After a long day of work, taking the additional time to drive to your nearest gym can be an inconvenience. A basement home gym is the perfect solution. It provides ample space for all of your gym needs. The layout, style, and comfort level will depend on whether your basement is finished or unfinished.
Unfinished basements may lack walls, heating and air, and flooring. But the unfinished and open concept may be ideal for all of your workout machines, weights, and gear. A finished basement, however, will already have flooring and walls (limiting the amount of space for your basement home gym). But with the added luxury of heating, air, and proper ventilation.
Designing the Space
A good in-home gym does not necessarily require a lot of area space. You may choose one room in your finished basement for the gym, or the entire open area of your unfinished basement. Flooring is important, though not mandatory. If your budget allows, opt for softer flooring that will be better for your joints (for instance, interlocking foam tiles or rubber flooring). If updated flooring is not in the budget, purchase several yoga mats to ensure a comfortable space for floor exercises. Adding mirrors to some of the walls will help with your form while exercising and also make the basement gym feel larger.
Adding Equipment
Before starting on the gym, consider which equipment is essential for your basement home gym. This list may include yoga mats, towels, surround sound, mounted TV, weight racks with varying weights, benches, yoga balls, elliptical bike, stationary bike, and treadmill. You may want to create different stations by placing the treadmill in one corner, weights in one, and the bench in another. You can best utilize the space by planning out the layout of the equipment in advance.
Below are a few links to products and equipment to help begin your search for the perfect equipment:
- Yoga mats: This option is one of Amazon’s best selling yoga mats and includes a removable strap and ½” thick padding to comfortably support you during workouts.
- Weight racks: Choose a weight rack that has a decent amount of storage as you may add additional weights over time. This affordable dumbell rack from Amazon will fit perfectly in the corner of your gym and has plenty of space for a variety of weights. This option is great for a larger budget, a more professional gym look, and heavier weights.
- Workout bench: When it comes to benches there are many varieties to choose from. This option is budget friendly and includes a foot holder and a moveable backrest.
- Gym mirrors: This 30” x 40” mirror is only $115 and is the perfect size for an in-home gym.
- Treadmill: There are so many websites offering treadmills and cardio equipment ranging from relatively affordable to incredibly expensive. If you have a tight budget, consider searching Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace. Some good websites for treadmills include NordicTrack, Amazon, Walmart, and Dick’s Sporting Goods.
Organization
One of the simplest ways to make a smaller space feel larger is through organization. Wall shelving and racks add additional storage for extra gym equipment to keep the floor and corners clear.
