Creating a home gym to help achieve your fitness goals? Avoid these 5 common mistakes and set up a gym that you will actually want to use.

DO NOT BUY THIS!!!

1) Buying equipment before measuring the space and planning a layout.
Once you’ve decided which room in your house is going to become the gym, carefully measure and diagram it, including doorways. Then make a rough plan on how you wish to lay out your equipment within the space, noting range of motion you’ll need in all directions for moving parts like arms and cables. There’s no worse feeling than buying a piece of equipment, getting it home and realizing that you can’t get it past a narrow doorway, fit it in the gym, or be able to use it effectively in that space.

2) Buying any single stack multi exercise piece. (See photo)
You’ve all seen those machines that claim to be able to do every exercise invented and work every muscle in your body. The simple truth is, they can’t make good on those claims. Plus, they’re big, bulky, expensive and by fusing so many arms, extensions, benches, etc together, the manufacturer has compromised the range of motion of each exercise rendering it ineffective. Instead, spend the money on a functional trainer with good accessories.

3) Buying the cheapest or most expensive equipment on market without research.
When it comes to gym equipment, especially larger items such as cardio machines, Pilates reformers, cable machines, you will find a tremendous range in price. Never buy the cheapest piece available. There is always a reason why a piece may be really cheap, usually it means that it’s been made with poor components, thus will break easily and rarely delivers on those claims. Regarding expensive equipment, foreign brands like Technogym will rarely be worth the money spent.  You’re paying for the high-end platinum look but Technogym equipment is poorly constructed and frequently breaks. Repairs are mind-boggling as few people here know how to repair this Italian brand properly and any replacement parts must be shipped from Italy.  Always research all potential buys, read reviews and make an educated decision.

4) Forgetting your floor.
Flooring in a potential gym is important as well. Think about it this way, your aim is to sweat in the gym right? What is easier to clean, a rubberized mat floor or a carpet? Go for rubber – it’s a breeze to thoroughly clean with a mop and it will protect floor below from the equipment, tile may be easy to clean, but drop a weight by mistake and say goodbye to the tiles. Only purchasing one large piece of equipment (vs. committing a larger space to weights, etc) grab an appropriately sized rubber mat for underneath, for the additional benefit of minimizing bounce. Neighbors below will thank you!

5) Not buying necessary “accessories.”
You’ve spent the money on the equipment so don’t skimp on the accessories. In order to fully utilize most pieces, accessories are necessary. If you’ve purchased a functional trainer, the 2 single handles that come standard will not allow full use of the machine. Order the additional pieces such as a rope handle, ankle straps and a straight bar. Also, a stability ball can serve as an inexpensive alternative to a bench in many exercises if you spent all your money on a functional trainer and/or weight set.

Still seems daunting? No worries, contact us at info@fitnessandfuel-la.com and we’ll simplify the process of installing your home gym, ensuring you maximize the utility of the gym based on your goals, available space and budget.