Bring the gym into your home

Let us face it; one of the biggest obstacles keeping us from the gym is the inconvenience of the journey. It becomes worse when one has to rely on public means and the gym they go to has no shower facilities as Zainabu Kalangi relates.

“I love working out. In fact I can confidently say that I feel more alive lifting weights than doing anything else but I hate having to seat in a taxi, all sweaty and probably smelly too. Not even my love for the gym is worth the accusatory glares I get from fellow passengers,” reveals Kalangi. She says she now only works out over the weekend.

Things would be different for our gym enthusiast if she had her own at home. Unfounded assumption would have us believe that setting up a home gym is such a costly feat but the truth is with a little creativity you can actually end up saving compared to what you spend.

Location
You need to decide on where to set up your gym. If you do not have a spare room your home office, bedroom, sitting room, and garage are all a great spaces for the exercise. A small area in your home (like the living room) that can double as you work out space will do. It should be close so as it motivate you to carry out workout but not too busy to distract you.

Sharifu Mugenyi, a freelance gym Instructor recommends that to create such an environment, all gadgets and other items that might call your attention should be removed from the room or switched off.

“But if you are an exercise DVD fan, setup your T.V or computer at level that allows you to watch while working out,” she adds.
Those who love working out in a quiet environment should situate the gym in a noise free place. You also need to have an empty space without things that could hurt you during exercising.
If you have limited space, Mugenyi advises that you keep your equipment somewhere and only get it out when you need it. You can create a temporary space in the living room by pulling out one chair that you put back after your workout.

Space
“Make your space as light and airy as possible. An ideal fitness space should have enough natural light coming in from windows and the door. Add a few lamps that use soft white bulbs. Also plants such as ferns, bamboo and spider plants can boost energy levels in as well as purify the air in the room,” says Boniface Wanja of Bonnre Consultancy parlor
The room should have proper ventilation to keep you cool in the hot days and warm in the cold ones. However, though portable heaters and fans can be used if affordable.

Floor
Be aware of the flooring if you live in an apartment building. Slippery floors make it hard for effective work out and can also cause accidents. You can use a carpet and make the floor a little rough.

Equipment
You don’t have to buy all the equipment for your home gym at once. Pick out what is most effective for your work out purpose and buy others gradually. Some of the essential equipment for a home gym include.

A rope for skipping, dumbbells for lifting, a treadmill for those leg muscles, a yoga mat, for those who enjoy doing yoga especially women, a swiss ball for high knees up exercises, as well as an abs roller wheel. Others include bench, kettle bells, Spin bike, weight plate ,stability balls, foam rollers, rack among others.

Wanja notes that the equipment one purchases will be based on how much available space you have and how much your budget allows for. You do not need Aton equipment’s or bulky machines to make your home gym an effective place to exercise.

He cautions against letting children access the heavier equipment without supervision as it may lead to accidents.

Motivation tip
Think about what motivates you and fill space with the paraphernalia that will help you visualise what you are trying to become. You could hang pictures of your perfect body or quotes that inspire you to be healthy on a wall or a vision board.