These days, almost everyone is working out at home. The home gym has become essential to staying happy, healthy, and sane as we roll into month nine of the pandemic. But what if you need a little more space? If you are worried about swinging around weights in your living room then you might want to consider a garage gym. Below, the Overhead Door Company of Charleston has put together a quick guide to help you create the ultimate muscle factory in your garage.
Climate Control
Whether you want to crank the heat up for some hot yoga or keep it cool for a cardio session, having a properly-insulated door that maintains the temperature you want is key to building the perfect garage gym. Choosing a model from our Thermacore series of doors can do just that. With their sandwich steel construction and between-section seals, they are the premier choice for creating and maintaining your ideal workout environment.
It’s Lit
If the weather’s nice, feel free to open the door up and let the natural light stream in. If the weather is icky, however, you’re going to need other options. Luckily, Overhead Door offers hundreds of window varieties and placement options to keep natural light streaming into your home gym. To take things to the next level, consider Envy™ Model 956 for a floor-to-ceiling view of the outdoors.
If you’re still in need of a little extra light indoors, consider the following when picking out bulbs and fixtures:
- A general rule of thumb is to use 130 to 150 lumens per square foot of workspace.
- For a neutral-colored light similar to what you’d find at an actual gym, opt for bulbs that are roughly 5000k (Kelvin) in temperature.
- LED bulbs are the best choice for both energy-efficiency and environmental friendliness.
Hit The Floor
Adding a layer of protection on top of your garage floor is crucial to saving it from the damage associated with dropping heavy weights — if that is the route you choose to go workout-wise. On most home gym floors, you’ll find one of the following: foam tiles, Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) tiles, or thick rubber mats — each of which will offer varying levels of protection based on the thickness. Regardless of which material you choose, make sure the tiles are easily-detachable from one another in case things need to be rearranged quickly.
Only Buy the Essentials
Once your space is ready, you might be tempted to go all-out and buy every piece of equipment that you think you might need. Instead, think about your day-to-day exercise routine and make your purchases accordingly. For instance, if you’re a devoted yogi, a full weight rack might not make sense. If you aren’t sure, stick to the basics: light dumbbells and kettlebells, a jump rope, yoga mat, and foam roller.
If you need help putting together your ideal home gym in your garage, call the Overhead Door Company of Charleston today.