In today’s modern world, no luxury home is complete without its own fitness centre, and over recent years, the concept has increasingly gained popularity. Giving homeowners the flexibility to work out as and when it’s convenient, as well as the ability to do in complete privacy, it’s easy to understand their appeal – when the mood strikes, you can just head right in and get on with a session, with no time to have second thoughts.
In fact, for fitness enthusiasts and amateur gym-goers alike, having their own set-up at home is the key to consistency in their workouts, with many now readily trading the traditional gym experience for this more personalised and exclusive alternative.
But not all home gyms are created equal, and setting yours up to suit your workout goals is essential if you’re keen to start getting some results. Not only that, but by injecting a sense of luxury into the space, you’ll be more inclined to want to use it – so here’s how to elevate your personal fitness centre to lofty new heights and ensure it’s the epitome of opulence.
Choose the right space
Finding the perfect location for your home fitness centre is essential if you don’t have one already, and any unused space you have available to you, like a garage, extension or basement, is the obvious way to go. Ideally, you’ll want somewhere that offers plenty of natural lighting, so if you’ll be having an extension built especially for the job then bear this in mind during the design phase and opt for floor-to-ceiling windows or add skylights where possible. Ensure that the space is well insulated and ventilated too, to ensure maximum comfort when you’re working out. As well as having plenty of space to accommodate your machines and other bits of kits, you’ll need adequate floor space for your free weight routines and fitness classes, so don’t forget to allow for this, too.
Splurge on luxury equipment
Having the equipment you need to complete your workout of choice is essential, as not only will it make the entire process easier but it will also stop you from using not having the right kit as an excuse not to work up a sweat! All jokes aside though, having access to state-of-the-art cardio machines and strength training equipment will make the workout process smoother, more efficient and more satisfying all round, and the latest tech will help you to monitor your progress and enhance results. To begin with, a treadmill or crosstrainer, and a selection of free-weights in the form of dumbbells and kettlebells are the basic kit you’ll need, but a smith machine and some other specialised machines designed to target specific muscle groups will help you uplevel your workout routine and improve your results. Mirafit has a great selection to get you started.
Choose the finest possible flooring
Flooring is a key consideration when designing your home gym as the right choice of material will help to reduce noise as well as absorbing shock during more dynamic and explosive routines. Interlocking foam tiles are a good choice and you can even invest in removable varieties so that you can build a bespoke mat space as and when you need it and put it away neatly afterwards – but if you’re looking for flooring for the whole space that can stay put permanently then try rubber flooring or cork. These days, there are plenty of practical options available that won’t require you to compromise on the aesthetics.
Incorporate modern tech
Smart technology has transformed the way we live over recent years, adding a whole new layer of convenience and accessibility – so integrating it into your home gym in the same way you have the rest of your home is a no brainer. By connecting your fitness centre to your smart home system, you can control the temperature and lighting, as well as your choice of music, using symbol voice commands or through a few taps of your smartphone screen. A hands-off approach to controlling your environment comes in particularly handy when you’re mid-workout, meaning you won’t have to pause your routine to switch things up to suit you. Installing a large wall-mounted projector or TV screen and a hush-quality surround sound system is another great way to inject a sense of luxury into your workout experience and will ensure you never get bored – plus, you can use them to stream fitness classes if you’re in need of a little extra inspiration or motivation.
