Expert Advice for Your Successful Home Gym.

Having a home gym can really help you to reach your health and fitness goals no matter how busy your schedule is. 

It never really dawned on me until after listening to a podcast this morning. I mean, I guess I just took it for granted that you would know what is essential for your home gym. No way! I have been in this business a long time so obviously it’s going to be just common knowledge for me. Because I am a big promoter of exercising at home, I felt it my responsibility to help you set up your home gym for success, so let’s get started.

You need a SPOT for your home gym!

Ok, so this may sound lame, BUT, its true. Now, I’m not talking about a whole great big room because even I don’t have that. My home gym is set up in the space available within my home office. How MUCH space do you need? This is going to depend on what kind of equipment, if any, you are looking to use. When you’re just starting out and want to stay within in a minimal budget, I am going to suggest that you have enough space to be able to lunge forward and backward as well as enough room for your arms to fully extend outwards as you turn in a circle. Let’s just say, a spot that is about 5ft X 5ft. Sound fair? Cool!

What do you need for a home gym?

My recommendation for this one is definitely some hand weights. I am not a proponent of the light weights so pleeease go for 5, 8 and 10 pound dumbbells at the least. These are not too heavy, they can be used with both upper and lower body exercises and you should be able to hold onto two of them in one hand, at the same time.

I love stability balls because they are very interchangeable in their usage. You can use them for a variety of abdominal exercises, they can be used like a bench and they can be great for some stretching exercises.

Do you need a workout bench?

It isn’t a necessity but, if you can get one and spacing permits you should add it to your home gym. Having a bench will help you to add many more exercises to your routine.

To add to that, as I was once advised by a good friend, (who is also a personal trainer) that it’s best for those of us with any prolapse or diastasis recti issues to sit on a bench as opposed to a stability ball when performing seated exercises.  A stability ball may be great to sit on for added core development but it suits some of us better to have that bench on hand instead.

Try using flex bands if hand weights are out of the question.

Sometimes the dumbbells are out of budget so the next best thing would be investing in some flex bands. Typically you can purchase these in sets so there will be a difference in tension, adding less or more intensity to the exercise. Plus, if you travel, these can be a great way to keep up with your workouts right in your hotel room.

Which gym equipment is best for losing weight?

Honestly? If you are ready to make the changes you simply need to figure out what is going to work for YOU. Do you want to ride bike? Indoors or outdoors? Do you want to work out in a gym? Would you prefer jogging on a treadmill or jumping rope in your garage?

Simply make the decision to make the changes and find what you would love to do on a consistent basis.

Which cardio burns the most fat?

There really isn’t a definite answer to this question. There are a lot of options and when you are performing at your best in exercise, food options and lifestyle, you will burn fat.

Time to get your fashion on!

Hey, so maybe I like to shop once in awhile but you should, too. Especially when it comes to wanting to look and feel great. I admit, some of those workout outfits can be pricey. So keep within a budget by checking out Target or even Etsy.

Get a great pair of sneakers for support, safety and comfort. There isn’t anything more encouraging than getting into your personal favorite gear for a sweat fest!

Right it all down in a journal.

If you have read my blog before, you may have seen my post of fun journal pages. I am a big encourager of writing down your progress. Some things you could journal are body weight, what foods were eaten throughout the day, the exact workout performed and equipment used.  I also encourage my clients to record how felt at the beginning and end of the workout. You will thank me one day for this one!

Find a water bottle you love!

Why should it be one you love? Simply because you want it with you always, not just during your workouts. It’s imperative to keep properly hydrated at all times. Sick of water? Thats ok! Add some fruit to that water bottle and you will be guzzling in no time.

What’s your playlist sound like?

I cannot workout without my music. Sometimes I will change it up pertaining to what body part I am focusing on or whether I am doing cardio or lifting weights.  One thing is for sure: my workouts totally stink when I am in silence. Ha! Who am I kidding, a workout is non-existent when there is silence.

So get a routine, girl!

You have your home gym and all the fixings, now it’s time to get things written out. Write out your goals, days to workout and what your workout is going to be.

When we do not plan, we tend to become unmotivated to finish or even avoid the workout altogether. There are many resources out there but you can also get started right here with this shoulder workout I love doing in my home gym.

So there you have it! These are my top suggestions for a home gym and how to make your fitness and health dream goals become a reality.

Be sure to comment below if you already have a home gym and if possible share some pictures! We would love to become inspired.