Home Gym Renovation: How To Plan Your Very Own Workout Room

Deciding to work out and sticking to it may require a lifestyle change, which has its benefits. If this is your first try at getting fit and you are feeling a little conscious about how your body will look in the fitness centre, or you would rather flex your muscles in a more peaceful and convenient place, then having a private gym right in the comfort of your own home could be the answer for you. However, before you get into the gruelling and painful part of building your body, having your apartment fitted with the right workout tools is your first hurdle. Bringing home gym equipment without proper planning and careful preparation is an accident waiting to happen. To get you from point A to B, check out our tips for planning your own personal gym.

1) Incorporate Your Interior Design Into Your Workout

First, you might want to consider preserving the current interior decor of your home, especially if you are living in a house or renting an apartment that has a lot of architectural detailing. Incorporating your workout space into your current home design can minimise your remodelling costs and preserve the aesthetics of your interior design.

2) Create A Space or Room

(Image courtesy of Vegas Interior)
Having a workout space in your own home saves you time so that you do not have to travel to a gym or line up behind the treadmill in a commercial health club. If you decide to renovate your home, create a separate training space for yourself instead of putting your dumbbells, stationary bike, and other exercise equipment all into your bedroom. As you might find that watching TV in your resting area disrupts your sleep, having a workout or any similar activity in the bedroom may also have the same effect.

3) Safety First, Always

Always prioritise safety. When using electronic gym equipment, follow the instructions according to their manufacturers' user guide. Consult your landlord or building engineers if you are going to be hanging heavy equipment on the wall or from the ceiling. And to avoid noise going down to your neighbours, add rubber pads all over your floor to dampen the sound and protect your floor finish.

4) Add In Bits & Pieces

For a holistic gym workout, include bits and pieces of gym equipment that target your cardio, flexibility, and strength. Adding a TV or music makes time pass by peacefully, especially for those long hours of training. An exercise ball makes a handy way to target your abdominal and core muscles without taking up too much space. A yoga mat makes a cost-efficient companion in training your flexibility and can easily be stowed away. A full-length mirror helps you check if you are performing certain exercises correctly .

5) If Small, Go For Stationary

For limited spaces, particularly in studio apartments, choosing a stationary bike rather than a bulky treadmill for your cardio workout makes a wise design choice. As an alternative to fixed-weight barbells, get a set of configurable dumbbells for your arms, chest, and legs. Sand weights, kettlebells, and elastic bands — which make great resistance training — will do wonders for you and not occupy too much space.

6) Know Your Strengths & Weaknesses

Your choice of equipment depends on your strength capacity and available space. If you are a beginner, you may want to get your hands on low-end equipment to get yourself acquainted. Upgrade to high-end machines after you have been working out for a couple of years.

7) Multi-Use Is Very Useful

If you have the space and an open budget, choose multi-use equipment (the kind used in power gyms) that targets different parts of your body all at once. An all-around power equipment makes a great gym buddy in bulking up in no time. 

~

Do you have any helpful tips for incorporating a home gym into your BTO? Tell us in the comments below.