Home gyms are here to stay, from a corner in a spare room to a club-grade spa

Garrett Miller feels very fortunate to have finished building his home gym just days before the 2020 pandemic shutdown. Working out has always been a priority for the lifelong avid rower, and he likes the convenience of a home gym.

“If you wake up early or get home late, you can get in a nice workout,” he said. “It’s important for my health, physically and mentally.”

When he and his wife, Jennifer, built their custom home in West Mount Airy in 2017, they left the basement unfinished and worked with King of Prussia-based Cunningham Architecture on a luxurious gym and spa. They planned ahead when the house was built, putting in the plumbing they would need and creating 10-foot ceilings.

Working with Rick Clendaniel at Fitness Exchange, they spent about $30,000 on club-grade gym equipment, including a treadmill, bike, Pilates reformer, arc trainer, rowing machine and weight bench with an assortment of dumbbells and kettle bells. The attached spa has a programmable infrared sauna, shower with a large rain head, and a Sonos sound system.

“We said, ‘Here’s what we like to do, here’s the space, now help us plan it,’” Miller recalled. “Everything from the ceiling fans and the way the air flows to the HVAC system, flooring and colors are about making it inviting and comforting so you are going to want to use it.”

Whether investing in a home gym that rivals a fitness center or simply converting an extra bedroom or garage into your personal workout space, home gyms became especially popular during the pandemic, when commercial gyms closed and people began spending more time at home. The 2021 Houzz Emerging Home Design Trends Report found that searches for home gyms were up 2½ times compared with 2020.

The first step is deciding what equipment you want, the space available, and your budget. Fitness Exchange, a fitness equipment retailer, offers free in-home consultations to help customers create a plan.

“The good news is, there are so many different ways to accomplish things,” said Clendaniel, general manager of Fitness Exchange, which has three Philadelphia locations. “For example, for strength, there are traditional home gyms, multistation gyms for several users at a time, and functional trainers, which are more compact and can be tucked into a corner.”

Treadmills are the most popular choice for cardio, accounting for about half of the company’s sales. If there is enough space, bikes, elliptical machines and rowers are popular additions. In a smaller space that fits just one cardio machine, dumbbells, kettle bells, resistance bands, and a pull-up station can provide an adequate workout complementing cardio and strength training.

There is a wide range in the cost of equipment, whether new or used, basic or including advanced console functions, and the structural integrity that determines the hours of day the machine can be used. The most important consideration is safety, Clendaniel stressed: The equipment chosen must stand up to the rigors of your workout.

“Be aware of entry-level treadmills that will bolt the components together, as opposed to being welded,” he said. “Over time, that can break down and become a safety hazard.”

If converting a spare bedroom on a second floor into a gym, you probably won’t need to worry about the weight of the equipment because most equipment isn’t that heavy, and the load is spread out, said Jeff Krieger, president of Krieger Architects in Chestnut Hill.

But you do need to consider the vibration noise coming through the floor, which can be a challenge in an existing house, especially if someone is downstairs.

Beyond exercise machines and weights, the most common additions are a ballet bar and mirrors, Krieger said. He also advises homeowners to be sure they have adequate heating and air-conditioning for the space, as well as natural light. Basements tend to be fairly cool year round but may not have any windows. Conversely, in an attic you can add a dormer or skylight to bring in natural light, but the space may be too warm to work out.

For those who want a home gym but have limitations in space or budget, there are lots of options, said Lizzy Greener, owner and head trainer at Homewerk Fitness in Center City. A comfortable, sturdy mat, dumbbells and kettle bells offer strength training, mobility, injury prevention, healing and sports performance work.

“Choose a medium set of dumbbells that you can biceps curl for 10 reps without it being too challenging,” she said.

With that as the base weight, add some a little lighter and a bit heavier. For cardio, a walk or run outdoors can replace a treadmill. A wall rack or hooks can hold towels and bands.

Danielle and Mike McCoy discovered Homewerk when their gym closed during the pandemic, and they started doing Zoom workouts. When they moved to Jenkintown from the city in 2021, part of their new home’s attraction was the full basketball court and tennis wall and a garage they could convert into a gym.

The McCoys installed sturdy rubber mats, a bike, pull up bar, and an array of dumbbells and kettle bells, spending about $2,000. They take Homewerk strength training classes about six times a week and use their outdoor space and the treadmill they keep in their office for cardio workouts.

“During the pandemic, I used cans of soup and flour bags but now we have real weights,” Danielle McCoy said. “It’s so convenient to have everything right here.”