How to Plan Your Home Gym Equipment?

1. Prepare your workout program.

Start by asking yourself what are your goals, and how are you going to attain them. For that, put a workout plan so you can start working on your inventory. You don’t need much material to achieve your goals. 1970’s athletes achieved great body goals while using only free weights. For your cardio, you can even consider going for a run outdoors or buy that treadmill you always had your eyes on. Check your exercise  equipment store  to compare prices and get inspired on what you might need.

Think also about your budget. With a good space and a high budget you can always build a top notch gym. However, you can have a great home gym for under a couple hundred bucks.

Here are my personal essentials however you can even reduce this equipment to a minimum.

1. Olympic barbell and weight plates
2. Squat stand with adjustable set up
3. Adjustable dumbbell
4. Adjustable bench 
5. Cardio equipment (elliptical, treadmill, bike or even something as simple as a jump rope)

2. Consider your space.

Think about where you want to install your home gym.Ideally it would be the basement or the attic. You can always divide the basement into two rooms separated by a glass window and make one for your workouts and the other as a playroom for the kids. You can watch them while enjoying a little time. Depending on your space you can then see if that #barbell fits or you simply need to be satisfied with a mat and some free dumbbells. Check fitness equipment online to be able to check their sizes and see how to fit that home gym machine or treadmill or that Olympic barbell. You can always see if you can have foldable cardio equipment that can fit behind the door on into a closet.

Be also aware of any window, door or wall that can get in the way of setting up your equipment. Those obstacles can make the room smaller that it actually looks like as you can not put an equipment in front of them. Choose a good lighting to be able to have a good mood and be energized while working out. If you cannot have a daylight because you don’t have a window in the home gym, consider having a daylight bulb, preferably white color lighting. Think also about the ventilation of the space. The room must be cool in summer and warm in winter. 

There is a lot of details to think about too. What is your ceiling height, where are the electrical plugs and the power source for your cardio equipment? Consider also Bluetooth connections and Wi-Fi if you want to watch a movie or listen to music while working out. 

3. Consider your flooring:

Your flooring is part of your equipment and is an important part of your fitness space. Don’t neglect it.  

Rubber flooring is a good insulator to prevent sound transmission to avoid angry house members or neighbors. It is also durable and easy to clean. 

You can think about Mats for stand-alone equipment or interlocking tiles for small spaces. Wall to wall flooring is however a winner as they come in many colors and are extremely durable. You can always ask experts to help you choose the best flooring for your routine and apartment.