In the past, home gyms - if you could even call them that - got a bad rep. Equipment was shoved into a dirty uninspiring corner of the garage, wedged in the room that stores all the junk or, worse still, left to clutter up the living room or bedroom.
Nowadays, people are more than happy to park a car outside or a sacrifice a room in the home to become a permanent space for fitness and wellbeing. We’ve seen this trend rise with homeowners in New Zealand since the first Covid lockdowns, as people made use of yoga or workout apps streaming online.
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Now that working from home a couple of days a week is still going strong, people are keen to get on track to a healthier self without heading to a gym. Here are a few key steps to start creating your dream home fitness set up.
The first step is to write down a wish list of all the equipment you would use if you were going to the gym.
It is important to craft the space around your fitness journey. Some of you might be able to afford one or two machines, others just mats, dumbbells and weights while others might have space and budget for a complete high-end home gym that replicates the entire gym routine.
A home gym doesn't need fancy gear, but it does need to be clean and safe. Photo / Supplied
Organisation is key to making a fitness area work, so lay out the space the right way from the beginning. In a professional gym, everything has a place and sufficient space to properly use the equipment, so don’t try to squish gear into a nook that is too small because then it won't get used. Give yourself some breathing room.
Next, invest in a good organising system for storing equipment pieces - big heavy things on the ground and lighter pieces on wall to free up floor space.
Don't overlook the functional aspects of the space. If equipment such as the cross-trainer needs plugs, then work out a layout plan before you get the electrician in to add more.
Pale colours and wood tones make a zen-like space. Photo / Supplied
Lighting in professional gyms is usually quite bright to make people feel alert and invigorated whereas home lighting is usually minimal and warmer toned, unsuitable for a workout environment.Again, an electrician can up-spec lights or even just swap out bulbs for white instead of warmed toned shades. Some high-end home gyms have specific lighting plans drawn up to create different zones for different workouts in the space.
A flow of fresh air is critical, so consider a cooling heat-pump in or even just a fan. Opening a garage door might not be so great in winter's sideways rain or the entrance isn’t getting fresh air flow.
Flooring is crucial. A concrete floor, hard and attracting dust and dirt, just isn’t going to feel like a healthy sanctuary!
I recommend part of the flooring is easy-clean vinyl with a section of rubber matting for the weights area. Rubber helps with vibrations, gives some structural support for the floor and is also more hygienic. A bonus of lift-out rubber matting is that if the room isn’t 100% dedicated to workout space mats can be removed when the space is needed for something else.
Technology is also important for a home gym as more and more people join in virtual classes online. It is much nicer to have a video up on a nice big screen rather than squinting down at a phone or laptop - and it greatly enhances workout performance too.
The rest of the time, the screen could play music videos for a workout, road scenes for the spin on the stationary bike or be integrated into a gaming network like Wii. You are more likely to keep your fitness habits alive if you have all the tools you need. While you’re at it, make sure you have a suitable sound system, we all know you can do that extra set to finish the song.
The interior decor of a wellbeing hub is also important to the experience.
Invest in some large mirrors to watch and work on form and technique, particularly for weights, yoga, or dancing.
Colour has a physiological effect on the way people work out: greens and orange promote energetic stimulation while white or breezy pastels work for a more zen space. Wood tones in ply walls, storage or a bench seat warm up a space
Spoil people post-exercise with dedicated towels for the gym that have their own storage area. Finally, to keep everything sweet and hygienic add small sanitisation station and appropriate equipment cleaners so the gym stays spic and span for years to come.
- Laura Heynike is director of Pocketspace Interiors
