Home Gym Essentials: Hacks for Building a Home Gym

As the lockdown gets partially lifted across the country, businesses have started to open. The streets are mostly still empty. But people have some mobility.

That said, gyms still look like a distant reality. Gyms can be high-contact places, where people are working out in close proximity. While this gave a sense of community and camaraderie in the past, it does not serve the need of the hour – social distancing.

Yet, we have to ensure our health & fitness goals don’t go off the map. So, a simple solution is to have a home gym.

What Makes a Home Gym?

This depends on your goals. Technically, having a treadmill and some weights might come across as a home gym for many. Some others may prefer more complex weight-lifting and cross-training machines. Either way, it eventually boils down to your fitness goals and history of exercising.

If you are just starting out, a simple cardio machine, some weights, and a yoga mat would be all you need. As you get more comfortable with a longer, more complex workout routine, you can get machines that will help you work out large composite muscles together.

How to Create a Home Gym?

Home Gyms will become popular as people choose to stay home, without compromising on their fitness goals. In order to set up a home gym, you will need a comprehensive idea of what it is that you should go to have a well-tuned gym at your place. After all, you can’t just buy machines and equipment for the sake of doing so. You should begin by listing out your fitness goals along with prior exercising experience before you make any major purchases.

If you can buy professional equipment, this is what you should go for. There are many online and offline suppliers who will help you get the right equipment. This is the exact same equipment bought by gyms, so you can use it at your place without hesitation. Typically, you will need the following to have a good home-gym experience:

Things Required For Good Home Gym Experience

Dumbbells:

People who have been weight-training for years will tell you that dumbbells are the most important and probably the only equipment you need for muscle strength. A typical dumbbell set would do the trick. Such sets have pairs going from 1 Kg, 2Kg, 5 Kg to all the way till 20 Kg. You wouldn’t have to go higher on this range. Begin with having 2-3 pairs with a weight difference of at least 2 Kg. That way, you will not outgrow your comfortable zone of weight in weeks. If you want to use dumbbells in the long run, make sure you buy lifting gloves that protect your hand and have some cushioning for your floors. This will give you the necessary grip and protect your floor when you are using dumbbells.

Barbells:

If you are focusing on exercises like squats and even extensive planks, barbells will come in hand. Some people may argue that dumbbells can be used for the same purpose. But this is like using a cricket bat in a baseball game. Can you do it? Probably. Is there are a dedicated tool available for it – Yes. Barbells give you a more manageable grip. That way, body movement becomes easier, and you don’t lose the grip on your barbell easily.

Treadmill/Cycling Machine:

Weight training is one part of your training. The other part is the cardio. Even if your focus is only on strength-building, you will need some form of cardio exercises to complete your fitness routine. Treadmills and cycling machines are great to fulfill this purpose. Invest in a cycle that has adjustable magnetic resistance for a better experience in the long run and digital interface to measure your performance.

Speakers/Bluetooth Headphones:

These are not exactly fitness equipment – but most of us who have been to gyms would easily understand the importance of music. Listening to music while training gives you a sense of rhythm that makes your cardio and weight training almost effortless at times. The rhythm also helps you work out for long without getting bored.

Yoga Mat:

Most Indians are not used to the concept of Yoga mats. In reality, if you can buy one – you will definitely see the use-case for it. Simple bedsheets and mattresses will not be enough when you are stretching out or cooling down after your working out. A Yoga Mat will give you a dedicated space to do so.

Hacks for Building a Home Gym.

Many supply chains are disrupted because of the pandemic. And some people don’t want to invest that kind of money in fitness equipment, till they are sure they will use it regularly. Here are some simple hacks, if you find this category resonating with yourself:

Old Books in Bags:

These will be great for weight training. You can adjust the weight by putting or pulling books. The bag will give you the grip you need for lifting it. This is not a natural setup, but it can help you get started without incurring any costs.

Old Cycle with Stoppers:

You can use your simple bicycle with stoppers and stands to make it ideal for cardio workouts. It would not carry a screen or a magnetic resistance system, but it will be good enough to get started. Later, you can add weights to your socks for increasing the resistance.

In Conclusion

Make sure you have a tracking device – a weighing machine and calorie burn counter, to help you assess your work out sessions. You can also consider Calisthenics if fitness is your only end goal.