The COVID-19 pandemic made a profound impact on virtually every aspect of daily life. One of the most significant changes has been to how we work out. Fortunately for many of you, running wasn’t really affected as running outdoors was considered a safe activity early on. Running outdoors was a mental, emotional, and physical savior to so many of us during those stressful times. With traditional gyms and fitness centers closed for much of the pandemic, many people turned to home gyms to cross-train, stay healthy and reduce stress.
Prior to the pandemic, home gyms were a relatively niche market, primarily appealing to serious fitness enthusiasts who were willing to invest in high-quality equipment for their homes. And for the “Rocky 4, lifting things you find in your yard” kind of exerciser.
The demand for home gym equipment skyrocketed. According to a report by ResearchAndMarkets.com, the global home gym equipment market size is expected to grow by over $3 billion from 2020 to 2024.
Part of the appeal of home gyms during the pandemic was convenience and safety. Another factor driving the popularity of home gyms was the availability of online workout classes and virtual training sessions. With many fitness studios and personal trainers offering virtual options, people have been able to access high-quality (we hope) instruction and guidance from professionals worldwide from the comfort of their own homes.
I hope this article will help to spark a creative light in you to re-look at your home gym space or consider getting one. I know I did, and thankfully I have a wife with a great design eye to put it all together. I don’t miss driving to the gym, waiting for equipment, or wasting time talking. My space is designed for my needs and the needs of my family and we all love it. If it were left up to me I would have utilized a professional.
I wanted to get input from a longtime friend and industry colleague, Jacob Guarjardo from Gym Spaces Design & Consulting. When I asked him about the home gym trends here is what jacob had to say about
“Like all things, technology has changed the experience for the home consumer. Of course, Covid pushed that even more with three factors leading the way: Better technologies, Virtual offerings, and portable/smaller equipment. However, on the flip side, the resurgence of body weight training gave the home consumer more affordable options as less equipment is needed.
Fortunately or unfortunately, there are many (too many) options available online for the home exerciser. Many “influencers”, usually looking great in tank tops and sports bras, claiming they are fitness experts and promising results. It is so hard to cut through all the noise to see what is right for you. Some of these trainers are great, and help many people, but some…not so much. I always lean toward getting professional help to set you in the right direction and help guide you. At the very least get an assessment done to know where you truly are in need in your health and where to put your focus, the proverbial “lowest hanging fruit”.
Now, if you have known me for a while you know that I am a proponent of building Foundational health and strength for all humans. To do that you need to look at all aspects of health and lifestyle (a topic for another newsletter). If you need some guidance or have questions shoot me a message.
Let’s go back to Jacob and see where to begin if you want to design a home gym. Jacob says, “Start with deciding on where you want to exercise. What area in your home do you think you can not just dedicate to exercising but where would you feel comfortable and motivated to exercise?”
Once the space is picked out and you know what type of training you would like to do, it’s design time. Jacob goes on to say “Once my clients know what style of exercise they will be doing then as I designer I can create the space they need.”
Below are three spaces Jacob designed, all the exact same size 12′ x 20′ (similar to a standard garage). Each space has a different design to help meet a specific fitness goal.
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