Tips For Setting Up A Home Gym In Your Apartment

Would you love to have a home gym, but you live in a small apartment and are on a limited budget? If so, it is still possible. The following are some useful tips to help you get a home gym set up in your apartment.

Maximize Your Space

The key to maximizing your available space for a home gym is to find good storage solutions and be willing to reorganize and rearrange your apartment. For instance, you can display your CDs and DVDs on wall shelves instead of towers, or get rid of large furniture for more portable, smaller pieces that are easy to move around so that you can clear an area in your apartment to exercise in, if necessary.

Whenever you can, take full advantage of your wall space for storage. Go vertical. Or you can use areas in your apartment in different ways to free up space. For example, if you have a counter next to your kitchen, get a few bar stools to eat at and then use a dining area for your home gym.

If you need a place to store your workout gear, you might want to think about getting furniture that comes with storage so it can serve two purposes.

Get The Right Exercise Equipment And Supplies

Here are some of the essentials that won't take up a lot of room or cost a lot of money:

Yoga mat. This is an absolute essential for most home gyms. If can be unsafe and uncomfortable to do most floor exercises without a mat. You can get a decent one for $15 to $20. In addition to cushioning impact and providing comfort, a yoga mat also helps to define your workout space, to help keep your exercise area self-contained and designated for that purpose.

Weights. You can start out with 5-pound, 10-pound, and 15-pound weights and then add more as you progress. Or you can also get adjustable dumbbell set that doesn't take up a lot of space.

Pull-up bar. This is a great piece of exercise equipment for portable fitness. Get one that can be hooked on a doorway and then taken down and stored in the closet. That way it doesn't take up any additional space and you can still get a great workout from it.

Resistance bands. These take up almost no space and are a very effective piece of workout equipment. They are also very safe to use since you don't need a spotter like you do with heavier weights.

Workout videos. Guided workouts in video format can help to ensure that you are working out all parts of your body. The good ones will provide you with clear instruction so that you know how to perform the exercises correctly.

Larger exercise equipment. If you have the space available and budget for it, you might want to consider a rowing machine or exercise bike. There are some compact versions of these exercise machines that don't take up a lot of space.

Create an inspiring environment. Adding a few touches to the ambiance of your home gym can make a big difference in motivation and help you have effective workouts. Add a mirror to your wall so that you watch yourself stay in proper form. Have a stereo system or CD player and speakers and play upbeat music to keep yourself pumped up. Hang up inspirational quotes on your wall, or have motivational landscape photos displayed on the television screen. Just make sure the home gym in your apartment has whatever it takes to inspire and motivate you to stay active and healthy.