Home Gym Design
Many people are dissuaded from getting the amount of exercise
they would like. Whether you love to exercise or not, the trek
to the gym, the crowds, the waiting among other factors, can seem
like just too much effort. Some of you probably are too pressed for
time or unmotivated to even consider joining a fitness center.
Either way, maybe it's time to make a change.
if you are not thinking of renewing that health club membership (or
not exercising at all) why not consider an exercise room or weight
room in your home - better yet a home gym! Here are some of the many
reasons people are making the change from a public exercise room to
a home gym - how many of them apply to you?
- Don't have the time to travel to a fitness center several
miles away?
- Feel uncomfortable with your body or lack of knowledge about
the fitness equipment around gym "regulars"?
- Tired of waiting lists to use exercise equipment such as the
treadmill, elliptical trainer or spinning machines?
- Feel rushed by others waiting to use the fitness equipment
you're on?
- Tired of the exhausting trek to the local health club after a
full day at work?
- Don't like cleaning off exercise equipment before you can use
it?
- Upset by the lack of etiquette shown by other health club
members?
You probably saw yourself in a few of these statements. If you're
like most successful people, your health, time, privacy and hygiene
are important concerns. In this day and age having a home gym is,
without a doubt, a worthwhile investment in yourself and in some
cases, a necessity.
We'll make it easy for you to have that fitness oasis in the privacy
of your own home. From space and budget planning, through layout,
equipment selection, construction and interior design, we'll handle
the project every step of the way. You can be as "hands-on" as you
wish in creating your home gym, or you can simply sit back and relax
while we complete the luxury home fitness club of your dreams.
Home Gym Design Criteria
So you're ready to make that investment in improved health and
fitness. While you might be tempted to jump into the process
of evaluating various types of exercise equipment first, it would be
unwise to begin with this step. Rather, a planned approach is more
likely to yield the most satisfactory results, but where to begin?
Of course Fitness Spaces is available to guide you through the
process, but in the meantime, here is a general outline to help you
get started:
Home Gym Usage
The first thing to consider is how you plan to use the home gym
or fitness space you are creating. Will you continue to attend a
fully featured gym or will your new exercise room replace your
health club membership? Who else will use the exercise room - Adult
spouse or adult children? Young adults? Young children? Elderly?
Persons with special needs? Etc. When multiple users are to be
accommodated, flexibility and simplicity of equipment and design are
important.
Health and Fitness Goals
Assuming you are to be the primary user of the space, the next
step is to clearly assess your fitness goals and what will be needed
to accomplish them? Are you interested in general fitness? Muscle
toning? Weight loss? Muscle gain?
Home Gym Budget
Determining your budget early on in the process is an important
step. It makes little sense to plan a fitness palace if your budget
can't support the cost. Short and long term expenditures should be
factored into the equation to be sure to leave adequate space for
the exercise equipment you plan to purchase down the road. If you're
planning to make your major at the onset, so much the better.
Home Gym Space Requirements
What space will you be using? Will fitness be the only usage of
this space or must it serve double duty with other uses? Multiple
pieces of exercise equipment will occupy much more floorspace than a
"multigym" unit which can make sense if you're short on space.
If your fitness objectives call for overall fitness and toning, you
will need some cardiovascular workout equipment as well. Use these
guidelines to determine approximately how much room you'll need:
- Treadmills - 30 square ft.
- Single-Station Gym - 35 square ft.
- Free Weights - 20-50 square ft.
- Bikes - 10 square ft. Rowing Machines - 20 square ft
- Stair Climbers - 10-20 square ft.
- Ski Machines - 25 square ft.
- Multi-Station Gym - 50-200 square ft.
(courtesy of http://www.acefitness.org/)
Exercise Equipment Selection
Home gym equipment is of higher quality and more space-efficient
than ever before, but the old maxim holds true here "You get what
you pay for." The real challenge is choosing from the overwhelming
number of options available on the market today. Expensive home gym
equipment is usually priced that way for a reason. High-quality
equipment that is reliable and will work for years to come can't be
made cheaply, however there are options for every budget.
Again consider your goals. For overall fitness and toning, machines
will provide a better and fuller set of exercises and workouts than
free weights, though free weights are renowned for gaining muscle
mass. Whatever your goals, it is a good idea to thoroughly inspect
the equipment you are considering. Check it out for fit, comfort,
ease of use and how easy is it to adjust.
Interior Design & Aesthetics
Experience tells us that to derive the greatest benefit from your
fitness investment the space should motivate you to stick to your
workout plan. Once again a personal assessment is invaluable. Are
you a hard driving high tech kind of individual who thrives on loud
music, responsive temperature controls and likes clean crisp design
with lots of color? Maybe you prefer an inviting and relaxing space
with earth tone colors, soothing music, subdued lighting and and
attractive decorative elements like live plants.
If you love the space you have, you will be drawn to it even if
you're not thrilled about exercising in general. A dull drab
environment will be easy to ignore with so much else vying for your
attention on a daily basis. Look around your home for clues to your
favorite decorating schemes or peruse magazines and put together a
file containing pictures of spaces that appeal to you.
Construction
Planning adequate time for construction is an extremely important
consideration. Scheduling enough time to accommodate the inevitable
delays makes for a much more pleasant experience, and reduces
unnecessary stress for everyone involved. We can work with you to
determine a realistic timetable and help you stay on target every
step of the way. Whether we consult with your contractor or you
chose to work with one of ours you can rest assured that you project
will be completed in a professional and timely manner.
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