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How To Build Your Own Gym For Your In-Home Personal Training Business

When it comes to in home personal training, you want a gym that stands out from the rest. No one wants to pay a certified personal trainer to work out in a gym that doesn’t feel or look appealing, but if you have a good home gym, you can attract many new and interested clients for fitness training.

home workout gym machines on wooden floor

The nice thing about a home gym is that you don’t have to pay gym membership fees or rental fees. Once you get a solid client base, you can provide individualized personal training sessions for those interested. Another bonus is that you can use the gym whenever you want without having to make a trip to a public gym.

A nice home gym is a personal trainer’s dream, and there are many things to consider to develop a good home gym. You need good equipment, a clean atmosphere, music to back up your workouts, a source of hydration, and efficient lighting.

You’ll also have to be keeping your budget in mind while you’re building up your home gym. Sometimes people like to purchase everything upfront, while others like to look for sales as they come along. When it comes to a home gym, how you use your space is important. If you don’t have a massive space for your equipment, you’ll need to get creative.

Where Can You Build Your Home Gym?

Spare Room

Some people without a massive basement or garage build their gyms inside a spare room. While it might not be the best option for bringing clients in to work out, it’s still a good start. Ensure that you’re comfortable bringing clients through your home.

The benefit of a spare room for your gym is that the costs are pretty low to get it started. One thing to keep in mind is that if you’re renting the home, the tenancy agreement might get in the way of using the room or home as a business. You’ll want to take a close look at your agreement before investing in a bunch of gym equipment.

Gym Garage

A garage gym is a popular way to start a home gym. If you don’t use it for vehicles, garages tend to have a lot of open space that you can use to store equipment and other things. Keep in mind that things will get very cold in the winter months, so working out in the garage will reflect that.

The same goes for exercising in the summer months. If you don’t have air conditioning in the garage, things can get uncomfortable quickly when the temperatures begin to rise. You’ll also need to keep in mind that your gym equipment can get rusty if the conditions are damp inside the garage.

You can purchase a portable air conditioner to start using in your gym, perfect for those that don’t want to spend a lot of money getting central air conditioning.

An Exterior Building

If you have a shed or another type of exterior building, this makes it perfect for starting a home gym inside of it. It will cost a little more to get started, but you can make the environment solely dedicated to working out with clients.

With an exterior building as a home gym, clients will take your business more seriously because they see what a nice operation you have. If you’re thinking of starting an exterior building used for a home gym, talk to contractors to see if you can find the best quote to get the job done.

Pamela Aitcheson is one personal trainer that decided to build a cabin right in her garden to train her clients. All it took was 4×3 meters to get good workouts in.

Gym Equipment

When it comes to gym equipment, keep your budget in mind and the clients you’re working with. Always test out a bunch of different products to ensure the equipment will work for you and everyone else that will be using it.

Commercial-grade gym equipment will last a lot longer than regular equipment, but it will end up costing more. You can save money by purchasing used gym equipment, but sometimes you might get ripped off with some of the used machines that are already well beyond their lifespan.

different types of gym equipment placed in a large room

Used Gym Equipment

Purchasing used gym equipment is a wise choice for those that are on a strict budget. Sometimes you can find decent deals from people who want to get rid of their equipment. Always do your research about the brand of the equipment that you’re purchasing from.

You might also be able to find deals by visiting your local gyms and seeing if they want to get rid of any of their older equipment at a cheaper price. Large gyms always want to upgrade their equipment, and this is a good and creative way to get your own equipment at a fair price.

Building Your Own Equipment

Sometimes people create their own workouts with various objects. Building your own workout equipment doesn’t have to be overly complicated. A couple of pull boxes and weight plates can go a long way when it comes to exercises. If it’s in the middle of summer, you can also use certain equipment to do outdoor exercises.

Purchasing Equipment From Resellers

If you’re willing to spend a little more, purchasing your gym equipment from a retailer will go a long way in ensuring that your clients will get a good workout in. Many retailers also have warranty packages on the products they offer, so you can be sure that you have a backup if your equipment breaks down.

Flooring For Your Home Gym

Getting proper flooring for your home gym is one of the most important things to consider. Clients will be dropping weight plates, jumping around, spilling water, and creating exercise havoc on the floor, so find flooring that is resistant and durable.

The flooring should also have noise absorption in it. Rubber mats are a good choice for this. Horse stall mats are another thing to consider.

If you or your clients will be doing a lot of deadlifting in the gym, consider purchasing a deadlifting platform to do them on. These can be a little expensive to purchase, so you might want to consider making one out of stacked plywood instead. You can also include your logo on the platform.

Picking Paint Colors

The paint color you choose for your home gym can set the tone for your workouts. Bright colors like yellow and orange can help to energize your workout, while blue and green can create a more calming atmosphere and help you focus.

Dumbbells

Dumbbells are a hallmark of any gym. They don’t take up a ton of space and you can use them for almost any exercise you include them in. Dumbbells can be nicely stored on a dumbbell rack that you can place against a wall. For those who don’t have a ton of space for storage, consider adjustable dumbbells instead.

Kettlebells

Kettlebells are another thing that you should include in your home gym. These are perfect for beginners, and you can incorporate them into several different exercises. They are also used for teaching people how to do Olympic lifts properly.

A good home gym will go a long way in ensuring your workout and your client’s workouts will be the best that they can be.