When the pandemic hit, one of the most affected and first to close businesses were gyms. People found themselves struggling to figure out how to get a complete workout. Dumb-bells and other gym equipment were being sold for insane prices. But as people became accustomed to working out at home, many are wondering if they’ll ever restart the gym membership. Especially when the membership prices could be put toward your Blumortgage.ca. If you’re considering setting up your own home gym, here’s a guide for setting up your own home gym, from our friends over at https://montrealweights.ca/.
Dedicate a Space
One major issue with home gyms is the temptation to avoid working out altogether because there are so many distractions at home. If your comfy couch and TV are right next to your gym equipment, you may end up just sitting on the couch. Whether it’s part of your garage or an empty room, make sure that the space you use is “sacred” and reserved specifically for working out.
Then one of the first things you can do is order some gym mats; pick some alternative colors to make your space inviting for a workout.
80/20 Rule
Think through the exercises that you have found to give you the best results. Apply the 80/20 Rule—that is, the 20% of workouts that will give you 80% results. This should inform you in terms of the workout equipment you will need and the amount of space you need to set aside in your home.
Some Essentials
If you’re on a budget, here are some extremely useful pieces of workout equipment:
- Kettle Bells— very versatile for many different upper body and leg workouts.
- Olympic barbell— for fundamental workouts like the deadlift and squats (a rack is preferable for squats).
- Weight plates— rubber will be cheaper and iron.
- Adjustable bench— with racks for weights and barbell
- Jump rope— for some easy cardio
- Rowing machine— only if you have the space and money to spend; great whole body workout for alternating workouts.
Look for Used Equipment
New gym equipment is known for losing value extremely quickly, so it’s definitely worth looking for used items that are still in great condition. Here are some places to look:
- Facebook Marketplace (our favorite)
- Craigslist
- OfferUp
- LetGo
- Local garage sales/estate sales
Finally…
This does not require any space, but more just a tip with working out at home. Make sure you add a “reward” to the end of your workouts to train yourself to continue the discipline of working out at home! It could be something as simple as taking a walk around your yard with an after-workout smoothie. And, if you’re injured or have physical issues that may restrict your ability to work out, consider installing some home friendly equipment from Silvercross.com.