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You’re tired of driving to a gym that’s absolutely crammed with people. You have to wait patiently to hop on a treadmill or use the weights for only a few minutes at a time. Sometimes, you feel like you wait more than you work out. You wish you didn’t have to share a gym with so many people.
When you build yourself a home gym, you don’t have to share. Here’s how you can build one in your backyard.
Get a Shipping Container
A shipping container is the perfect base structure for your at-home gym. It’s sturdy, weather-resistant and ready-made. You can save yourself some construction time by getting yourself a container and modifying it to suit your needs.
Where can you get the container? Go to a website like Boxhub to browse through shipping container options that are nearest to your location. Carefully consider the size. There are two standard container sizes: 20 feet and 40 feet. You’ll want something that will fit in your backyard without trouble and hold all of the gym equipment you’ll need.
The height of the container is also an important consideration. Containers come with two height options: standard-height and high-cube. Standard-height containers are approximately 8 feet high, while high-cube containers are 9 feet high. If you need some extra ceiling height — like if you’re planning on jumping rope for exercise — then a high-cube container could be better.
Make Improvements
Once the container is delivered, you’ll want to convert it into a functional workout space. This will involve pouring a concrete slab foundation, adding wall insulation, inserting electrical wiring, and installing doors and windows. After that, you can make improvements to fit your workout needs.
What improvements should you make? These are some ideas to consider.
AC Unit
You’re going to work up a sweat in your home gym. To stay cool, you should install an AC unit inside the container. This should keep the indoor air fresh and prevent you from getting too overheated whenever you work out.
Rubber Flooring
Rubber is a great material for gym flooring. It’s easy to clean, so you’ll be able to wipe away sweat without worry. Another one of the benefits of rubber flooring is that it absorbs sound, so you won’t make as much noise when you’re running, jumping or dropping weights. You can either install sheet rubber flooring or rubber tiles.
Mounted Screen
If you want to follow workout classes from a distance, you should install a large flat-screen TV on your gym wall. As long as you can connect to your home’s internet, you can cast fitness workout videos from your smartphone to your television. You can bring in a gaming console and do video game workouts. Or you can simply stream your favorite shows while jogging on a treadmill.
Another tech-savvy option you should consider is a smart fitness mirror. Smart fitness mirrors display a professional trainer that will guide you through your workouts.
Get Your Gym Equipment
Once your container is set up, you’ll want to fill it with your gym equipment. Choose compact equipment items so you can capitalize on space as much as possible. For instance, instead of getting a bulky treadmill like at the gym, get a flat or foldable walking pad. You can prop it up against a wall and out of the way when you don’t need it.
Having a gym in your own backyard means you’ll never have to commute to a crowded gym again. You won’t have to share equipment and space with so many people. You won’t have to pay for a gym membership or class fees. It’ll be so much easier to walk into your backyard and work out for as long as you please.
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This content is brought to you by Rob Teitelman
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