How to Build a Home Gym

There’s nothing better than having your own dedicated fitness centre right in your own home. Building yourself a home gym has many advantages for your personal fitness. It offers the ultimate convenience to work out on your own schedule, and in your own time. It’s especially useful if you don’t live in an inner-city area, and don’t have a gym close by. It also gives you full control over the space and the ability to tailor your own personal workouts. 

However, with all these benefits comes the issue of actually putting your home gym together. This can seem like a daunting task at first, and something that’s inaccessible for many. There are naturally many concerns that come with building your gym, such as space, cost, safety, flooring and a host of other factors. While it may take a bit of time, we guarantee that anyone can put together a gym at home, and that taking the extra time to find the right options for you and your workout will be worth it in the end.

Gym Stations

First, let’s start with the big stuff. such as Smith Machines, Cable Crossovers and all-in-one stations are a popular choice when putting together your home fitness space. They provide a comprehensive solution for all your strength and functional training needs, all in one place. There are a lot of options when it comes to gym stations, meaning you’re bound to find something that will suit your needs. While these machines may seem like the domain of hardcore body builders, just about anyone can benefit from using a gym station regularly. They are incredibly efficient at building and maintaining muscle, an essential component in anyone’s workout, as well as improving the overall functionality of the body. Cable Crossovers in particular are great at getting the different muscle groups of the body to work together, as well as being able to target parts of the body that are difficult to work when using free weights. Check out our weight training equipment blog for more information and recommendations. 

Keep in mind that Lifespan Fitness also offers various home gym packages inclusive of a range of products, all grouped into a single purchase for your convenience.

Cardio Equipment

Having a good cardio machine is a cornerstone of a good workout routine, helping to strengthen your cardiovascular endurance, improve your vitality and heart health. Nowadays, there are so many great options for a cardio workout including spin bikes and treadmills. While these both provide excellent workouts, it’s worth considering alternatives to see if there’s something more suited to you. 

Cross Trainers have the edge in delivering a workout for both the upper and lower body, as well as minimising impact. This creates a workout that’s not only more efficient than a traditional treadmill, but safer on the joints. It’s also a great option for those recovering from an injury or with limited mobility.

Another great cardio machine that’s often ignored is the Rowing Machine. Like Cross Trainers, they work both the upper and lower body simultaneously, as well as removing impact from the workout. Rowing exercises have an impressive ability to target a wide range of muscles throughout the body, delivering a hybrid cardio and strength exercise. 

If you’re looking for a treadmill that takes things to the next level, consider getting yourself a Stair Climber. These also combine cardio and functional strength training, getting your heart pumping while delivering focused work for the lower body muscles.

Flooring

Having good flooring is incredibly important for providing a secure, stable base for your workout. Proper gym mats are designed to withstand high impact, protecting your floor and managing vibration. Lifespan Fitness’ commercial grade mats are made with 100% recycled rubber and have been fire tested against SGS fire ratings. Our mats use high-density rubber and have a bevelled edge for a clean finish. We have multiple options for thickness depending on your needs. Heavy powerlifting and weight dropping will require a thicker mat, such as our 50mm gym mats. These thicker mats are engineered with two layers of rubber, with a high-density top layer and low-density underside for maximum shock absorption. However, for most activities, a 10mm or 15mm mat will usually be suitable.

Accessories

Now it’s time to maximise the equipment you have by getting your hands on some accessories. The great thing about these accessories is that you can freely add or remove them to your setup, allowing you to alter your home gym over time as you figure out what works best for you. Some good examples of accessories include: a range of weight plates, dumbbells, resistance bands, mats and foam rollers. These range between small scale gym equipment, rehab and stretching aids, and everything in between. There are also various storage options for all your equipment to keep your gym space neat, as well as protecting your gym gear.

Conclusion

The equipment listed was a just a sample of what you could include in your home gym setup. Lifespan Fitness has many options beyond these categories to suit any type of user, making it that much easier to find a setup that works for you. If you need any help navigating our range of home fitness products, don’t hesitate to reach out to our friendly team and we’ll be happy to help you put together your dream gym. 

You can also check out our blog post on home gym ideas to get you started.