So you’re ready to get proactive, take your fitness in your hands, and build your very own home gym! You’re definitely not alone – the home fitness movement has been spreading like crazy, and it’s no wonder! Instead of gathering your workout bag, driving to a gym, finding a parking space, and wiping down other people’s sweat from those machines, etc., you can simply get up, go to your living room or garage, and get busy!

We’re going to be looking at a couple different living situations (tons of room, no room, on a budget, etc.) and help you create the perfect workout space for you. For the first blog in this series, we’ll be talking about small spaces. And we mean small – studio apartment small, corner of a tiny room small, cupboard-under-the-stairs small (well, maybe not that small). The fact is, even if you don’t have that much room to work in, with the right equipment you can create the perfect home gym for your small space. Here’s how!

The Hidden Bench

A great place to keep extra weights, resistance bands, jump ropes, medicine balls, or any other fitness accessory, is in a storage bench. The beauty of these benches is that they’re made in many styles to match your decor, yet are totally functional with a hidden storage space in them. Many times, they are sold as end-of-the-bed furniture, but work perfectly for your new hidden gym. And if you can find one with lockable wheels on the bottom, even better! You can roll it out for a handy workout surface to do your dumbbell flys, tricep dips, and more. And when you’re done, just throw everything back in there and hide it away again.

Adjustable Weights

One of the largest, clunkiest, take-over-your-roomiest pieces of workout equipment are weights. Dumbbells, Barbells, Kettlebells, and other weights are heavy, bulky, and typically need to occupy a lot of your floor space. Now this is all fine and dandy if you’ve got a great big suburban house or a massive garage, but what if you’re stuck in a teensy-weensy apartment? Luckily, there are several adjustable options out there that save you space (and quite a bit of money). For example, kettlebell converters like this one are small and sturdy handles that attach to any dumbbell. You can also get snap-on, adjustable dumbbell sets that fit about 4-5 dumbbells in about the size of a shoebox.   

Work Those Walls

As any space-saving DIY list will tell you, you’ve gotta maximize your usable space by building upwards. Tall, thin shelves are always better than low, wide ones. But you already knew that! Let’s go one step further: you can actually install workout equipment in your wall fairly easily and unobtrusively. For example, if you’ve ever wanted to do a Barre workout from home, it’s simple! Just pop your bar up on your wall, find some studs, and drill! Another great semi-permanent yet removable fixture you can add to your apartment is a pull-up bar. And don’t worry if you can’t do pull-ups, just throw up some TRX straps on the bar and get to work! 

Get Out-of-the-Way Equipment

There are several types of workout equipment that can be hidden away and stored for later use. A yoga mat, a step platform, bosu ball, push-up stands, ab rollers, foam rollers, and even some rowing machines can be folded up or placed out of the way until your next workout. Remember, if you’re working with a small space, you’d better get small, collapsible equipment that’s meant for quick and efficient storing.

Try No-Equipment HIIT Workouts

One very simple way to create a home gym in a small space is to create an invisible one! With a fast-paced and concentrated HIIT workout, you can sweat up a storm, work your full body, and get those serious gains with no equipment whatsoever! All you’ll need is a small corner of carpet or a yoga mat, and the right teachers like everyone here at Studio SWEAT onDemand.

With our endless library of onDemand, streaming workouts, with fitness classes such as Bootcamp, Kickboxing, HIIT, TRX®, Spin®, Yoga, Pilates, and many more, you can get your sweat on in the comfort of your cozy little casa. Our passionate trainers are sure to push you to your very edge (while keeping you coming back for more), and our endless selection of workouts will keep you surprised and satisfied for a good long time. Sign up for our 7-Day Free Trial, and let’s turn that studio apartment into a powerhouse gym!