In a world where working from home has become the new normal for many of us, a lot of other aspects of our lives are shifting to become home-based too. This includes working out, especially as the weather begins to get cooler. Some of us have seen our local gyms come to a close, or temporarily close, forcing us to find alternative ways of exercising.

Of course, there are the obvious walking, running, or cycling that can be done without the help of a gym (weather permitting) but what about weight lifting and floor based workouts? With the rise in online workout videos and apps, it’s really important to have a dedicated workout space at home.

Today we’re going to run through (see what we did there?) some of our top tips and advice for creating a dedicated workout space at home. We have split this into three sections: two by the size of space available and the third are some added extras to consider for making the most of your workout space.

Let’s get started!

 

Large Spaces

 

For those homeowners who have larger spaces available for dedicating to a workout space, there are many design aspects you can introduce. Each of these design recommendations will help to improve the functionality of your new space. This space could be a garage (or portion of) or a spare room within the home itself.

Use rubber or cork flooring where possible. These materials will help to protect the underlay from indentations made from weights and workout equipment. The last thing any homeowner wants or needs is a ruined or damaged floor because of the weight being put on to it.

Another great design element to introduce where possible are mirrors. Wall-mounted mirrors in your workout space will help you to keep track of your form while working out. Your form when exercising is often more important than the weight you’re performing them with. Not to mention how much bigger the space will look with mirrors – this is an absolute must! Therefore adding mirrors to your workout space is crucial.

Lighting plays a huge role in creating a dedicated workout space at home. Don’t rely on light from lamps as their output is not sufficient enough for working out. We recommend ceiling lights as opposed to floor lamps that can tip over easily. Ceiling lights often have a higher output of light and will illuminate the workout space extremely well.

In terms of the layout for a larger workout space at home, it’s important to have a good balance between storage for equipment and workable space. We recommend having a large open space to be active and work with weights, stretch, and do bodyweight exercises. Integrated or built-in cupboards are great for storing fresh towels, weights, and other small equipment. Keep any racks of weights to the side of the main space.

Small Spaces

 

For those who may not have space in their garage to create a dedicated workout space, using a small spare bedroom or an area of a larger one, can be made to be just as effective! If you can, we always recommend that you choose somewhere that has a good amount of lighting and avoid using free-standing lamps.

Make sure to protect your floor with either click-together rubber mats or a large thick yoga mat. These are easy to store away when not in use.

If you have a wall that could be used for adding a mirror to it this will help to not only make the room feel bigger but also help you with your form when performing exercises.

 

Extras

 

Aside from the size of space you have available to make into a dedicated workout space, there are some extras that work for both large and small spaces. 

First up is a TV. Having a TV in your workout space is great for streaming classes, YouTube videos, or even for watching shows or music channels while running on the treadmill. An Apple TV is a really easy way to stream information quickly and pair it up to other devices.

Set up a bar cart for your workout space. Add extra towels and bottles of water to make the space feel more luxurious.

Don’t forget that home fragrance and scents can have a huge impact on our energy and overall feelings. Therefore energizing scents can play a large role in the effectiveness of your workout. You can easily add these scents to your space by using a diffuser. 

 

We hope this blog post has been informative and helpful for those looking to create a dedicated workout space at home! Have you made a workout space at home this year? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!