19 Home Gym Hacks - Garage Gym Ideas, Tricks and Tips
The outbreak of the COVID-19 Global Pandemic led to an outbreak of Social Distance Warriors sheltering - and working out - in the same place. Here are 19 tips to ensure your home gym is well-established.
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Location, Location, Location. This will be your first most important decision, so choose wisely. If you were looking for an excuse to clean out the garage, basement, or that spare room - wish granted. You'll want an area large enough for easy access to your equipment, a quick exit path to an outer door for running, head space for pullups and jumping rope, and a sturdy floor for dropping heavy items.
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Just you. Body-weight exercises will quickly become a staple of your routine. Wherever you go, there you are. So, get creative.
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Dust off your old equipment. If you didn't get in on the Peloton craze, make sure your old equipment is still in working order. Remove the dirty laundry from your treadmill or pull out that old bike and get moving.
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Kettlebell or Dumbbells? This one is a must have for every home gym. When you're limited on space, and with a tight budget, adjustable Dumbbells can be a perfect fit. Especially when you're knocking out some of the Best Dumbbell Workouts For Every Muscle Group!
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Foam roller. By now you should already have one of these. Mobility and recovery is the name of the game.
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Resistance bands. An often overlooked piece of equipment for the home gym. Sure, your box has plenty of them, but did you take them for granted?
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Yoga mats vs. horse stall mats? You probably already have a yoga mat, but if you're planning on covering a large area, horse stall mats make a great addition. They're readily available, affordable, can absorb the impact, and are water-resistant.
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Splurge on a good bar. If you're going to spend money on a fine piece of equipment, the Olympic barbell is where to begin.
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Bumper plates. Did you know even Wal-mart carries bumper plates? Now you do.
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Map your neighborhood. Whether you know your neighbors or not, you should at least know your neighborhood. MapMyRun is a great tool to map out distances of 200m, 400m, 1/2 mi and 1 mile. You might as well map out that 5k while you're at it.
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Pull up bar. Most home gyms won't be equipped with a sweet rig. If you're lucky, you might have access to an outdoor swingset, or a basement ibeam. For the rest of us, the doorway pull up bar makes a great addition.
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White board/sidewalk chalk. Wod drunk happens, so write down your workout before you start. If you're outdoors, get creative with your counting - rocks and mulch can be more than just landscaping coverage.
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Jump rope. Invest in a good speed rope and finally master those double-unders. When that first WOD back in gym has dubs in them, you'll be ready.
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Adapt. How does that saying go, again? - "You never know what life is going to throw at you." Scale. Modify. Substitute. In short, find a way to get it done.
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Include the entire family. While we're on the subject of substitutions, did you know a small child or pet makes for a great front squat workout?
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Don't forget the music. You're home, crank it up. You can even use your playlist as a timer.
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Share the love. Introducing family and friends to this active lifestyle can be even more difficult if we're all stuck at home. Show someone looking to take that first step that it can begin at home.
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Eat clean. You're spending precious time and money on a home-gym. Make sure you're spending the same amount of energy on your diet.
- Stay connected. True Social Distance Warriors are staying connected more than ever through Social Media - Zoom workouts, Facebook lives, Instagram tips, etc. Continue to give plenty of likes, shares and comments. And since we're in this together, consider giving or making a purchase from your favorite online shop during these trying times.
Why Burpees matter. Now, more than ever.
