Page 15 - JANUARY
P. 15
Step #3: Only buy what you’ll use
While the temptation might be there to design your home gym
Step #2: Provide a solid foundation to look like a commercial gym, complete with a wide array of
machines you’re not sure how to operate, this is the wrong step
Often overlooked by home gym builders yet crucial to the success and to take.
usability of the space is the floor. It needs to be reinforced to take the
weight of well, weights, amongst other heavy gym equipment. Instead, focus on what you do use. Love the rowing machine
and never set foot on a treadmill? Buy the former, and forget
Floor reinforcement is fairly cheap and can come in the form of inter- about the latter, as the only customer you’re trying to impress is
locking tiles, so this step can be easily completed, avoiding nasty yourself. Sure, there’s no harm in investing in some equipment
structural damage that can occur - especially on upper floors. you’re curious about but have never tried, but try to keep these
purchases small-scale - think a new set of weights rather than a
complex cross-trainer.
If you tend to combine gym workouts with outdoor pursuits,
then you should create a place in your home gym to store your
cycle equipment amongst other things - instead of investing in
a exercise bike you won’t use.
Step #4: Curate a relaxation area
Once your workout is over, you’ll want a place where you can
relax and recuperate afterwards. If money is no object, then a
tempting option is a hot tub on an adjacent patio or roof ter-
race. A relaxation area can be of any size and incorporate any-
thing you want, so you don’t need to go for the most opulent
option - and besides, you might end up using the hot tub a lot
more than the gym itself.
Utilising the rest of your home gym’s space to create a reading
snug is a more budget-conscious idea - think of a room laid out
in this way as a place where you can train body and mind in
total peace and tranquillity.