#111: How to Set Up Your Home Gym for Success

#111: How to Set Up Your Home Gym for Success

Everyone prefers a different workout environment, and you should train where you feel best.

From costly monthly subscriptions to crowded workout spaces, several factors can turn people off from gyms and fitness centers, especially in the age of coronavirus. Having a home gym is a great alternative that makes fitness more accessible and adaptable to your daily routine. It eliminates the need to commute and follow gym operating hours, it allows you to work out in the comfort of your private space, and it can help you save money in the long run by eliminating the cost of membership fees. 

So, how can you make this work? Before getting started, here are some factors to consider before setting up your home gym.


How to Set Up a Home Gym

 

Cardio

When you think of cardio, chances are that running is your top-of-mind activity. However, if you’re unable to run outside and a treadmill is beyond your budget, a jump rope is an excellent alternative. It’s affordable, takes up minimal space, and it’s incredibly versatile. A few minutes of consistent rope-jumping can increase your heart rate while giving you a full-body burn.

If you want a bit more of a challenge, get a weighted jump rope. It’s heavier, which means that you have to work harder to get it around your body.

On the other hand, if you have both the budget and space for it, feel free to splurge on cardio equipment. Treadmills are home gym staples, regardless of whether marathons or brisk walks are your speed. If you’re not a fan of running, consider getting an elliptical or stationary bike instead.

Also, remember that a lot of exercises can be turned into cardio if you do them quickly enough.

 

Strength

If you’re just starting out and you’re not keen on spending, begin with bodyweight movements like push-ups, planks, lunges, and sit-ups. These exercises enable you to strengthen different muscle groups using, as the name suggests, your body’s own weight. It’s a good starting point, especially for those who are easing out of a sedentary lifestyle, as they can help the muscles regain flexibility and mobility, and adapt to strenuous movement.

Resistance bands are also a good entry point for stretching and strength training. They are inexpensive, lightweight, and easy to store. Use them as an alternative to weights for upper- and lower-body exercises, like pulling them upward into bicep curls or wrapping them around your knees when doing clamshells or squats. A multitude of exercises can be made more challenging with a resistance band.

If you can afford a few basic weights, kettlebells and dumbbells are must-have gym staples. You may want to get these in a variety of weights so that you can work your way up as you grow stronger.

These are available in fixed-weight and adjustable forms and produced in a variety of materials ranging from neoprene to metal, so take your time studying your options before making a purchase. You may also consider other strengthening equipment like gliding discs and stability balls, which are particularly effective for core exercises. (You use your core for everything.)

If you’re looking to get serious with strength training and you’re ready to invest in it, start by getting a rack or squat stand, barbells, plates, and a bench. These require a more flexible budget and also more space in your home gym.

 

Muscle Recovery

Starting a home gym is an indicator that you’re in it for the long haul. But apart from the actual training, allowing your muscles to heal in between sessions is an essential part of any fitness regimen. Adequate recovery keeps your muscles in top shape by minimizing fatigue and soreness, which promotes high-quality performance in the long run.

Plus, muscle recovery is important for mobility, and mobility is important for injury prevention.

Go for safe and natural methods like TENS and EMS. PowerDot’s Smart Muscle Stimulator is a science-backed, FDA-approved tool that offers you both. Our Smart TENS setting relieves muscle pain by diverting the signals sent by nerves to the brain and stimulating the release of endorphins.

On the other hand, our NMES program contracts the muscle fibers to flush out lactic acid, promote the flow of blood, and stimulate the distribution of nutrients. This helps the muscle cells to regenerate faster, boosts strength, and minimizes the risk of injury

 

Planning Your Home Gym

 

Before you start setting up your home gym, make sure to evaluate two major factors that will ultimately define what you can do and what you should purchase: your available space and your budget. 

If you have a whole room to spare and can afford the kind of equipment you’d typically use in a professional gym, you now know what kind of equipment you can begin to look at.

And don’t forget that for purchases that are typically more expensive, you can check out gently used, secondhand options on websites like Facebook Marketplace or OfferUp. Some big box stores and off-price department stores also sell equipment and exercise materials at lower prices compared to popular fitness brands.

On the flip side, if you are limited in terms of space and budget, there is a wide variety of affordable and space-saving fitness tools that can help you achieve the results you want when used correctly. Get your cardio done with a good jump rope and boost your muscular strength with resistance bands. Or if you want to go equipment-less, roll out an exercise mat and try some bodyweight exercises. Rest assured you can still get one heck of a workout with minimal — or no — equipment.

Make your home gym as conducive and enticing as you can. Keep your workout essentials nearby, like towels and a water bottle. If music motivates you to exercise, consider setting up some speakers. If it’s safe to do so, invite a friend over to train with you. Otherwise, consider a Zoom workout with someone you enjoy being around.

Throughout your home gym journey, PowerDot is here to support you. Shop our collections today.

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