When you are getting back into your fitness journey there are so many questions you need to ask yourself, but it’s not just about the type of training you are going to do, but also about the practicalities of it. Lots of people love the idea of going to a fitness class, but, of course, it requires time-bound dedication, which will include commuting, showering, etc, as well as financial dedication, such as monthly gym membership and extras. This is why lots of people now are looking for cheaper options to get their exercise stimulus. A garage is purpose-built for this, and, of course, a home gym provides a sense of privacy and comfort so you can focus on your workout without the distractions found in public gyms. But what are the practical considerations for your home gym setup?
Flooring
You should invest in durable flooring that is also shock-absorbent. This will ensure that you protect both the garage floor and your equipment. The company Garage Flooring provides a variety of garage mats that ensure a soft landing, whether you’re doing high-impact running on the spot or investing in a squat rack. It’s so important to have a stable surface for workouts, especially when you are lifting because if you have an uneven surface beneath your feet or you have to focus on stabilizing certain parts of your body it detracts from the quality of the exercise, and this could mean you end up inadvertently performing with poor form. Over time, if you continue down this route, you will get injured. Flooring is one of those simple, yet highly effective foundations.
Ventilation and Temperature Control
As wonderful as garages can be, they get particularly cold during the winter and blisteringly hot during the summer. It’s worth considering appropriate ventilation based on your needs. Lots of people like exercising in a hot environment because it gets them working up a sweat, which can ramp up the detoxification factor, but we’ve got to be careful here. If you get too hot and the exercises are too intense, you could end up feeling faint. Proper ventilation with fans or windows is essential for your well-being as well as the longevity of your equipment.
Choosing the Right Items for Your Fitness Journey
This will all depend on the size of your garage, as well as your fitness goals. People who don’t have much time can benefit from exercising three days a week with compound moves, which translates into a squat rack being the most important implement. Get yourself a bench for bench pressing as well, and then you’ve got to think about some of the supplementary equipment, for example, resistance bands and a belt for deadlifting to ensure that you are always lifting with proper form. You may also want to implement a couple of other things, for example, a pull-up bar, which is not just an amazing way to give most of your body a workout but the benefits of hanging from a pull-up bar for up to two minutes are many as well, especially in terms of posture alignment.
Budget
Of course, if you are looking for solutions for your home gym, it’s got to be within a reasonable budget. This is why you need to ask yourself what your fitness goals are. All-over fitness in a limited amount of exercise time will translate to having that aforementioned squat rack, but you also need to think about the durability of the items you purchase. The cheaper the item, the more flimsy it will be. So you may want to invest in a selection of kettlebells rather than a large cheap squat rack. The benefits of having kettlebells are numerous because they provide a functional approach to fitness, and you are going to benefit your body in terms of your posterior chain and build strength all over while torching fat.
Space Utilization
If you are sharing your garage with your lawnmower and a whole bunch of other things that can’t fit in your house, you’ll need to make sure there’s enough room not just for the equipment but for moving around. A good example is the affirmation kettlebell because if you are planning on doing kettlebell swings and Turkish get-ups, there needs to be adequate space for you to maneuver without causing damage to anything as well as yourself!
By addressing some of these practical components, you won’t just create a functional home gym, but it will set you on a successful fitness journey.