Are you thinking about building a home gym? Here are some good reasons why you should do it and a step–by–step breakdown on how to build a home gym that you will keep on using.
You come back from work and need to get back into your car to drive to the gym across the traffic. You waste time, you have to exercise in a space that lots of people have used, possibly having to wait for other people so that you can use the equipment you want. Does this sound familiar to you?
Having your own home gym has many advantages, from comfort to increasing your motivation and giving you better value for your money.
Here we have done all the hard work for you. You’ll find all the information you need to start your own home gym, including how to choose the right room for your home gym, the equipment that you need, costs, and a guide on making the most of your gym right here.
You can jump to the different sections with the links below.
- Why should you build a home gym?
- How big should a home gym be?
- How to choose the best room for your home gym
- Characteristics your home gym should have
- What equipment should you use?
- Home gym equipment for cardio
- Home gym equipment for flexibility
- Home gym equipment for strength training
- How much does a home gym cost?
- How to make sure you will use your gym
Why should you build a home gym?
There are many reasons why regular gym-goers decide to build their own gym at home, from saving time to the comfort of having everything they need at home. Here are some of the advantages of having your own home gym.
Motivation
We all want to stay fit, but sometimes life gets in the way. The easiest way to stick to your fitness routine is to be able to work out in your home gym so that you don’t even need to leave the house. Even if you have the best intentions, having to set a specific time of your day to pack everything you need to go to the gym and potentially having to fight through traffic on your way to your gym and back, is difficult for most people.
With a home gym, you are definitely more likely to work out regularly. You will save lots of time on commutes and it will be so easy to get to ‘the gym’ that you’ll end up doing more training sessions than if you had to leave the house.
Time
Having access to your own gym at home will save you a lot of time. You don’t need to plan in advance, you don’t need to pack up clothes, shampoo, a water bottle, towels, etc. You also don’t have to wait in line for machines at the gym.
All in all, you could be saving hours of your time every day by exercising in your home gym, which will really improve your motivation and help you stick to your routine.
Flexibility
When you have a home gym, you also have the freedom to exercise whenever you want. You can choose to lift weights for 20 minutes, take a shower in the privacy of your own home and go about your day.
Creating your home gym also gives you the flexibility to adapt it to your needs. You can choose your equipment depending on what you want to achieve. And the best part is that you are the only one that will use that equipment, so you can easily maintain it in better condition.
A home gym really doesn’t have to be expensive either. There are options for all budgets, and you will always end up saving money in the long run.
How big should a home gym be?
You don’t need to live in a mansion to have your own gym. Around 16 square meters (172 square feet) is a good size room for your home gym, but you can make a gym in a space as small as 3 by 4 metres with less equipment. So it all depends on what you are trying to achieve with your workout routine and the equipment you need to do that.
Note that you’ll need around 2m2 for most machines, but it’s also important to have enough space to be able to move comfortably — you don’t want to have all the equipment cramped up together.
Other options also include building a garden gym, if you’re short on space inside your home. Sheds and garden buildings are often brilliant alternatives to garage gyms, and it’s still only at the bottom of your garden!
How to choose the best room for your home gym
Now that you know how much space you need, it’s time to choose the right room for your gym. The good news is that you can make use of pretty much any spare room, a garage or any other outdoor space that you have available in your home. However, there are advantages and disadvantages to some of them.
A garage
Do you have a garage that is full of anything other than…well…your car? If so, this could be the perfect place to start your own home gym. A garage is usually around 3m by 6m, which is the perfect size for a home gym with basic equipment.
Another advantage of building your home gym in a garage is that the floor is built to hold the weight of a car, so you can be sure that any drops will be fine. Garages are also usually further away from the main rooms of the house, which is perfect for noise reduction. This is useful, particularly if you plan on playing loud music while you do your training.
A spare room
If you don’t have a garage, fear not. You can still create a small home gym in a room that you don’t normally use. Just make sure that you measure everything and buy the equipment that will fit comfortably in the room. The last thing you want is a very cramped space where you almost can’t move.
It’s also important to choose a room that is on the ground floor. You don’t want to have to carry heavy gym equipment upstairs or have to reinforce your upper floor, which you would probably need to do if you live in an older house. Gym equipment can be incredibly heavy, so in some worst-case scenarios, weights could fall through the ceiling and cause injury.
Sound can also be an issue, so choose a room that is further away from the bedrooms so that you don’t disturb anyone while you are using your gym.
Outdoor space
If your house has a big garden, you are in luck. There are companies who specialise in building cabins and garden gyms, and you don’t usually need a permit to build in your own garden (although of course, we recommend that you check this first).
Garden gyms are fully insulated, which is useful both in the winter and summer, and they offer more privacy than any other room inside the house. If you wanted to, you could even incorporate a shower room/WC.
Characteristics your home gym should have
Once you’ve chosen your room, the next step is to assess its characteristics and what you might need to add to make it suitable for your home gym. Logically, a home gym can be anywhere in your home, but there are a few things you may want to consider first.
Soundproof walls, floors and ceilings
This might not be applicable if you are going to build your home gym in your garage or your garden. However, if you are looking to use a different room in your house, then you need to consider soundproofing the room before you start fitting in the equipment. Some equipment can be louder than others, but you don’t want your workout session disturbed by angry neighbours complaining about the noise.
Rubber gym flooring
First things first, you need to transform the space you have to make it adequate to have the equipment you need. You should start by choosing your gym flooring. Gym flooring is easy-to-clean, non-slip, protects the floor if you drop weights, and makes any workout session much more comfortable. Gym flooring also helps absorb a lot of pressure that might otherwise land on your joints. For the best results, you’ll want to invest.
 | HyGYM Rubber Gym Flooring Per Square Meter £ 30.00 – Premium rubber gym flooring 15mm thick |
HyGYM’s flooring is sold individually, so you can choose exactly the number of tiles that you need for your room. It is also extremely comfortable for yoga, pilates or any other exercise where you’d normally use a mat.
Windows
There are a few considerations you need to take into account about your chosen room. Whereas you don’t necessarily need natural light in a gym, it can be useful to have it – however, consider that with light also comes heat. If your window is south facing, consider whether the room might get too hot in summer and if you need an air conditioning unit.
Also, think about the position of the windows. Are they on the ground floor of a busy street where everyone can see you? If so, you might want to add a privacy window film.
Heating
Just like the heat in summer, you also need to think about how cold the room will get in winter. Underfloor heating is one of the best options (just make sure your flooring is compatible with it), but you can also have radiators in your home gym if you prefer that option.
Many people opt for underfloor heating because it’s cost-effective and extremely efficient at heating up a room. It also doesn’t take away from any precious gym space, as a radiator might.
Mirrors
Mirrors are essential for checking you are performing exercises correctly. They can avoid injuries when lifting weights, and they can also be very useful for yoga or dancing. We’d recommend you have at least one full-length mirror in your home gym so you can confidently check your form if you’re working out alone.
Plus, who doesn’t love a good home gym selfie every now and then?
What equipment should you use?
Of course, you might want to use different equipment based on your routine and what your goals are. However, there is some basic equipment that we would recommend every complete home gym needs.
Adjustable barbell and plates
 | HyGYM 20KG Adjustable Barbell Studio Bar | Squat Bar Adjustable Weights £ 215.00 – 1 X 20KG Studio Barbell Includes: 2X 5kG, 2X 2.5KG and 2X 1KG weight plate |
A premium studio barbell with adjustable weight plates is a basic staple of any home gym. Whereas an Olympic bar and weight plates or weight bumpers can be very difficult to store, a barbell leaves you with more space in your home gym.
Studio gym bars are perfect for doing squats, hip flexes, bicep curls, chest press, triceps, and many other muscle groups, improving your overall body shape.
A model like this, with an eject button, allows you to change weights on your barbell easily, so you don’t have to waste time changing weights. And, of course, you should also be able to choose from a wide weight range, from 2KG to 30KG. This model in particular is plastic-coated weight plates, so they are durable, resistant to corrosion and built to last.
The safest barbell models also include comfortable handles, which are essential to prevent the barbell from sliding during a workout. Equally important, is a clip design that keeps the weight plates from falling during a workout, so make sure that your chosen design has these characteristics.
Adjustable bench
 | HyGYM Adjustable POWER Weight Bench £ 235.00 – Incline/Decline |
A good adjustable bench needs to be strong, comfortable and stable. You should look for a model that offers both incline and decline functionality as well as adjustable height and added leg support so that you can use various muscle groups during your workout.
Squat rack
 | HyGYM Adjustable Power Squat Rack Stands – Includes 2x Stands |
Squat racks are a great addition to your home gym. They avoid accidents when lifting weights because you can use them to hold the barbell if you can’t complete a repetition. They are also excellent for motivating you to experiment with heavier weights.
This other model, the HyGYM Multi Gym Squat Rack also allows you to use a pull-up bar of up to 200kg load. This is perfect for building muscles in your arms, back and shoulders.
Additional home gym equipment
Home gym equipment for cardio
You don’t necessarily need cardio equipment in your home gym if you already do cardio outside – i.e. if you regularly go running, or if you like cycling during the weekends. However, if you want to invest in cardio equipment, you might want to consider adding a spin bike to your home gym.
 | HyGYM Ultimate Spin Bike – Max load 150Kg |
Choose a model that allows for easy reading and adjusting during your workouts, a fully adjustable saddle and pedals with straps, and toe clips to avoid calf and ankle straining.
Home gym equipment for flexibility
You don’t need much equipment to improve your flexibility. However, you might want to get a nice yoga mat, rollers or resistance bands to help you with some exercises.
 | HyGYM Adjustable Foam Roller – Precision-engineered to knead and massage those aching muscles |
Foam rollers are great for muscle flexibility and they are a nice addition to any gym as you can use them to massage aching muscles. They are also useful to improve your core strength and stability.
Home gym equipment for strength training
We already mentioned barbells earlier. However, if you are looking for different options, you can also choose dumbbells, kettlebells or even Olympic barbells if you have enough space in your home gym.
 | 6ft HyGYM Olympic Barbell | Squat and deadlift bar £ 165.00 – 320KG Max Load |
If you are really serious about your weight training, Olympic barbells are a must. They offer more versatility than other studio barbells and are perfect for all sorts of exercises such as squats, bicep curls or lunge, strengthening and toning all the major muscle groups and promoting healthy weight loss.
How much does a home gym cost?
You need high-quality equipment even if you are on a budget – you don’t want to buy equipment that has been made cheaply and that could cause an injury, etc.
If you are on a budget and are lucky enough to have a room that is already in good condition (good insulation, lighting, heating), then you can just choose to purchase basic equipment and add more equipment at a later stage, if you think you need it.
| Costs for a basic home gym |
| Flooring: £480 for a 16 sqm room Barbell and plates: £215 Adjustable bench: £235 Squat rack stands: £149 |
| Total: £1079 |
If you think that a regular gym subscription costs around £500 per year, you can see why a home gym can be a good investment.
If you need to renovate the room you are going to use by adding soundproofing, lighting, painting and decorating, you should expect to spend between £500-£1,000 more.
Finally, the costs of a heated garden gym really vary depending on the dimensions, style and materials chosen, etc. but they usually start around the £8,000 mark.
How to make sure you will use your gym
Once you have your home gym ready, it’s time to start using it regularly. However, if you are still finding excuses to procrastinate every now and then, these tricks can make your life easier.
Make it a nice space
Make your home gym look nice and like a place where you actually want to spend time. Mirrors, the right lighting and climate controls can all help make your home gym a comfortable space where you will want to be during your free time.
Use a workout app
You can challenge yourselves and others with HyGYM LIVE or your FIT App. With HyGYM LIVE, you can have direct access to our award-winning coaches from your own house. Their workout sessions will challenge you every week, and of course, they are on hand to show you how to get the best from your body and unlock the full potential of your home gym equipment.
Organise social workout sessions
If you want the advantages of a home gym but still miss the interaction with other people, you can organise workout sessions with friends and family. Asking a friend if they want to do a training session with you will help both of you stay focused on your objectives. And there’s nothing like a bit of competition to motivate you to strive for the best!
Find a personal trainer
A personal trainer is usually the most expensive option, but if you consider that you are paying for their experience and the quality of their services, it’s not that much. Especially if you lack the motivation to exercise regularly, don’t know where to start or have very specific objectives, a personal trainer can help you achieve your goals.
Working with a personal trainer also helps you build a routine, making it easier for you to continue on your own afterwards.
Combine it with good nutrition
Fitness is a way of living, and it’s much more than just working out. If you follow a healthy and balanced diet, you will want to keep up the good work and exercise more often.
You should fuel up before you start your workouts with healthy carbohydrates such as whole-grain cereals or yogurt with fruits. It’s also a good idea to avoid saturated fats and lots of protein because they need a slower digestion.
During your workout you need to stay hydrated. Whilst you don’t need to eat during a quick workout, for longer ones, you might want to eat low-fat yogurt, or fruits. A banana is a good option.
After the workout, you should also have water and carbohydrates. It’s also now a good time to have protein to help grow your muscles.
Quality gym clothing
Just as it happens with going out, the right clothing can help you stay motivated when working out. Have you ever bought a new outfit and felt that you couldn’t wait to wear it? Clothes that make you look good and feel comfortable can really help to motivate you. We have recently started our own line of female premium gym clothing.
