How to Create a Home Gym That Keeps You Motivated
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This article was written by Katie Miller of Roomations.
Don’t let your good intentions fizzle out over time! Use these home gym design tips to create a space where you’ll want to exercise for many months and years to come.
1. Plan for variety. To avoid getting bored, layout your home gym to include a variety of exercise spaces. For example, create an open floor area in front of a TV where you can do workout videos and games, then create an area for weight lifting, an area for cardio equipment and an area with an exercise mat for stretching, yoga and Pilates. Use resistance bands, stability balls, bodyweight exercises and workout videos from your local library to add variety to a home gym without a lot of added cost.
2. Energize yourself with lighting. Light causes an increase in melatonin levels, which makes you feel more energized. Locate your home gym in a room with lots of natural light, such as an extra bedroom or a ground level flex room. If the only space available for your home gym is the basement, orient your workout equipment so that you face window wells and use artificial lighting generously.
3. Mirror membership gyms. Membership gyms always have large wall-lengths mirror, and for good reason. Mirrors make your workout space seem larger, help you perform exercises correctly by allowing you to see your body form, and motivate you by reminding you of your goal – to improve yourself! Take a cue from the pros and include a mirror in your home gym to get these same benefits.
4. Accessorize to inspire. Decorate your walls with imagery that uniquely motivates you. I collect photography of the Tour de France because I’m inspired by the event’s amazing endurance athletes as well as France’s beautiful architecture and natural scenery. Accessorize your own home workout space with images of sports you love, places you want to travel or family members that provide encouragement. These will not only keep you motivated while exercising, but will make the room a personalized space where you want to spend time.
5. Wire-up the entertainment. Your workout equipment shouldn’t be the only piece of high-tech equipment in your home gym. Watching television and listening to music help you to lose track of time, which means you can extend your workout without it feeling like a chore. Hang a flat screen on the wall and invest in some solid speakers so you don’t get tangled up in headphones and an iPod. Use your entertainment system to vary your workout with workout videos or games like Wii Fit and EA Sports Active.
6. Place fitness in plain sight. Ground level and second level home gyms are great because you walk by them regularly, which helps keep fitness top of mind. But you don’t need your home gym in the entry foyer for you to have workout reminders in plain sight. Rather than keeping a training log in your workout space, keep it on a calendar on the kitchen fridge – where you’ll see it all the time. This will remind you every time you go to grab some junk food that you are working toward better physical fitness! Another great trick is to place your workout clothes some place where you can see them. When you get up, or get home from work, immediately change into these clothes and start your workout. The visual reminder will help you to actually do it!
Roomations is an interior design and e-decor site that connects you with professional designers for custom room concepts online. Work with up to three different interior designers to visualize your project then make it happen by taking to the streets (or your computer) with a shopping list that includes everything you’ll need. Custom interior design has never been so accessible, affordable and convenient! Start by finding your personal style with our free Style Quiz.
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