If you’ve ever been frustrated that you spent more time in traffic getting back and forth to the gym than you actually spent working out, you’ve probably thought about building a mini gym for yourself at home. Especially after the CoronaVirus outbreak, gyms across the country were closed down in order to keep to social distancing regulations and orders… which may have motivated you even further to have more accessible options. We know that consistent fitness training will keep you mentally and physically healthy for your job in the trades, so here’s our Do’s and Don’ts for creating that home gym:
You DON’T need big machines.
If you were one of the few with the willpower to keep working out at home, you probably discovered that you don’t need any big fancy machines – you can make do with sheer dedication and the weight of your body. However, some basic weights and tools can make your home equipped even better for a full-on workout that you can get at the gym. And the good news is that it’s probably more affordable than you think! 80-90% of the training you are doing already can be done with new equipment that costs less than $1K – which is probably what you pay after a year of monthly gym dues. You’ll spend even less with
You DO need people.
The downside is that it’s much more difficult to workout alone. In fact, research shows that you’re much more likely to exercise if you join a gym or other fitness group than you will on your own. Another study showed that working out with other people actually helps your mental health and perceived stress levels, even at the same work level and regimen. If you do create a gym at home, then invite your friends, neighbors, or another training partner to come work out with you. You’ll be much more likely to follow through and have more fun.
You DON’T want to jump right into it.
Not everyone is going to love working out at home. It might sound like a great idea and something that’s easier than going to the gym… but you might find that, for whatever reason, it’s not. You’ll do best by keeping your gym membership at first and slowly buy equipment for your home gym over time. This gives you the opportunity to experiment with whether or not it fits your lifestyle. You might even decide to keep both your home gym and the club card.
You DO want to evaluate your goals.
One of the biggest advantages of building your own gym is that you can customize it for your body and goals. Review your fitness goals first, then build it with equipment that best matches. If you want to lose weight, for example, you’ll want hand weights. If you want to beef up a bit, then you definitely want a barbell and heavier weights. And if you’re training for a marathon, flex bands help with both strength and flexibility while keeping you lean for faster run times.
You DO need the essentials.
Regardless of whether or not you want to lose weight and/or build muscle mass, a barbell and squat rack are probably the two things that you’ll get the most mileage out of. The squat rack will allow you to feel safe doing squats, pull-ups, presses and more. And a good quality olympic barbell is definitely something worth investing in. Obviously you’ll need some weight plates for the barbell, and a flat bench is an added bonus when you can add that to your repertoire.
You DON’T need to get everything new.
There are a lot of options to buy benches and weights through Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, or even. This can save you a ton of money in shipping – and you can always upgrade to newer equipment once you know what’s working for you best. And there’s some great inexpensive brands, such as. And you’ll find later that the upgraded and more expensive equipment looks nicer, but really doesn’t do much more functionally. Having said that, there is a bonus to having nice stuff, as you may just like being around it and thus work out more.
If you’re looking to use those muscles at a new job in the industry, give us a call! Madden Industrial Craftsmen works with employers that are looking for talented craftsmen, and we’ll match your experience and training to the jobs that fit your career goals. Check us out at mici.com.
