Create your own Personalized Workout Space!

We did a study back in June amongst our app users and found that working out at home is gradually becoming an indispensable part of everyday life. Those who are new to fitness, find “working out at home” easy to commit to and easy to follow. It is perceived as a stepping stone to the world of fitness for those who had never followed a workout regime.When asked for their preference, 66% of users wanted to continue this for the next 3 months. Today, gyms and fitness centres are gradually reopening, but to a lot of us going to a gym might still be a cause of worry depending upon whom we live with or what our pre-existing health conditions are. An at-home workout space might be the solution for this.In another survey, 65% of the users were willing to create a workout area within their homes. They felt that having a dedicated space and a few types of equipment would help them work out more efficiently at home.This got us thinking and we decided to share some of our guidance on this, backed by our in-house experts Rahul Huidrom, Rishabh Telang and Shwetambari Shetty.

Things to keep in mind before you start

Understand and set an objective for the home gym:

Think clearly of the goals that you want to achieve by working out at your home gym:

• Is it building muscles?
• Is it to lose fat?
• Is it to improve cardio health?

Also, ask yourself, who all in your house would be using this space? Remember, it is important to give this a thought as it will help you decide what equipment to invest in

Assess the space that you have, consider its limitations:

Gauge the amount of area that you can realistically dedicate within your house. Working out in confined spaces could make you feel claustrophobic if enough ventilation and lighting are not ensured. Moreover, it is important to have a smooth floor to avoid losing balance while exercising. A great addition to a home gym is a mirror that can allow you to view your posture while working out. If possible, consider a space that already has a mirror that can give you a full view

Set a budget, stick to it:

As obvious as it may seem, we all do overspend when we are invested in an idea. Make sure that you stick to the budget that you decide as there are alternatives available for every pocket size

Prioritize and start with the basics:

We all are guilty of choosing shiny things over important things at some point or the other! Based on your workout goals, there would be a few “must-haves”. Do not compromise these for the “good to have” or “feel-good” features. Remember, the intention is to create a space that helps you work-out better, so losing those fancy speakers and investing in good rubber floormats might be a more fruitful idea!

The Must-Haves

While this list might differ basis your workout goals and budget, here are a few things that you should consider to invest in for your home gym. We have divided these into 4 categories.

Primary Set-up:

Rubber Floor Mats: Believe it or not, this is indeed the foundation of your home gym. Rubber mats are firm enough to prevent destabilization during workouts, especially squats and deadlifts. They also improve your grip. Rubber mats are hygienic as they are easy to clean and do not soak up liquids. Yet, it will compress enough to prevent damage to your floor and the weight equipmentYoga Mat: This gives you more portability compared to the floor mats. A Yoga mat is typically thinner but allows itself to be carried across and outside the house. It is a must, even if you go to a centre as carrying your own mat ensures safety and hygiene. A Yoga mat, however, might not be enough for handling weight equipment and for protecting your floor like a rubber mat would

Cardio Tools:

Skipping Rope: Perhaps your most pocket-friendly cardio equipment. Many of us in-fact enjoyed these as kids. This is a fun and an effective way to get some intense cardio workoutExercise Stepper: These are inexpensive, do not occupy a lot of space, and easy to store. There are tons of cardio routines that you can try with an exercise stepper

Resistance Training:

Dumbbells and Barbells: A set of three to five dumbbell sets ranging from light to heavy are important. Dumbbells allow for a great range of motion, which helps in isolating and focusing on specific muscles. These are better to start with if you are a beginner, as it helps to even out any strength imbalances. Barbells are the best for compound movements such as squats and lunges. These allow you to go much heavier than dumbbellsResistance Bands: This is indispensable, especially if the space you have is limited. These come in a variety of resistance levels ranging from very light to very heavy. These are easy to adapt for people across fitness levels. These help you exercise the whole body. It is also a great way to add some variation to your existing workouts tooStability Ball: This can be used for a variety of strengthening exercises and stretches. It helps in improving balance and in building core strength. It is also helpful in relaxing the back and the legs. Merely sitting on this can be beneficial too, as maintaining the balance requires your muscular response

Other important implements

Foam Roller: The foam roller is a great recovery tool and can help you relax those sore muscles after an intense round of training. If you plan on doing a lot of resistance training, this will be your best palA Foldable Bench: This opens up a variety of exercise options for you, especially for training your upper body. Get an adjustable bench so that you can move it from a flat position to an incline if need be. You will find a range of benches available online, a foldable one is great for ease of storage. The one in the image here also doubles up as an exercise stepperWe hope this information here helps. Do remember that a lot varies basis your objectives, space, and your budget. Do remember to focus on the “must-haves”. For any questions related to this, please drop in a comment and we would be happy to respond!