One useful guideline in choosing the perfect place to do you exercise at home is to choose a space, or develop one that the program can be “lived with.” Designers of fitness programs suggest that the following three basic provisions should be made of you plan to work out at home.
Find Enough Space
Floor exercises and weight lifting take a floor area measuring approximately 7.5 by 10.5 feet. A larger area would, of course, be welcome. But to avoid bouncing off the walls you should have the space indicated. The height of the ceiling does not matter unless a trapeze or rings are to be installed. in either case, the exercise area require an 11-foot ceiling. For all other purposes, a ceiling clearance of 8 feet is adequate.
Set-Up A Mirror
A mirror set up close to the exercise area expands the space in a visual sense. More importantly, the mirror makes it possible for the person to check the accuracy of his or her exercise positions and routines when working out alone. If possible, the mirror should be six feet high by three feet wide so that it provides a full-length view.
Ensure Safety Underfoot
Because slippery floors can present major safety hazards, the footing should be tested and retested for safety. Carpeting helps unless the exercise program includes dance routines. In general, a tightly-woven, looped-pile, industrial-grade carpeting is recommended. This kind of carpeting has one major advantage over cutpile—shag or velvet surface—carpeting: the looped-pile type is more durable. Just incidentally, the looped-pile type is cheaper.
Got a space problem? No room at all for privacy while charging through a workout? No place to install and use an exercycle or treadmill? Think a minute. Can space be created? If the exercise equipment had to be stored, where would it go? Can that storage room be turned into an exercise area? A separate room isn’t necessarily the only solution. Closets may be useful in solving the no-space problem. A walk-in closet may serve as a special niche for some types of equipment. A two-foot deep enclosure can be created along a wall by installing folding doors; some equipment can then be hidden behind the barrier. When the doors are opened, presto! The area becomes a miniature gym!
Because exercise equipment has to be ready for use without much advance preparation, it may be desirable to feature it as part of the overall layout. An exercycle may be placed in a corner in a cleared space. A set of barbells may rest on a simple bench that holds them in notches for safety. Ballet bars may double as towel bars when not serving their fitness functions. For real performance and solidity, exercise benches might be recessed into the walls. They could be covered with throws when not in use.
