Having a home gym is not only a good idea for the more athletic among us, but all of us should consider having at least some workout routine at home. However, apartments aren’t that overflowing with space so that you can choose whichever piece of gym equipment to place in them. Most apartments are big enough to fit only a treadmill or a spin bike (in best cases both). But even if your apartment is short on space, you can still provide yourself with a quality home gym. All you need is a bit of creativity and knowledge of space-saving techniques. Here are some ideas to help you create the best apartment gym you can.
Cardio with a view
If you are among the lucky ones who have enough space to fit a treadmill in your apartment, then you should also think about where it would be best to place it. A great way to create an outdoor exercise experience is to have it facing the window. This way, you will have an illusion of running outdoors, and if you open the window, you will get the full experience. The best place for a spin bike is also next to the window, as well as all cardio-related equipment. However, keep in mind that placing a dumbbell rack right next to windows might not be such a good idea, mostly because accidents can happen (and you don’t want them happening next to your windows).
Go for space-saving equipment
In order to save more space, you need to keep in mind that the equipment has to be bought reasonably. If you overfill your apartment with equipment, there won’t be much space left for you to move around. So, you need to choose adjustable, space-saving equipment. For example, you can buy adjustable dumbbells and do deadlifts, goblet squats, weighted lunges, or any other workout with this single piece of equipment. Check those commercial gym fitouts out there to get a better idea of what kind of equipment would suit your home gym best.
Yoga mats for less noise
Apartment buildings have one problem that it’s hard to avoid (and it’s not parking space). You guessed it – the problem is noise. While you do your workouts at home, your neighbors will most definitely complain about the noise at some point. Luckily, you can go around this problem by investing in quality, spacious yoga mats that provide a base for noise reduction. If you can do jumping jacks on it without your neighbors making a fuss about it, then you can also do your stretches, ab workouts, and yoga. Plus, you will secure your floor from getting damaged from heavy weights and dumbbells.
All-in-one exercise with resistance bands
Those of you who already practice daily workouts with resistance bands know why they are so awesome, but it’s about time for those of you who still don’t know to find out. Resistance bands offer you the ultimate workout with your own body weight, which is excellent for waking up those muscles which have been long asleep. You can use them for your triceps pushdowns, arm workouts, overhead lat pulldowns and many more. They are especially great for leg and gluteus maximus workouts. Since you can level the resistance, make sure you get light, medium and heavy resistance bands so that you can change them as you advance.
Collapse space with a FID bench
The bench you really need is one that can be collapsed into all positions you desire. FID stands for flat, incline and decline, which means you should aim for a bench that can complete all three positions. Lifting is pretty hard without a bench (not to mention dangerous) if you are a fan of heavy weights. However, benches do take up a lot of space, which means that a single bench in your apartment will instantly become a focal piece of the room. But if lifting weights is your main goal, then this shouldn’t be a problem.
Keep in mind that no matter how big your apartment may be, the gym should only be a part of it. Don’t overflow your apartment with gym equipment only to find out one day that you constantly trip over weights and dumbbells. Make a gym that works in symbiosis with the rest of your home and serves its purpose without damaging the balance of your home.
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