How to set up a home gym and not turn your apartment into a fitness club?

How to set up a home gym and not turn your apartment into a fitness club?

We offer a step-by-step plan for those who are not going to throw sports for the time of lockdown.

Quarantine is quarantine, but workouts are on schedule. Only there is a problem: one thing when you live in a private house or a huge apartment, where for fitness can safely allocate even a separate room, another – standard apartments up to 60 square meters, where every meter counts. We offer a solution – together with an expert we have compiled a small guide on how to set up a home gym even in a small space.

co-founder of Next2U.ru, an online service for renting things.

According to analysts of the online service, in 2021 the demand for fitness equipment is only growing. 50% of exercisers choose exercise bikes, followed by elliptical trainers – 31%.

Decide on your exercise goal

• If you want to lose weight and improve endurance, then the direct way to cardio – it’s a treadmill, exercise bike, step platform, elliptical.
• If you need to pump up muscles, then take kettlebells, dumbbells, tourniquet, fitness bands and other similar equipment.
• If the goal is flexibility and stretching, it is enough to buy a mat, a fitball (a large elastic ball) and, for example, special straps for stretching.

Find the right space

The goal is clear, now you need to understand in which room and in what area you want to place the sports equipment. It is important that the space should be safe: there should be no breakable objects nearby, exercise equipment should not block passageways and exits, as well as interfere with the household.

Ekaterina: If there is an opportunity to allocate a separate corner, where the Swedish wall will be installed and lay equipment, it is great. If there is no such option, then look at mobile steppers or treadmills, which after the class can easily be stowed under the bed. You don’t have to create a gym with a crossover and a Smith machine – the same one where everyone loves to squat with a barbell.

Start simple

Sometimes just having dumbbells and a mat is enough to get you started. But even the choice of weights should be done responsibly. Too light will not give the desired effect and will be a waste of money. Conversely, heavy weights can lead to sprains and strains. To find the right weight, experts recommend to perform about 20 repetitions of one exercise and understand what weight is more comfortable for you: when there is tension but no tearing. And gradually increase this weight by 5-10% in the process of training.

Ekaterina: It’s the same with choosing a fitness mat, which will definitely come in handy. It not only provides comfort when exercising, but is also responsible for safety: it gives stability and prevents slipping. It is best to choose a mat depending on the type of activity. For example, for outdoor activities you should take a mat with a thicker coating, for home a 4 mm thickness is suitable. The choice of mat material is a more individual question. Even the simplest mat made of isolon (polyethylene foam) will be suitable for most sports activities. But if you want to get maximum comfort, you should pay attention to rubber: it is more pleasant to the touch and does not slip at all.