When it comes to home fitness, raising the bar is usually the name of the game— ask any hobby lifter, and they’ll likely tell you that their home gym is where they go to get the intense workouts and dedicated regimes that are too much of a hassle to bring into a conventional public gym.
But what can do you to take your home gym from a humble equipment collection to a personalized master class in fitness? Below, we’ve put together a handful of tips from the pros, on taking your garage gym from a simple hobby into a crucial aspect of your health and physique.
DON’T BE AFRAID TO BRANCH OUT
One of the most common factors that holds back home gyms is often a simple lack of equipment variety. While it’s true that you can make an incredible difference with just a handful of core equipment, many home lifters will often simply invest in a bench or rack and call it a day.
If you want your home gym to be more than just a room where you keep your weight bench, it can be a good idea to regard your custom space as an ongoing, ever-growing hobby— a range of new equipment can be the difference that keeps you interested (and motivated).
COMMIT TO THE SPACE
It’s hard to quantify the difference between a useful home gym and an ineffective one, but odds are, you’ll be able to tell the difference when you see it. Arguably the most common mistake that fair-weather fitness fans make is hesitating when it comes to the size of their home gym— a small corner in your guest bedroom will most likely end up exactly as useful as it sounds.
If you’re serious about staying in the best shape of your life, make the leap— convert the entire garage. Install pull-up bars on the basement ceiling. Hang up Arnold posters and track your weekly progress on a dry erase board. When your roommate/spouse asks you about it, just explain to them that they’re getting a deal by having a free gym membership 20 feet from their bedroom.
ACCESSORIZE OFTEN
Many newcomers to the fitness scene don’t realize just how much versatility a proper workout rack can hold— all too often, lifters will utilize their equipment for one or two sets of basic at-home reps and eventually plateau, returning to their gym membership in order to regain their workout variety.
Be sure to look into all the available options for your equipment— often, your rack, sled, etc. will support a wide range of accessories and upgrades that you can utilize to keep things fresh at home, maximizing your impact for minimal cost.
KEEP YOUR PARTY LIT
There’s a reason most public gyms remain so brightly lit, even during the late night and early morning hours— and no, it’s not just so you can stare at yourself when you’re doing reps.
Study after study has shown that human beings succeed at being active more effectively when they’re in a well-lit environment. When things are bright, you’ll stay focused for longer, have an easier time completing additional sets, and likely have some energy to spare afterwards.
