Custom Home Gyms – Skip the Health Club Membership

When you think of the challenges of building custom home gyms, are you concerned about the cost of equipment, a lack of space, the safety issue, or perhaps that you just don’t know what equipment to buy? If you have even a small room in your home to devote to working out, installing one of these personal home gyms is surprisingly affordable. Here a few tips and ideas to help you choose the right set-up for your fitness needs.

What is Your Budget?

Let’s start with the good news about custom home gyms: building and equipping a gym can range from the simple and inexpensive, to more elaborate strength training systems and Olympic weight sets, as well as cardio machines. If your personal budget is tight, say under $300, start out small at first. Your home gym design is the first issue to tackle. Map out how much space you plan to set aside for the workout area; your custom home gym could occupy half the basement, a spare room, or the space at the back of the garage. A 10x10 space will do at a minimum.

Your home gym plans should map out an area for free weight training and a bench, perhaps a rack for dumbbell storage, floor space for a power rack or a multi-station gym, and possibly a corner for a cardio machine such as a treadmill or elliptical trainer.

If you are also having some thoughts about decorating, custom home gyms should have: a full-length mirror so you can check your lifting form, a rubber mat to protect the wood floor or carpet, an inexpensive ($10) exercise mat for stretching, a wall chart that displays exercises, and possibly a TV or entertainment system.

Bowflex Power Rod® Home Gyms

What Type of Custom Gym Do You Want?

If you are planning to install a more elaborate multi home gym, you might think about adding specialized equipment such as a cable crossover machine, lat pull down, preacher curl, etc.

You also need to plan for your cardio workouts, which is an important part of your weekly fitness training routine. Treadmills have come down in price significantly in the past 10 years, but if you don’t plan to include one in your personal home gym, you can run outdoors, swim, or attend spinning classes to get your cardio. Or here’s a better idea for both men and women; consider purchasing and hanging a heavy bag to create your own custom boxing gym.

A Home Gym Offers Lasting Value

Building your own personal home gym will allow you the freedom to do total body workouts without ever having to wait for equipment at a busy public gym, or needing to worry about closing times or any number of other distractions. Custom home gyms can be set up for as little as $300 or you can spend $1500, even $4000, on the best equipment. Compare that one time cost to enrollment fees for a health club, in addition to 2 or 3 years for annual dues, and it is easy to see how a home workout gym you will save you money in the long run.

Tips for Decorating Home Gyms and Creating Your Own Personal Space

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