The home gym: size matters

The idea of ​​having your own gym is for most people a dream come true. Especially with those who work out regularly at public gyms, the hassles that come with waiting in line for a machine to release and then being constrained by the time limit, are simply worries you could do without.

There’s also the real cost of using the facilities: The regular gym membership fee, which on average would be around $85, is another burden, especially for those who don’t work out as often. The hectic routine of daily life often prevents people with gym memberships from really taking advantage of their memberships, and in the end, they see all those dollars go without even getting anything back.

In the long run, a public gym membership would be more convenient for those who actually exercise regularly and have the patience to work out with people around them, waiting their turn on the treadmill.

This is why many people take the alternative step of building their own gym, in their own home. In the long run, nothing would beat the convenience of being able to exercise without leaving the house. Plus, having a home gym takes the fuss out of working out with people—you can have that elliptical to yourself for as long as you like.

When it comes to the amount of cash that would be doled out, there are certain considerations to be made. While a home gym removes the hassle of regular unused gym membership payments, it is replaced by the cost of buying the equipment, which definitely isn’t cheap. And just like the gym membership you canceled for your home gym, all that money will go to waste unless you commit to using the facilities regularly.

Gym equipment costs anywhere from under $100 to as much as $3,000, depending on the equipment. For a decent workout, you would need machines designed for resistance training and of course those designed for aerobics. Since the idea of ​​a home gym is to give you the most comfortable type of workout, a collection of equipment that would generally give you the same effects as a public gym would be the logical thing to consider.

However, there is another thing that people forget to consider: the space required for the actual gym.

While it’s okay to simply buy a folding treadmill and store it in a corner, this alone does not constitute a home gym. For a full gym, you would need exactly that: an entire room. While some people might just be able to empty out a spare room in the house, others might have to build an extra room just for their exercise equipment.

With this, the actual size needed for the gym should be taken into account. Factors to consider would be usage, safety, aesthetics, equipment you plan to use, traffic flow within the home, and potential future expansion options.

A home gym would need as much space as possible to meet the above requirements.

Also, you may want to break down the actual space needed for each piece of exercise equipment:

? Treadmills generally need an average of 30 square feet.

? Elliptical bikes would need 10 feet.

? For climbers, 10-20 square feet would be needed.

? Free weights would need between 20 and 50 square feet.

? Rowing machines need 20 square feet.

? For single station gyms, about 35 square feet would be needed.

? Multi-station gyms would require between 50 and 200 square feet.

Aside from these, you should also remember to have enough space for you to move around freely, without any restrictions or security risks.

If space proves to be an issue, one might consider downsizing – opting for foldable gym equipment. This solution, however, does not account for the actual space required when all equipment is removed.

Also, one could consider purchasing a range of compact gym equipment that is now available in the market. Mini exercise bikes and thigh masters are great space savers and definitely cost less than the usual bulky equipment.

But above all, remember that the space you use for your gym must be adapted to the type of activity you are going to do. The most important thing is that the gym works for you, and if any adjustments need to be made for the sake of a home gym that you can feel comfortable in, then by all means do so.