Last month we highlighted some of our favorite walks and hikes, and with great weather for months to come, there is no better time to enjoy the beauty and open spaces that breathe life into our local community. Another fun option is to include exercise at home by creating your own fitness sanctuary. Fortunately, home gyms come in all shapes and sizes. Here are a few tips for creating your private workout facility:
Space: You don’t need a lot of space to create a home gym. A guest room, a garage, or even a patio can be used as a work-out area. Your space does not need to be exclusively devoted to your home gym. Many of our clients combine home offices or spare bedrooms with a work-out area.
Equipment: A home gym can be as simple or elaborate as you wish. For some, a yoga mat, exercise bands, a chair, and a couple of dumbbell weights are all that is needed, and each can be used almost anywhere in your home. For others, a stationary bike, treadmill, elliptical machine, and/or a rowing machine can provide the cardio your body craves. Gym equipment is like clothing, you’ll want to test it out for fit. Two local stores on Mount Diablo Blvd. in Walnut Creek can help you find the perfect fit: 360 Fitness Superstore and Precor Home Fitness.
Entertainment: Occasionally we need a little diversion or motivation to jumpstart our workouts. It’s easy to pump favorite music into your home gym with a portable Bluetooth boombox. Or, add a Smart TV and watch your favorite show, movie, or stream workout videos.
Virtual Live Exercise Classes: For the ultimate home gym experience, some exercise equipment is linked to live, health classes. Two of the more popular are Peloton spin bikes and mirror wall-mounted exercise machines. Both allow users to stream live or on-demand classes for a monthly fee.
Home gym possibilities are endless, and setting one up is half the fun. Once you’re up and running, you’ll realize that it was no sweat at all.