Life is too short to live unhealthy and unhappy.  If you have been researching cheap home gyms, this post is for you.  Besides being my design assistant, my daughter-in-law Alice, is a personal trainer.  Here is her story about how she created a fabulous home gym.  PLUS, as an added bonus she has written a few home gym workouts to get you started!

Cheap Home Gyms

So, as you know from my last post, I am actually a Personal Trainer by trade. I have been in the fitness field and personal training for 8 years and I absolutely love my job. It is so rewarding to help someone achieve their fitness goals while making them healthier, stronger, and happier in their own skin.

With that said, there is a lot of fear in working out, and loads of reasons or excuses as to why people don’t. One of which is what I refer to as “gym-phobia”. The majority of people in your big box gyms can be intimidating and it can get to the point where you feel almost as if you’re being judged. I understood this to be an area where I could maybe help some folks out and establish a place where individuals who wanted to work out could do so without the stress. Therefore, my husband and I decided to open our own home based gym.

In April 2015, I took a big leap of faith, I wanted to work independently and open my own gym. It wasn’t financially wise for us as newlyweds to dump a ton of money into renting a space and filling it with all the best new equipment so we decided that a custom home gym, specific to my style of personal training was the way to go.

We converted our garage, which my dear husband so graciously handed over to me, into what is now Resurrection Fitness Personal Training. Our home gym is a great example of how you can have a gym all your own, in your home. Since I am training individuals out of this space, we did add a little more to it than what is really necessary to start building a cheap home gym. Some of my favorite types of workouts to do are functional workouts. This style of exercise uses smaller equipment and body weight exercises to condition, strengthen, tighten and tone your body. The great thing about it is you can do it anywhere. I will be sure to give you some great home gym workouts later in the post.

Now I realize this is a decorating blog so I want to make sure to add in these awesome features and tips. Having a home gym can be done on a budget. Convert a spare bed room or bonus room, attic space or walk-in closet, even a portion of your garage into a dedicated exercise area. Using the great outdoors is another cheap alternative. Your yard, patio, deck and driveway are all great places to perform many fitness moves.

Once you’ve dedicated a space in your home as your new home gym, make it motivating. When you walk into your gym it should drive you, push you, and inspire you to jump on the treadmill or grab your kettlebells and get to work.

The best way to liven up a home gym is paint. Choose a color that is fitting for the type of exercise you like to do. For instance, if you’re into Yoga maybe a more serene grey or soft purple, or if you prefer bright colors to enhance your sweat session try bright greens, blues and even orange.

Another fun addition could be an accent wall like the one in my home gym pictured above, made from tin roofing panels purchased from Lowes. Once your walls are how you like them, you can choose a flooring type that is conducive to your exercise routines.

My home gym has a rubber flooring that is actually made of horse stall mats from Tractor Supply Co. You can also purchase interlocking squares of rubber or foam flooring that is inexpensive and very do-it-yourself friendly at Lowes or Home Depot. Carpet is another great option considering its’ ability to absorb loud noises and impact, especially if you are in an upstairs room in your home.

Now that your space is decorated and motivating, it is time to fill it with the essential fitness equipment. Depending on your taste in exercise and the types of workouts you would like to perform, will determine what equipment you want to put in your home gym. Some of the key pieces that I would recommend are the following:

Home Gym Workout Equipment

1.  Rubber or foam mats for floor exercise.
2.  Resistance bands – they can be used anywhere and for every muscle group. Plus, they travel well.
3.  Set of matching dumbells – no matter If your a novice exerciser or a body builder, nothing beats a good   dumbell workout. Pick a weight that is safe and effective for your fitness goals.
4.  Kettlebells – these gems are honestly my favorite piece of fitness equipment. You can use them for everything. They’re more functional than dumbells and are much easier to grip. Again, choose a weight that is safe for you to manage and still get a challenge.
5.  Jump Rope – I’m taking it back a ways for some of us but these school yard toys are fantastic for quick bursts of cardio. Did you know that one minute of jumping rope can burn up to 10 calories!?
6.  Weight bench – a stand alone bench is a great tool to use for workouts that will get you off the floor and off your feet. Try to find one that you can use as both flat and incline.
7.   A good radio – it is necessary to have a jamming radio to blare the tunes to get you moving.

There are many great pieces of equipment that I could list. I am almost positive that some of you reading this have treadmills, bikes or ellipticals being used as clothing racks right now, dust them off and add it to your home gym collection. Craigslist, Ebay, Amazon, Play it Again Sports, and even the Goodwill are great places to find inexpensive fitness equipment. Look around for great deals on great gear and if it looks like it could make you sweat don’t pass it up.

Having a cheap home gym is such an awesome addition to a home. It helps you to stay focused on your fitness goals and allows a comfortable setting to get the results you are looking for. I hope that this has encouraged you to lace up your tennis shoes and get to work creating your own home gym. For more information on great at home workouts and Fitness tips, visit the Resurrection Fitness Facebook Page.

Here are a couple great home gym workout routines to get you started. Remember to go at your own pace and do as much as you can. There is nothing stopping you!

Holiday Workouts!

Just click on the photo below for more fitness ideas, videos, and INSPIRATION!

Home Gym Workout Routines

Total Body Workout

I hope this post from Alice gives you inspiration.  Cheap home gyms, can be just that, cheap yet fabulous!

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