Tips on how to set up your very own home gym

A home gym enables you to work out in your own space and at, your own time. We look at the equipment, costs, space and other factors to be considered before setting up,

James Thomas working out in his home gym at his villa in Al Barari in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

Private, cost-effective and convenient, home gyms have grown increasingly popular in recent years, with more and more people opting to train alone, away from typical commercial centres.

But, how does one go about setting up a home gym, and is it really as easy as buying a treadmill, a mat and a few free weights?

“Not quite,” says Tiago Santos, senior equipment buyer at Al Mana Fashion Group, which counts retailer GO Sport among its brands. According to Santos, it is essential to set yourself goals and decide what kind of training you want.

“Are you looking for a cardio-based programme that will help you to lose weight, or a strength-based programme to increase muscle mass? Your answer will dictate the pieces of equipment you need to buy,” says Santos. “If you want a cardio workout, you should be looking at bikes, rowers, treadmills and steppers. If you want to lift weights, a variety of dumb-bells and resistance machines will be required, as well as an Olympic bench,” he adds.

When you have established your goals and identified the kind of equipment you need, think carefully about space. Some people are lucky enough to have separate buildings in which to house their gyms, while others might have an entire basement.

For those with less room, however, sometimes a corner in the lounge room is all that can be spared, but don’t be deterred by limited space.

“If you are going to do strength training with dumb-bells and barbells in your home gym, you need enough space to comfortably perform a full range of motions in the correct postures,” says Michele Moro, regional manager for Technogym, a gym-equipment specialist. “We believe that you should be able to work out at home without having to set up an institutional-level facility.”

Santos agrees, suggesting that the “smallest space in which to set up a home gym safely is three square metres”.

“You don’t need a huge space, but you do need room to stretch and to swing,” he says.

In terms of budget, Santos recommends putting aside approximately Dh15,000 to set up your gym.

Another option is to hire equipment. Technogym offers a rental programme through which customers can borrow a range of machines, weights and mats. Monthly fees for cardio equipment start from Dh1,700 while strength-based apparatus cost Dh1,500 upwards.

Costs can also be reduced by purchasing equipment second-hand, as James Thomas, a management consultant based in Dubai, found in August. Aiming to improve fitness levels, he and wife Sophie decided to turn their basement in Al Barari into a gym, purchasing a used treadmill, cross-trainer and bike from friends of friends and from people leaving the emirate.

“There are lots of barely used bikes and other pieces of equipment in people’s homes,” he says. “You don’t have to buy everything brand new.”

Thomas also has mats and medicine balls, and a squat rack with barbells and dumb-bells, which he shipped from the United States. Delivery took two months, however, much longer than expected, and Thomas advises anyone ordering equipment from overseas to be patient and to factor in delays.

He also heeds caution when using heavy weights. “Dropped weights can crack floors and create a lot of noise. Consider your neighbours, especially if you’re setting up a gym in an apartment block,” he says.

Michael Palmer, another Dubai resident, has a small gym in his carport in The Springs. He says he avoids using his punching bag in the evening when his neighbour’s children are sleeping.

“You have to be considerate,” he says, “and think about whether your equipment will disturb others.

“You should also consider the structure of your home. My punchbag, for example, hangs safely outside, but not all ceilings are strong enough to suspend its weight. You have to consider your environment,” he says.