Going to the gym is a great habit, but sometimes life gets in the way and you just can’t make it there. That’s why it’s important to have exercise equipment at home. A must-have for anyone serious about staying fit, a home gym lets you get your workout in without ever needing to leave the house. Here are some of the greatest benefits of having a home fitness room:
You can stick to your fitness routine
According to the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), adults should get at least two hours and 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week, one hour and 15 minutes a week of vigorous exercise, or a blend of the two. The HHS also recommends that you spread your workouts throughout the week and include muscle-building workouts at least twice a week.
Sticking to an exercise routine is easier said than done. You may have all the best intentions, but the hassle of packing up clothes, shampoo, towels, a padlock, and a water bottle, fighting traffic on the way to the gym, and driving circles around the parking lot looking for a space can dim your enthusiasm pretty quickly. Access to fitness equipment in your own home can eliminate the hurdles keeping you from reaching your fitness goals.
You can save time and skip the lines
One of the biggest barriers to exercising consistently is finding the time to do it. When you factor in packing and unpacking a gym bag, drive time to and from the gym, and waiting in line for machines, a half-hour workout could easily turn into a two-hour affair.
You may have experienced the awkward dance of waiting for a machine at the gym. You have to stay close enough to jump on the elliptical or pick up the weights as soon as the person is done but don’t want to crowd them or seem pushy. The result is a lot of wasted time and frustration.
A home gym allows you to skip the lines and the commute, giving you a stress-free, effective workout in half the time.
You have the freedom to exercise when it works for you
No need to carve out an hour and a half block in your schedule. No need to wait for the perfect timing when traffic on the roads is lighter and the gym is less crowded. With a home gym, you can jump on the treadmill or elliptical whenever you feel like it.
You can workout during your favorite show or while watching the news. You can lift weights before you shower in the morning (huge bonus: showering and changing in the privacy of your own home) or with your partner when they get off work.
In fact, the newest edition of the HHS guidelines did away with the outdated idea that you must work out in 10-minute blocks to see benefits. With your home gym, if you exercise when you have a few minutes to kill, you’ll get your 2.5 hours in before the weekend with time to spare.
You’ll have the perfect exercise environment
Most gyms have a dress code. If you have exercise equipment at home, you can start working out the minute you feel like it, wearing whatever you please. You don’t have to worry if your clothes look good or fit right or are athletic enough. A home gym gives you the freedom to wear whatever feels comfortable without a second thought.
Too hot? Too cold? The gym management tries to find a middle ground, but it can be a challenge to keep the temperature moderate in a large gym with lots of sweaty people. At home, you set the thermostat and have complete control of your exercise environment.
How about the music? At the gym, the odds that you’ll like the music pumping from the speakers are not so great. With a home fitness room, you can blast your favorites or choose something quiet and relaxing depending on your mood.
You get privacy
It’s well known that exercise helps to relieve stress and anxiety. But what if going to the gym makes you feel nervous and intimidated? You can end up in a vicious cycle of anxiety because you’re worried about people judging you.
If this sounds like your experience, you’re not alone. Almost 65 percent of women and 36 percent of men avoid going to the gym because they’re afraid of what other people might think. People mostly fear judgment about their weight, but there are many other reported fears, such as:
- Using equipment incorrectly
- Doing exercises wrong
- Not looking or being athletic enough
- Looking awkward while exercising
When exercising in the privacy of your home gym, you won’t have to worry about any of that. You can learn at your own pace, huff and puff, and watch the corniest reruns while you workout and no one will make fun of you… except maybe your family.
Your whole family can join in
Speaking of your family, when was the last time they worked out? All members of your household — kids, teens, adults, and seniors — need an age-appropriate amount of exercise. The World Health Organization says that young people ages 5 to 17 should engage in at least an hour of physical activity a day at moderate to vigorous intensity. The majority of their workouts should be aerobic, with bone-loading and muscle-strengthening activities included several times per week.
Ideally, older adults should get the same amount of exercise as their younger counterparts. Folks who aren’t able to reach those minimums — 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of high-intensity exercise — should progressively do as much as they can. Even older adults with limited mobility should be active at least three days per week to prevent falls.
As difficult as it is to get yourself to the gym, it’s even harder to get your kids or older relatives there. With a home fitness room, you can be sure that the people under your care are exercising as much as they should in a safe environment.
You don’t have to worry about child care
If you have children, you know that the cost of childcare has skyrocketed. Finding quality care for your children is not easy, and you likely already plan errands and appointments around the availability of caregivers.
Some gyms offer childcare, but this can drive up the cost of a monthly membership or be of questionable quality. Using the gym childcare means you have to pack up a diaper bag or find the kids’ shoes and mittens on top of all the other steps required to get yourself to the gym.
Children who are too old for the gym nursery may not be ready to stay home alone for hours. A home fitness room allows you to exercise while the baby naps or older children play in the backyard or get schoolwork done.
It’s safer
Bad weather is one of the most common reasons people break their workout routines. Although it might seem like an excuse, oftentimes it’s a legitimate safety concern. There are almost six million car crashes annually, and 21 percent are weather-related. About 70 percent of weather-related car accidents happen on wet pavement, and another 18 percent occur during snow and sleet storms. Every year, almost 5,000 people die in these crashes.
When you have a home fitness room, you don’t need to worry about the commute to the gym or missing days because of snow or ice. If you like to work out early in the morning or late at night, you can do so without walking alone through a dark parking lot. You can exercise from the comfort and safety of your own home.
You get pandemic-proof exercise
HHS is one of many organizations urging Americans to exercise at home during the pandemic. Gyms may close temporarily or have restricted hours because of Covid-19, but your home fitness room is always open 24/7.
The pandemic may have made you more aware of disease transmission, or you may have always hated using equipment after hundreds of people have sweated on it. Either way, having your own personal exercise bike or weight bench means a clean, safe workout session every time.
You can design your dream gym
At the gym, your workout is limited by the gym owner’s equipment. Luckily, you have complete control over the design of your home fitness room. Do you want a rower? Get one. Do you like a particular kind of treadmill or brand of elliptical? Done. Do you have a spouse or friend you would like to work out with? Get two of something. When the gym is in your home, you get to decide what goes in the space.
The possibilities are endless! But don’t feel intimidated by your options. If you aren’t sure how to start building your home fitness room, there are professional fitness consultants who can look at your home space, listen to your workout needs, and help you design a personalized home gym.
