At this frosty time of the year, the thought of exercising outdoors becomes less appealing and soon gyms across the country will see an influx of members trying to lose weight put on over Christmas and start their fitness New Year’s resolutions. Vying for the dumbbells with a load of newbies is enough to put off the most avid gym-goer. So what better time to turn your garage space into a home gym.
Make sure you have enough space
Obviously, you have to make sure you have enough space for pieces of machinery, but what is often overlooked is the space you need when carrying out exercises such as lifting dumbbells or shadow boxing. Which bring us onto another often overlooked aspect; getting a large mirror. Vital for exercises like shadow boxing, a large mirror will also show you head-on whether you have the correct posture or gait when lifting weights or running.
You don’t have to spend a lot
Many household items can be used as gym equipment, for example, a chair can be used for dips or elevated push-ups. Others are cheap to create, such as a sandbag or a jump box, which can be made out of plywood. There are also plenty of places to buy used fitness equipment, like classified ads and sites like eBay.
From large to small
By installing the largest machinery first, like a running or rowing machine, you have an idea of how much space you have left for smaller and less used equipment. The lack of space means compared to a gym means that you should only add the equipment that you will truly use on a regular basis, anything else is just taking up space that could be used for manoeuvring during and between exercises.
Temperature control
Garage temperatures tend to be controlled by the weather outside, so in the summer it can be unbearably hot and in the winter extremely cold, both reducing the likelihood of use. You will therefore want to keep a control on the temperature in your garage if you wish to use it as a gym year round. Central heating and air conditioning can be installed or if you’re on a tighter budget a portable heater and fan on the cheaper end of the scale.
Think pre and post workout
It is important to not get carried away filling your gym with the latest high-tech equipment and then finding out you don’t have enough space to stretch and warm-up properly. If space is not an issue, installing a fridge for your sports drinks and protein bars is a great addition, while a mini fridge or water cooler is perfect for smaller areas. A dedicated place to store smaller items such as boxing gloves, skipping ropes and towels will prevent them from being left out on machinery or getting lost.
Follow these simple steps and in no time you’ll have the ideal place to work out!
