Before setting up a home gym, it’s important to ask, “how big should a home gym be?”
This is an essential question for those wanting to create a high-quality home gym. It’s all about planning, understanding what you require, and implementing those ideas using a cost-effective strategy.
This guide is going to shed light on what it takes to put together the best home gym for your needs.
Best Treadmill for Home Gym: XTERRA Fitness TR150
Key features:
- 5″ LCD Display
- 3 Manual Settings (Incline)
- Huge Running Surface
- 12 Preset Workout Programs
The XTERRA Fitness TR150 is an outstanding treadmill for home gyms. It’s efficient, durable, and ideal for working out at home.
Due to its impressive running surface, it offers enough space for you to crank out a workout without feeling restricted. The running surface is safe, long-lasting, and provides ample grip as you continue to put in the miles.
You are also going to enjoy the 5″ LCD display and how gorgeous it looks as soon as the treadmill is turned on. This is one of the best cardio machines for your needs and it delivers on all fronts.
Whether it is the preset workout programs, manual incline settings, or the running surface, you’re getting a top-rated cardio machine for home with this treadmill. It’s simply perfect.
How Big Should a Home Gym Be?
Let’s begin by understanding how big a home gym should be.
In general, it’s important to understand how much space you have. The average homeowner can adjust based on this information and add or remove certain equipment. This is why it’s important to have the right mindset going into the process. You can work with any space as long as you’re willing to compromise.
However, let’s assume you want to get a treadmill, rowing machine (read our guide on the quietest rowing machine!), power rack, dumbbells, and a bench.
How big should a home gym be in this case?
Well, it’s best to go with a room that’s at least 10 ft x 10 ft.
This is a good starting point and will ensure you have enough room to put all of these items without having things get in the way. Of course, they may not be ideally positioned but that’s enough space for you to move around and workout.
Please note, this is the bare minimum for you to have all of these items in the same spot. Otherwise, you may end up having to press machines/items together and that’s never a good idea.
Anything bigger this is great and will only make it easier for you to get more out of the home gym.
What about those living in an apartment without this much space? Does this mean you can’t have a home gym?
No, you can still have a great home gym, however, you will have to cut down on the equipment. This means you won’t be able to get a power rack. You will have to stick with adjustable dumbbells and a treadmill.
It’s all about staying flexible and playing around with the amount of space in front of you. Don’t lose home and continue to adapt.
Tips For Setting Up a Home Gym
1. Find a Power Rack
Start with a quality power rack.
It’s going to be the heartbeat of your setup and should last for a long time.
In general, the idea of a power rack is to help with a variety of exercises including squats, deadlifts, rack pulls, bench press, and pull-ups. It’s a must, especially when you invest in the right barbell too.
The right power rack such as Fitness Reality 810XLT will offer impressive results and remain durable too. It’s the perfect fit for those wanting to add a sleek, reliable solution to their setup as soon as possible. You will enjoy lifting weights with this power rack by your side.
Plus, it’s going to look nice at home and isn’t going to be a safety risk.
When you start to scour the market for a good fit, please take the time to determine where the power rack is going to go. This is the only way to ensure it isn’t too tall or doesn’t get in the way of your other machines. Remember, you need enough space to make sure the barbell doesn’t touch the wall.
Make sure to have at least 2 feet on either side of the power rack once it’s put together. This is a must.
2. Spread the Equipment Out
It’s always best to spread the equipment out.
You don’t want to place gym equipment at home without understanding the importance of space. This is a mistake many people make and it leads to an uncomfortable setup, which can also lead to injury.
This is why you want to take a step back, write everything down, and then begin to purchase new gym equipment for home.
Take the opportunity to measure everything, see where it’s going to go, and then start to purchase items one by one. Without the right information in hand, you are going to be guessing along the way and that’s when mistakes are made.
You want to ensure there’s enough space for you to walk around. At no point should you be jumping over one piece of equipment to reach the other!
In general, you want to have the power rack on one side of the gym and the cardio equipment on the other. You are not going to be using these one after the other, so it’s okay to put them apart. The dumbbells should be close to the power rack.
It’s all about logical planning and knowing how you are going to use each piece of gym equipment.
3. Set Up a Mirror
When you walk into a gym, you will notice the wall filled with mirrors and the same applies to what happens at home.
You need to cover the wall in front of the power rack with mirrors. Even if you don’t have a power rack, this is a good addition to any setup.
1-2 panels running side by side will do an exceptional job of improving the look of your room.
Make sure to invest in mirrors that are going to take seconds to set up and aren’t going to get in the way. You don’t want to go with a mirror that’s bulky or is going to fall after a few years. It should stick forever and remain clean at the same time.
As you shop around, look at different options, read the reviews, and then invest in a mirror.
If you are on the lookout for the right mirror, it’s best to go with the Croydex Kentmere Rectangular Mirror. It offers a sleek, easy-going design that’s going to settle nicely into your home. Anything else may become too cumbersome after a while and isn’t going to remain as clean either.
This is a no-brainer and is one of the best additions to any gym.
4. Focus on the Flooring
What is the home gym going to be based on?
This is an essential component in determining how well your home gym does once it’s setup. Too many people end up investing in world-class equipment and then forget about the gym floor!
Your floor has to be perfectly designed for it to be useful.
This is why it’s time to look at the BalanceFrom EVA Foam Interlocking Tiles. These will do an excellent job of protecting your equipment while ensuring you can get a good workout in without damaging your joints. Plus, you never want to slip and slide while lifting a heavy barbell!
5. Set a Workout Program
A lot of people think about buying gym equipment for home but don’t know how it all works into their program.
For example, let’s imagine you are not looking to lift weights, why start by investing in a large set of plates? The same applies to buying two cardio machines right away. You don’t need them if you are not going to use them.
Focus on sitting down and creating a full-fledged workout program.
This is going to let you know what your goals are and which machines will work best to meet those requirements. Anything else is extra and shouldn’t be on your list until you have extra space/money to work with. This is one of the biggest issues homeowners have as they look to set up a personal gym.
Yes, it’s nice to have everything but do you have enough space? Do you want to waste money on something that will never be used?
Think about these details before spending thousands of dollars on something that will collect dust in the corner.
6. Invest for the Long-Term
This is an underrated tip and one you have to keep in mind.
Don’t invest in old gym equipment that’s going to breakdown quickly. Instead, you should be looking to invest in brand-new home gym equipment for sale that’s going to last and look good at the same time.
The premise behind buying new equipment for home is knowing it will work for years.
You are more than welcome to invest in used gym equipment but it should be a temporary investment.
By going with a long-term view of your purchases, it becomes easier to see results. You won’t have to worry about the equipment not working or needing repairs. This is key as you put things together.
Final Thoughts
As you put together a world-class gym, it’s important to take these tips into consideration well in advance.
The size of your gym is highly dependent upon your requirements and what you are hoping to get out of the situation.
Make sure to plan ahead, focus on your requirements, and then invest in a brand-new set of gym equipment. This is the only way to feel good about what you are buying.
