5 Unique At-Home Gym Ideas You May Not Have Considered

Getting exercise is incredibly important to one's health. However, it can be difficult for people to find ways to get active at times. You may find yourself too busy to go to the gym or you may not live close enough to one to reliably go there multiple times each week. You may even feel self-conscious about working out in public spaces. Luckily, it can be quite easy to create fitness spaces at home. Here are five unique at-home gym ideas you may not have considered.

1. Install a Pool

Swimming is a fantastic way to start including physical activity in your daily life. It's a low-impact workout that can help you improve your cardiovascular health, muscle tone and flexibility. Some people swim at public pools or swim clubs, but it's also relatively easy to get a pool installed on your property if you prefer. For example, if you live in Baltimore, you can talk to pool builders in Maryland about your needs. You may require a custom pool or one that fits exercise specifications, rather than a traditional in-ground or above-ground recreational pool.

2. Focus on Basic Variety

If you're just beginning your fitness journey, you may not have much equipment yet. There's no rush to purchase expensive, complex equipment. You can begin by focusing on ensuring you have a variety of basic equipment at your disposal. Start by collecting tools such as dumbbells, an exercise mat, resistance bands, gliding discs and a bench or box. Look for tools that will fit well in your existing space. As you gain more experience and develop an interest in any other, more specific areas of fitness, such as kickboxing, you can begin investing in more advanced or expensive equipment, such as a punching bag.

3. Choose a Specific Space for Your Gym

An at-home gym can be installed almost anywhere. Think about your existing space and how you can adapt it with fitness equipment. If you don't have much space, focus on collecting portable equipment that is easy to store. If you have more available space, you can convert a room or part of a room into a dedicated workout space. Many people choose to convert all or part of an office, spare room, attic or basement space into an at-home gym. You can also convert a garage or a shed into an exercise space if you prefer.

4. Use What's Already Available To You

You don't need to refurbish a space in your home into a gym or invest in fancy equipment if those aren't things you're interested in doing. Sometimes, the best option for an at-home gym is using things that you already have. Research workouts that don't require much or any equipment. Utilize online workout videos to learn how to safely practice fitness. Make sure you have appropriate fitness clothing, such as running shoes, and use simple household items in place of exercise equipment. Good examples of useful household items include full plastic water bottles or soup cans as dumbbells and detergent bottles as kettlebells.

5. Make your At-Home Gym a Welcoming Space

When you create an at-home gym, you want to ensure it's a space you'll enjoy being in. This will make it easier to maintain your motivation to work out regularly. Many people find it helpful to include brightly colored walls and decor that reflects their interests. You can also install a television, a sound system and mirrors. Many people also find it helpful to invest in good storage options, such as coat racks on which to hang exercise bands and vertical storage to free floor space.

Set up your at-home gym in a way that makes you feel good. If all you need is a storage space for portable equipment, such as traditional bikes and exercise bands, then you don't need to develop a dedicated fitness space, for example, whereas people who prefer equipment such as ellipticals would do well to create such a dedicated space.