With gym membership fees soaring, there’s never been a better time to create your own home gym – like Mark Wahlberg but at a fraction of the cost
Hollywood actor Mark Wahlberg once spent $2 million building a state-of-the-art gym in a former aircraft hangar at his home in Beverly Hills.
Kitted out with myriad free weights, weight machines and punchbags, and larger than many commercial gyms, it also had a mezzanine for the cardio machines. There was even a full-size boxing ring. All essential when you consider the action movies for which he has been required to bulk up.
The actor has since moved house but his latest home in Nevada is reported to have set the barbell equally high, with another amazing gym.
Set your budget
While $2 million is clearly beyond the budget of most readers of this magazine, it’s worth noting you can create your own home gym for far less. In fact, just a few hundred quid will buy you a perfectly adequate range of weights and other equipment.
Nicola Barnabo is fitness market manager at Decathlon UK, one of the nation’s leading sports equipment suppliers. “If you’re considering a complete switch to a home gym, there are substantial benefits,” he explains.
“It can be a sound investment in your health, with long-term financial savings compared to gym memberships.”
Barnabo points out how the technology of domestic gym equipment has improved enormously. “Advances in compact and folding design and a trickle-down effect of technology from professional and high-end fitness equipment means that an effective home gym is now achievable for most, regardless of space or budget constraints.”
Although he warns that solo workouts risk dampening your motivation, he says wifi technology could help. “Many cardio-focused home gym products now feature connectivity options through apps such as E-Connected, Kinomap, Zwift and FTMS, allowing for virtual training sessions, where you compete with others and track progress in real time.”
Space is a premium
Aerobic workouts are of course vital, but your home gym is likely to be in your spare room, your garage or your garden shed, with space at a premium. For that reason, keep the cardio machines to a minimum. If you need to boost your VO2max, head outside for a run or grab the skipping rope.
A primary consideration is a sturdy floor. Start with a solid base, on top of which you can place interlocking foam mats – or jigsaw mats as they are sometimes called – which will absorb the impact and sound of dropped weights. They are also easy to wipe clean of sweat.
How you decorate the walls of your fitness man cave can be the difference between a pulled muscle and a PB on the pec deck. A large mirror is essential, while a TV and stereo system will distract you from the pain.
Think about tacking motivational quotes on the walls, too, writ in letters large and bold.
“Sweat is just your fat crying”, “Go hard or go home!”, “Eat big! Lift big! Get big!”, “Winners train, losers complain”, “If the bar ain’t bending, you’re just pretending” or “Pain is just weakness leaving the body”.
Essential kit
Punchbag
The focal point of your home gym should be a heavy-duty punchbag, hanging proudly in the centre of the room. Here you will vent much of your pent-up aggression so ideally it should be leather with strong stitching, D-rings and chains.
Bench and rack combo
If you’re short of space, opt for an adjustable bench and rack combo that can be angled according to your needs and folded away after use.
Barbells
If you lack space in your home gym, you can choose a single bar with a set of plates. But a rack of individual barbells looks really impressive. You’ll be able to exercise pretty much every major muscle group with this equipment: squats, lunges, deadlifts, cleans, presses, curls.
Dumbbells
As with the barbells, an adjustable set takes up less space, but a set of individual weights looks more impressive.
Pull-up bars
These will strengthen upper-body muscles and improve grip strength. Attach them to the wall of your home gym and aim to increase reps over time.
Kettlebells
Kettlebell lifting combines strength, flexibility and aerobics in one almighty workout.
Resistance bands
Stretching, toning and strengthening – these versatile devices will work out all parts of the body.
