The pandemic forced most of the public to become homebodies. And during the start, when lockdowns were enforced, people could only come out if extremely essential. That means no more leisure walking around the neighborhood or doing a quick coffee run. Nowadays, things are less strict, but staying at home is still recommended.
This limited opportunity to go out means becoming inactive. And inactivity has many drawbacks. It increases your risk of becoming overweight or obese. And either of them puts you at risk of diabetes and heart disease. Physical inactivity can also cause anxiety and depression.
These days, things are more lenient. Some gyms are starting to reopen. So you can go back to the gym to get back in shape and lose the quarantine pounds you gained. But the threat of going to gyms is still there. Besides, they are closed public spaces, making the risk of virus transmission high.
If you’re dedicated to becoming active again and want to stay away from gyms as much as possible, you can opt to build your home gym instead. Besides, apart from the obvious benefit of being able to exercise regularly, having a home gym has other perks too.
Regular Exercise
If you have a home gym, you’ll be more encouraged to exercise regularly. That’s because you remove all the barriers, such as the commute, the monthly fees, and gym anxiety. One study observed 205 sedentary adults. Researchers found that those with home gym equipment were 73% more likely to exercise regularly.
But the study also found that they were 12% more likely to quit exercising early. In this case, you will be battling with your own willpower.
Comfort
Some people are scared of going to the gym. This feeling is often called “gym-phobia.” And there are many reasons for it. Some feel insecure about what other gym goers might think about them. Others are afraid of being embarrassed while in the gym. Particularly for women, some of them are not comfortable with what they look like wearing spandex garments.
Having a home gym will help you avoid gym-phobia. After all, you’re in your own home, a place where you feel safe. You can wear whatever you feel comfortable in when you work out. You also don’t have to be scared about making mistakes with your exercise routines.
Privacy
Having a home gym also grants you privacy when you work out. Your home gym can become that one area where you have zero distractions and just get in the zone. This benefit also eliminates gym-phobia as a reason not to go to the gym.
Flexibility
Most of us are working from home. If you’re in the same situation, you might find yourself working longer hours than usual. You may also have a more flexible schedule, which means you can start your workday at any time. No matter your schedule, you’ll always be able to make time for some exercise since your gym is right inside your house.
Customization
Since you’ll have your own gym, you can customize it any way you want. You can put only the equipment you can and will use. You can even DIY gym equipment to save some money. For example, you can check stores that sell steel materials and make your own pull-up bar.
You can also decorate the space however you like. For example, you can paint your walls light blue or green for a cool ambiance that can motivate you to work out regularly.
Money
You can potentially save money in the long term by having a home gym. Sure, the upfront costs can be heavy, especially if you plan to buy many pieces of equipment. To mitigate this, you can strip down your gym to the very essentials and DIY some pieces. You’ll get the home gym experience without paying for a gym membership that you only use for a few days a year.
Building a Home Gym
If you have the budget, you can opt to build an accessory dwelling unit and make that your home gym. The upfront cost of this construction might even become an incentive. You’ll be forced to exercise regularly so that your investment doesn’t go to waste. Or you can go on a budget-friendly route and turn your garage into your gym instead. This is actually what most people do.
Determine what pieces of equipment you need and only get that. Having too many things in your home gym might make it too crowded. And they can distract you when you work out or make your gym feel stuffed.
And once everything’s settled, you’ll be able to work out regularly and reap all the benefits of being active.
