KITTING OUT A TRAINING TARDIS: MICRO HOME GYMS

THINK YOU NEED LOTS OF SPACE FOR A HOME GYM? THINK AGAIN!

We like to think we’re pretty good at this home-gym stuff. Most of our days are spend talking to people about how to improve their home gym, or set one up for the first time. Even when we’re training, we’re thinking about how the kit would look in a home gym.

So it makes us sad to hear people say they don’t have room for training space at home. The truth is, with a bit of innovative thought even the smallest space can become a home gym.

Here’s how to create a tardis-like gym at in a garage, shed, or spare room.

Multi-tasking kit
If you don’t have the luxury of enough space for single-use kit, look for pieces that do more than one thing. Think kettlebells, resistance bands, or a well-chosen multi gym set up like Gravity Fitness Power Tower.

Stack ‘em high
You might not have much floor space, but you can go upwards! Think about how you can utilise the vertical aspect of your gym space. Stacking dumbbells, wall mounted kit, and kit that stacks away neatly will help. We love parallettes for just that reason – you can get a lot done, then just stack them away.

No need for cardio
Your gym can be complete without a bulky bit of cardio kit. Get your heart rate up in other ways, using a jump rope, body weight exercises, or run outdoors before using your gym for resistance work.

Smart storage
You’ll need to keep a tiny gym space extra tidy. Invest in specialised storage or just use a trunk or shelves for smaller bits of kit. This will free up the floor space you do have.

Unilateral movements
A small gym might not have scope for super heavy weights. So once you’ve maxed out your kit, use unilateral movements to keep adding load and progress to your workouts.

Think outside the box
No space for a leg extension? Sit on a bench and put a dumbbell between your ankles. Wish you had a lying ham curl? Hold a dumbbell between your feet and hang from your Gravity Fitness pull up bar or pull up race. There’s an innovative idea for most challenges!

Add mirrors
Mirrors won’t increase the space, but they will make your gym look bigger and less cramped. This might make you feel more motivated to give every session more energy.

Have you transformed a tiny space into a home gym? We’d love to hear about it.