(Feature Impact) It’s a tale as old as treadmills: You buy a new exercise machine with the best of intentions, only for it to become an expensive laundry rack that makes you feel guilty every time you glance over at it. When it comes to making lifestyle changes, the key is not to overhaul your whole routine at once, but to figure out what habits match your lifestyle, personality and passions.
Use these tips to create a home workout space you’ll keep using after the novelty wears off.
Figure Out What Exercises You Enjoy
Before you commit to a big equipment purchase, think about what kinds of exercise feel natural and enjoyable (and which ones make you groan).
If you love running, a treadmill may be worth the space it takes up. However, a rack of dumbbells might just wind up collecting dust if you hate lifting weights. Yoga or dance enthusiasts may prefer to design a more studio-like home gym, while bodyweight strength trainers could be happy with a pull-up bar in the doorway and a mat to do planks on. Consider joining a workout class or gym for a month or two to try different kinds of exercises and machines so you’ll have a better idea of what’s worth investing in permanently.
Evaluate the Space You Have
A good home workout area needs to work around the physical realities of your house or apartment. If you have a whole room or finished basement to dedicate to the cause, this won’t constrain you too much. If you’re working with a corner of your home office, bedroom or garage, saving space becomes a more critical factor.
In these cases, it all comes down to priorities. If you only have room for one piece of bigger equipment, get the one you know you’ll actually use, whether that’s an elliptical, strength machine, standing bicycle or rowing machine. Then build out your collection with other items that can be easily moved and stored, like resistance bands and small weights or dumbbells.
Start Small and Expand as Needed
Don’t fall into the trap of thinking you need to have everything before you can get started. It’s often better to build out your workout space slowly – get a few things at a time, see what you use regularly and figure out what you might be missing along the way. Maybe you realize you enjoy lifting weights and keep wishing you had heavier ones, signaling a need to upgrade.
Add Some Atmosphere
Dark, dismal home gyms are more likely to make your workout feel like a punishment instead of a part of your day worth looking forward to. Creating a space you enjoy being in is just as important as choosing a workout you enjoy doing.
For you, that might look like choosing an area of the home with plenty of natural lighting to make you feel more awake – or adding string lights and color-changing wall sconces for a relaxing yoga session. Maybe it means adding art on the walls or a floor-to-ceiling mirror so you can check your form. A large rubber floormat with a cheerful design, a sound system to play your favorite hype songs or a daily calendar of motivational quotes could be the magic ingredient to get you into the right mindset so you can crush your workout. As long as it works for you, anything goes.
For more tips on home design that fits your life, visit eLivingtoday.com.
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