How to Build a Home Gym

Step 1

One topic I wanted to talk about today, a question I get asked a lot. Whether someone should sign up to be a member of a gym or have a home gym to be able to work out in. Its really a matter of preference. For me personally, I need to have a membership in a gym. I need to be able to go somewhere with machines, people on treadmills, just music, just more people. I need to be able to get out of my apartment, drive somewhere, focus on the task at hand and work out.

Step 2

Some people with busier lifestyles, they don't like the gym atmosphere. I love the gym atmosphere, but some people don't like the gym atmosphere. If that's the case and you are looking to build a home gym, its whatever works for you. What you are going to want to do is tailor it to your needs. Basically, I live in California right now, so if I was building my home gym, I would not purchase a treadmill. First of all, they are expensive. They take up a lot of room, and it's almost always nice here (in Los Angeles) to be able to run outside.

Step 3

Now, if you live in my hometown of Cleveland, right about now its cold. Snow is going to be coming down soon. You probably don't want to run outside. So, it might be a good idea to purchase a treadmill if that is what you are going to need to do cardio on. Some other things: I always opt for free weights, instead of machines. machines are bulky. They are very expensive. And you can only use them for the couple of exercises they are designed to be used for.

Step 4

Basically, if you own free weights, and a pull up bar, you are able to do pull ups, a great exercise to work your lats, biceps, and you are using your own body weight, so its not going to take up much room.

Step 5

Bench press. A free weight bench press is perfect. You can change it to the different settings. To make it do incline, you can take the bar and put weights on and do curls with it. You are able to sit up and do lateral raises with the bar. Basically, the bar and some weights, you are going to be able to do a lot of things. Its just applying it to what you want to do.

Step 6

You can put the bar on your back and do lunges with it. Its really, you just need to tailor your workout space based on how much room you have and what you are looking to do. And really when you are working out at home, it needs to be intense just like a regular workout. Some people can do it at home and some people cannot.

Step 7

So, when you are looking to do it, just make sure it is a functional space, you have everything you need and you are creative. Like I said, just taking a regular bench bar and to put weights on it you can do bicep curls, front raises with a bar to work your shoulders, you are able to lay on your back to do what I call skull crushers for your triceps. You can go straight up into militaries to work shoulders, even bent over rows for back. There are a lot of things you can do with that bar by putting weight on it and then just doing different things. So, you can be very functional.

Step 8

Also, you can buy dumbbells where you can click off the weights. That's always great. With dumbbells, you can do an entire workout with dumbbells. So, that's good. Really you just need to make a decision what fits your budget, how much space you have, and if you want to get a membership. A lot of gyms can get a pretty good deal right now. So, it depends what works for you.