The crowds, the noise and especially the weights that seem to be lost every time: these are really the drawbacks to a public gym. Exercising well is healthy and nice, but the number of disturbances in such a mass gym make the experience a lot less enjoyable. That’s why building your own private gym at home is not a bad idea at all! You probably have a few questions about building a gym at home, so in this article we try to answer them all!
Why should I build a gym at home?
There are some great benefits to having your own home gym. Firstly, you can save a lot of money in the long run. A gym subscription costs around €30 a month on average. That means you spend €360 a month on the entrance to a public gym. Have you been exercising for around 10 years? That means you’ve already spent around €3600! And let alone if you go to the gym with several people in one household. Then you can easily double or even triple this amount. For that money, you can easily build a complete gym at home.
How much of a budget do I need?
With a budget of €3000 – €4000 have enough funds to start building your own gym. The budget you need depends on the type and brand of equipment you want, but this is a rough estimate of what you’d need to get started! This may sound like a lot, but as we just calculated: this is what you’d be spending on monthly subscriptions in the long run anyway. And a big bonus: if you’re done with your gym, you can sell your equipment. So you’ll always be able to get some of your budget back.
How big of a room do I need?
Of course, you need some empty space in your home to build your gym. You could place your equipment in the middle of your living room, but we all know that this is not ideal. However, a room for a home gym doesn’t have to be at all as big as you might think. A room or space of 2.5 by 2.5 meters can be enough for a complete gym. Just pay close attention to the dimensions of the equipment you get. If you choose multifuncional equipment, you can do a lot with very little space. Do make sure you have a room with good ventilation or with a window, so you can have some fresh oxygen while working out.
Is a gym at home safe?
When you work out in a public gym, there are often trainers and other members to help you out in case you get stuck or are in trouble. At home, you don’t have these people around. That’s why you have to make sure that your equipment is properly installed, that you are skilled and knowledgeable of your exercises and techniques, and that you build up your weights slowly. If possible, find a way to call out for other people in your house in case you do get stuck. Or keep your phone at a reachable distance.
How do I pick the right equipment?
To create a complete gym, you can look at your own regular routine. What do you need to complete all your favorite exercises? Below is a list of the most important supplies for your ultimate home gym:
- Squat rack with pull-up bar
- Weight plates or impact plates
- Kettlebells
- Exercise bench
- Dumbbells
- Exercise or yoga mat
- Elastics
- A mirror
- Cardio equipment
When picking out your equipment, apart from size, you obviously have to consider your own budget. Are you going to a shop to buy your equipment? Then you might get some combo discounts! To get the equipment into your home, you need to hire a van (Dutch: bestelbus huren) or rent a moving van (Dutch: verhuiswagen huren). Some shops also offer the option of having it delivered to your home.