A gym is a convenient home feature and amenity to have for multiple reasons. Renovating a space to create a home gym can save you–and your entire family–money in the long run by eliminating monthly gym memberships. Not to mention, it removes any excuses for laziness and ensures you never skip a workout! Better still, a home gym can also increase your home’s resale value.
But where and how do you incorporate a home gym into your home? From choosing a durable flooring type to adding some motivational decor, here are some ideas for your home gym setup.
Choose a Proper Space
It may not seem like it, but there are many areas and spaces where you can create your home gym setup. Remodeled basements make great home gyms, offering lots of space and a quiet place to work out in the early mornings so as not to disturb family members.
A finished attic can also work as a home gym setup; however, just be sure the floors are adequately braced for heavier equipment and weights. Air quality is essential, too, so make sure there’s no exposed insulation and have AC or a fan to keep the attic cool as you work out and break a sweat. Even extra space in your two-car garage can make an excellent space for a home gym. The point is, almost every homeowner can find somewhere to perform their daily workout rituals, even if there’s not much room for large equipment.
Install Durable Flooring
Since your home gym setup includes heavy equipment and rigorous workouts, it’s essential to have durable flooring that can absorb shock and be easy to clean. Consider the type of exercise you typically do. If it’s a light-impact exercise like yoga, you don’t quite need the same flooring strength and resilience as more intense exercises like weight training or jumping rope.
Rubber and vinyl floors are both good options for home gyms. Vinyl floors, especially, can look quite attractive and resemble hardwoods, giving a sleek gym studio vibe. We recommend Beauflor Hydrana laminate flooring as a perfect addition to any home gym due to its incredible durability and impressive AC5 commercial wear rating.
For the ultimate home gym setup, Twenty & Oak highly recommends a commercial gym flooring option such as Momentum Tile Rubber Flooring by Centaur Floors. Momentum Tile offers a vulcanized rubber composite that’s perfect for both lightweight fitness like yoga or Pilates, but also offers shock absorption for more intense workouts. This versatile flooring is made of interlocking rubber tiles that can be installed on almost any type of existing flooring and doesn’t need adhesive to hold it down. Since it can be moved from room to room, it’s a very flexible option. Being high quality and commercial grade, they are suitable for any home gym. Made in the USA, Centaur Momentum Tiles come in a lot of colors so you can create your own inspiring designs.
Another excellent option is our Momentum Flooring Collection. This commercial grade fitness flooring creates a virtually seamless look. Although it is easy to install and clean, this flooring needs adhesive so it is a more “permanent” floor.
You could also choose a rigid core flooring with a 20 mil or higher wear layer. Take a look at Palmetto Road Impact and Barrier20, which are both waterproof options as well. Hearthwood offers flooring strong enough for gym floors, too.
Still undecided? Find your perfect floor for your home gym by taking our Floor Genius Quiz and be sure to check out our virtual flooring showroom.
Add Some Color and Motivating Decor
Once you have your flooring installed, be sure to add some color and decor that inspires and motivates you. After all, one advantage of having your own home gym is that you can personalize it.
Bring a little of the outdoors in with some scenic wallpaper along a feature wall. Also, don’t forget to set up speakers and mount a television to the wall so you can stream your own music and favorite tv shows. What better place than a home gym to showcase your medals and trophies or hang up memorabilia from your favorite sports teams. Wall decals make a fun addition, too!
Add Fitness Equipment and Accessories
Last but not least, invest in the fitness equipment and the accessories you need. Whether you go all out and purchase a treadmill or bike, some free weights to build muscle mass or a yoga mat to strengthen your core, get what’s going to keep you motivated and have you returning to your home gym each day. If you have the space or height, you can also add unique things like a climbing wall, row machine or speed bag to change it up and have some fun.
However, don’t feel like you have to invest in any equipment right away. You can always perform simple bodyweight exercises to build muscle and increase your overall strength. Push-ups, squats and lunges are just as effective.