shock that occurs when people leap around on the floor (you’ll notice gym flooring tends to be a little spongier than regular flooring). This is crucial if you don’t want to be suffering from knee pain as an older person.
Now, this doesn’t mean that you need to replace the flooring in your home gym (you can if you want, but it would be expensive). It does, however, mean that you need to think about some sort of floor overlay. Just one mat or rug designed to soften the shock will do you wonders in the long run. This will also give your ankles and hips a little bit of a break depending on what exercises you’re going to be doing.
Having answered these simple questions you are well on your way to setting up the right home gym for you and your workout needs. If you have chosen to include weights or exercise machines, make sure that you are practicing safely. If you do not feel completely confident always wait until you have a spotter who can assist you with your workout. Happy exercising!
