Are you looking to design a home gym you’ll actually want to workout in? Then check out these home gym ideas to help you get motivated.
Do you have a gym membership you barely use? You’re not alone. The average member only uses their gym about four times a month, even if they had intended twice as many visits.
Instead of throwing money away on an unused health club membership, why not create a workout space right in your home? You’ll save money in the long run, have privacy, and can exercise whenever you choose.
Take a look at these eight home gym ideas that will get your heart rate up before you even use them.
1. Combo Gym and Kids Play Area
If you’re a parent, you may find it difficult to secure babysitting to get to the gym, or you may be wary of leaving your child with a health club’s daycare center. A combination gym and play space will let you keep an eye on your little ones while you ride a stationary bike or use an elliptical machine.
Provide them with a cute pint-sized table and chairs. Include plenty of stacked storage to hold some of their favorite toys, games, and crafts to keep them occupied while you get your cardio on.
2. CrossFit Garage
Who says you need to join a CrossFit gym to reap the benefits of this fitness trend? If you can spare the space, a garage is the perfect old school spot for a makeshift CrossFit home gym.
You can place strength equipment up against the sides of the garage, lay heavy ropes on the floor, and hang gymnastic rings from the ceiling. Go for a boxing vibe by setting up a punching bag, and be sure to install a sink so you can rinse yourself off after a strenuous workout.
If you’re new to this and plan to include some bars and heavy free weights, make sure you find the best trap bars out there. These will strengthen your grip.
3. Barre Studio
Barre has become one of the hottest strength training trends in recent years. And when it’s just you practicing ballerina-inspired moves by yourself, you don’t need a lot of space to pull off this home gym idea.
All you need is a room where you can have a mounted ballet barre installed, or you can even purchase a portable one for around $100. Optional equipment includes a playground or barre ball, lightweights, and a thick mat. Crank up the classical music workout soundtrack and voila—you’ve got yourself your own personal barre studio.
4. Yoga Retreat
Need a sacred space to unwind? Consider transforming a room into your own private yoga retreat. Add tranquil touches such as bamboo and a bubbling indoor water fountain.
The great thing about practicing yoga is it doesn’t require a lot of space, so this option works well for smaller homes or if you have a small room that you never use. Stock up on a few yoga mats and set up a long mirror or two on a wall so you can make sure you maintain proper form.
This area can also do double duty as a meditation space. For even more relaxation, consider hanging a hammock so you can use the room as your napping quarters.
5. Workout With a View
If you’re fortunate enough to have a home with a view—whether it’s of a field, a pond, or just your backyard—let nature motivate your workouts by placing your home gym here. It can be especially gratifying to exercise while gazing outside on those cold or bad weather days that aren’t suitable for outdoor workouts.
No such view? No problem—you can always decorate your exercise space with houseplants. They’ll bring the outside to you while helping to purify the air at the same time.
6. Rock Climbing Wall
If your space and budget allow, what could be cooler than having your own rock climbing wall in your home? You and your kids will get a kick out of being able to scale one of your home’s walls anytime you feel like it. At the same time, you’ll be improving your coordination, strength, and agility.
You’ll want to choose a wall in your home that isn’t too high, and include padding on the floor for protection in case someone slips and falls.
7. Get Colorful
When you’re trying to get healthy and fit, you know maintaining this lifestyle requires motivation. So instead of decorating your home gym with the usual bland colors such as gray and black, why not bring a little color to your workouts?
Energetic colors such as red and orange can help you feel more alert. But even if these hues aren’t your style, you can incorporate touches of color everywhere by choosing workout equipment, workout mats, and weights in cheerful tones.
Even storage comes in fun shades. Place a steel locker in bright blue or red in the corner of your workout area.
Or invest in eye-catching carpeting to lighten up your workout space.
8. The Workout Corner
So, what if you have absolutely no room to spare in your home? You can still include a designated workout space by storing equipment in a corner of a room.
It may not sound like much, but a side or corner of a room can still house a machine, some weights, and a mat. Portable workout equipment such as dip bars and ab rollers may make their home here as well.
Try These Cool Home Gym Ideas
These home gym ideas should not only entice you to exercise more often, but you’ll save money on a gym membership. As they’re right in your home, you’ll no longer have to fight traffic to make a class. And the best part about designing a home gym is that it’s limited only by your imagination.
Ever wonder what the celebs’ home gyms look like? Check out our Celebrity Cribs section to find out!