FIT FOR PURPOSE
If exercising at home during the lockdowns has inspired you to build a home gym, Lisa Salmon finds out how to go about it
Home gyms were once the preserve of the wealthy, but since the closure of gyms and leisure centres during the coronavirus pandemic, the popularity of home exercise and the need for home workout spaces, has gathered pace.
Many people, of course, can’t afford to create a bespoke gym and simply use an exercise mat – or a rug – in a corner. The home exercise space you use can be as small and simple or as large and luxurious as you like or can afford – but ultimately, all you really need is a couple of metres of space and a big dollop of motivation to be able to exercise at home.
Personal trainer Henry Myers, who runs HM Fitness (facebook.com/ Hmfpersonaltraining) in Leeds, and regularly leads Zoom classes for people working out at home, stresses that even if you’ve only got a small space available in your house or garden, there’s nothing you can’t do.
“You can do a good workout in a couple of square metres, and you don’t have to spend any money to benefit from the flexibility of working out at home,” he says.
“But if you have the space, and some extra money, having a dedicated exercise area or room can be really motivational. It’s similar to having an office at home instead of having to work with your laptop on your knee – you have everything you need to hand, and it can help you focus on what you’re doing. Plus, there’s the added incentive that if you’ve spent a lot setting up your own home gym, you’re more likely to use it to make sure you’re getting value for money.”
Mark Reynolds, founder of Wemakegyms (wemakegyms.com), says since the pandemic struck, the home gym market has boomed, and it’s not just the wealthy creating their own home workout spaces.
“The home gym was something only the rich and famous could afford, but that’s all changed since Covid-19 reared its ugly head,” he says.
“A home gym can be as elaborate or simple as you like, from jumping up and down in your bedroom in front of your favourite Instagram personal trainer, cornering off a section of your living room with some cardio equipment and weights, to a fullyfunctioning separate room that’s airconditioned and adorned with the latest fitness technology.”
Mark says people thinking of
creating a home gym should remember what they’ll be saving on family gym memberships or fitness classes.
“It can all quickly add up,” he points out, “so the appeal of an at-home gym becomes ever more prevalent.”
Your own exercise space can cost what you want or can afford – from a few pounds for a gym mat, around £2,500 for a basic custom-designed
set-up with a cardio machine, a few weights, a bench and new flooring, or a £30,000 converted room or garage with all mod cons, Mark adds.
“At home, you determine when you work out, and that can take place at any time of the day or night. A new normal is being created, and what people are starting to see is the pure flexibility and long-term costeffectiveness of an at-home gym.”