In the age of work from home, the home gym has become a highly coveted asset for modern lifestyles. For accessibility and privacy, it is ideal for people who need somewhere to workout without the travel time and want a space for themselves. Furthermore, in a post-COVID landscape, the ability to personally monitor and control hygiene measures is another huge draw.
So, if you’re looking to create an iron jungle in your spare room or garage, there are some key items you’ll need to get you started – no matter the type of training you’re undertaking. Here, we’ve highlighted our top five home gym essentials:
A treadmill
Whether you’re trying to run a marathon or build up your deadlift, cardio is a key component to most training. Not only does it improve overall endurance, it’s also a fantastic form of active recovery to ensure you’re resting whilst still getting blood flowing. In a home gym, a treadmill provides easy access to one of the most popular forms of cardio – running.
Foldable treadmills, in particular, have found recent popularity with the ability to recover floor space and collapse down if needed.
With the different types of cardio available on a treadmill, such as incline running and sprints, the ability to diversify your workouts with a single piece of machinery makes it an essential for a modern home gym.
Adjustable weights
A set of adjustable dumbbells or kettlebells is an essential building block for your home gym. As opposed to a traditional set of weights ranging from 5kg to 25kg, adjustable weights are a dynamic alternative. Not only do they save space, but they’re better prepared for any impending increases in strength as a result of your training!
Whether you choose dumbbells or kettlebells [or both!], there are hundreds of exercises that you can take on spanning the whole body. From training calves or shoulders, a set of adjustable weights is a fantastic starting point for a home gym.
Gym mats
You may have noticed that in many public gyms, the floor is at least partially covered by soft, rubbery mats. These are more often than not, yoga mats, or gym mats as they are sometimes called. This softens the blow of tens or hundreds of kilograms of weight being dropped every day.
In a home setting, soft gym flooring will help to protect your home from any potential damage that can be caused by gym equipment. For example, on carpet it prevents dents appearing and removes any risk of carpet burn from floor exercises. For hard flooring, it prevents scratching as well as reducing noise making a gym mat an essential starting point for a home gym for both safety and comfort.
A workout bench
A workout bench is a great and affordable way to bring a raft of new workouts to your home gym. Paired with adjustable dumbbells or kettlebells, a workout bench provides the base for a bunch of new exercises.
For even more flexibility in your regime, an adjustable workout bench is a fantastic addition. From dumbbell bench press to Bulgarian split squats, a workout bench is essential for many home gyms.
Furthermore, it also provides key safety measures by providing a cushioned base for many key exercises!
A fan
Many professional public gyms will benefit from extensive air conditioning systems. This helps to keep air clean, reduce humidity and maintain a good temperature to reduce overheating when working out. However, many British homes don’t have this luxury.
A heavy-duty fan will go a long way in making sure you’re staying safe and cool when working out in your home gym – especially if it’s within the main part of your house.
When designing your home gym, tough decisions must be made to make the most of space, your budget and to ensure that you can get the most out of your equipment. Our top five essentials are a fantastic starting point to build outwards from and help you build the perfect at-home workout zone.
