With COVID-19 shutting down workout facilities around the country, you may be looking for ways to work on your health and fitness inside the safety of your own home. Check out these five tips below to create the perfect gym for you that will make sure you won’t slow down on your goals- open gym or not!
Decide on the Essentials
The first part of creating the perfect at home gym is finding the right equipment. Most of us won’t have the equipment just lying around since you are used to it being provided by your gym, but you only need a few things to make the most of your workout. A floor mat, resistance bands, dumbbells and a jump rope are a great place to start. The floor mat can be used for several different workouts, core strengthening, yoga and more, depending on what you like. Resistance bands or dumbbells can be used for lower and upper body weightlifting. A jump rope is a challenging but fun way to get cardio in.
Of course, if you are just starting our fitness journey and are wanting to start a little easier, don’t be afraid to just use your body weight! This is still an effective way to get yourself moving and stay active without the need for different equipment.
Look for Bargains
The biggest misconception when it comes to building a home gym is that it will cost you a fortune to set up. There are plenty of places that offer all types of equipment at an affordable cost. TJ Maxx, Ross, Home Goods and other similar retailers are all great options to find smaller gym accessories without breaking the bank.
If you are looking to build a gym with larger weights or machines, you won’t be able to find these at typical retail stores, but there are plenty of second-hand equipment stores, where you can find exactly what you need.
Make Sure You Can See It!
We all know the saying “out of sight, out of mind” and that goes for the gym as well. If you buy everything you wanted to include in your home gym but then you go ahead and put them in the closet where you won’t see them, you most likely won’t be motivated to use them. Even if you are tight on space, try to make a small area that is dedicated to your health and fitness. This doesn’t always have to be dumbbells or yoga mats, but maybe it helps to have a shelf with some water and towels, just as a reminder that the gym is there and ready when you are.
Seeing is Believing
Another way to stay motivated when having to workout at home, is having the ability to see yourself. Having a mirror that you can focus on while you do your exercise will give you more energy and push yourself to work harder because you are watching every move you make. This technique is seen in everyday gyms with mirrored walls next to all weightlifting stations. If you aren’t able to fit a mirror in the space, try taking pictures after your workouts as a way to track your progress and see real results that you will want to keep achieving.
Use the Outdoors
Although you might love your home gym once you get everything set up, it can be frustrating to have the same scenery all day, so remember you always have the great outdoors as your personal gym too! If it’s a nice day, you can go for a run or do some light cardio in a nearby park. Park benches and playgrounds also make for the perfect “makeshift” gym. You can use benches for step-up lunges, incline or tricep push-ups, while playgrounds have bars all around for pull-ups and similar body-weight lifts.
However you choose to stay active during this quarantine, whether it’s pumping iron in your garage or doing yoga in your living room, just make sure to take the time to take care of your health and body. You deserve it!
