written by john c ashworth, ma
primary source: Men's Fitness November 2015: "How to Design the Perfect Home Gym in Five Easy Steps"
Like it or not, winter is here, and I know that for me, it's time to take a personal inventory of my accessible workout venues for the colder months. This year, I am fortunate to be living in a new home and working on designing my new home gym. As such, for tonight's Fitness Friday with Leigh Mills on NBC15 here in Madison, I wanted to share my key strategies for designing a home gym that you will enjoy using and therefore, use more often.
- Choose the right room OR Space
Too often, what I see people do is try and cram their "home gym" into some leftover forgotten space in their home. A space not quite big enough or functional enough for anything else, so why not throw the home gym in there. The problem is that these kinds of spaces are usually too small, cramped, and confined for a a home gym. After all, there is a reason this leftover space is just sitting there. It just doesn't work. When you put your home gym in this kind of space, you are not giving your personal fitness the kind of personal attention it needs to be a priority in your life. Instead, choose a room that has at least one window if you can. The more natural light the better. Natural light is a great energizer. I love watching the sun come up in the gym. Natural light also stimulates positive chemical changes in the brain that can improve your mood and help ground and calm you. This will allow you to focus on your workout and your health and not all of the other distractions in your life. - Paint it Bright White!
According to the article in Men's Fitness that inspired this post, Benjamin Moore's "Super White" is the ultimate home gym color. The point here is to paint your home gym and give it a sense of newness and freshness that will help energize you. For your home gym you want a nice bright space that energizes you. Use the eggshell finish so that it's easier to clean. Gyms are prone to scuff marks on the walls. You want them to be easy to clean. - Commit to Bright Light Too!
Track lighting is nice if you can manage it, because it will give you versatility in getting all of the light in just the right position. Also, being able to dim the lights is nice for days and times when you want to affect the mood in the room with the level of brightness. When you're cooling down, for example, it is nice to dim the lights a bit, perform some stretching or yoga and wind down and relax. - Install at least one full length mirror.
Mirrors are not just for vanity, although that's important too. They help make the space feel larger, and you can use them to monitor technique and help prevent injuries. Lastly, they are good for those selfies people like to shoot while working out. - Bring in a portable sound system.
One example would be the Bose mini speaker doc that I bought my wife for her birthday. Phones and headphones work too, but it's also nice to have a speaker doc, especially when you're working out with someone you love.
Bonus Tip: Don't put your gym in your bedroom and don't skimp on equipment. Invest in nice stuff and in the right space. Your commitment to these two things alone will pay off greatly in the long run.
