Ready to get serious about working out at home? Then continue reading all about how to create a basement home gym that you will love. Find the latest basement home gym ideas here.
You have this unused space in your unfinished basement that is definitely meant for a basement home gym, but where do you even begin?
What’s the best way to fill this space so you can get the most out of your new basement home gym without breaking the bank?
In this article we are going to go over everything you need to know, and you will find out everything you need to have in your brand new basement home gym from lighting to flooring.
We will make sure your home gym is a place you want to return back to every day so you can ultimately meet your fitness goals and live the healthy lifestyle you have always wanted (without having to drive to the gym and pay those membership fees!) Bonus!
Related: Advanced Home Gym Equipment For The Fitness Enthusiast
How To Make A Basement Home Gym
Wondering how to start designing your basement home gym? Here is the step-by-step process as to designing the basement home gym of your dreams.
- Clear the space free of all items so you have a blank slate
- Figure out the square footage of your workout space
- Make a list of your home gym equipment (that you already have and that you want to buy in the future)
- List out the measurements of the larger items that are included in your home gym (ex. Length and width of treadmill)
- Think of other things you may want to include in your home gym to make it a multipurpose room (ex: I included a desk to store my written workouts and also rest my iPad on while following along certain workouts)
- Write out your budget for anything you need to purchase
- List out items that need to be purchased with the price listed next to each item
- Draw a little sketch of what your home gym will look like
- Create a shopping list on Amazon and save your favorite items
- Update lighting if necessary
- Add more electrical boxes if you need more for gym equipment (ex: treadmill)
- Paint the walls if necessary or preferred
- Install mirrors on walls
- Put down new flooring
- Purchase what you can afford now and save the other items for another time
- Assemble and arrange new gym equipment, products, storage systems, etc. to create the basement home gym of your dreams
- Decorate the basement home gym with decor that suits your style
My Basement Home Gym Renovation + Tour
I recently did a basement home gym renovation after living in my house for over 10 years and having the same basement home gym from the time I bought my house. There was no flow, no organization and it was definitely not welcoming.
We decided to start from scratch and invest in a few new items to help spruce up the space. We have a nice collection of gym equipment but like I said, it wasn’t a functional space.
What we did was we added new flooring, installed new mirrors to the cement walls, painted over an old peg board so it was a fresh white, added new peg board accessories to hold our gym equipment and reorganized the shelf. Plus we added a new desk and chair to make the space even more usable.
We hope you get inspired by what we did in our basement home gym.
Basement Home Gym Ideas On A Budget
Gym equipment is expensive, there’s no doubt about that. But the great thing about collecting gym equipment is that it is likely to last you a lifetime.
Gym equipment rarely breaks, doesn’t go out of style and serves its purpose for years upon years. So I consider buying gym equipment an investment, an investment in yourself. But there are exercise equipment choices that are affordable, versatile and durable.
Essential Basement Gym Equipment Ideas
Bonus Gym Equipment Ideas
Small Basement Home Gym Ideas
Basement Home Gym Flooring
This is where you want to start when it comes to the design and the layout. Mark off your desired gym space with painter’s tape to get a visual of what your future basement gym is going to look like.
I recommend Tractor Supply’s horse stall mats as a durable yet comfortable floor option for your basement home gym. These come in 4×6 ft sizes, so be sure to measure it out in a way that this size mat can fit perfectly in your desired space.
Now, keep in mind the length of a treadmill and other larger pieces of equipment that you may want to include now or in the future.
And always give yourself plenty of extra open space in your basement home gym for the actual workouts you might do that don’t require any gym equipment but rather just floor space.
Whatever you think the desired amount is, add 2 ft to each side as a bonus because most likely you will measure out too little. This will give you some extra elbow room and jumping room for those high agility workout videos you may be following along on YouTube or your favorite fitness app.
You don’t need to do this, but we decided to duct tape our mat edges with Gorilla brand black tape to prevent dirt from falling into the cracks.
Home Gym In Basement With Low Ceiling
If you have a low ceiling, focus on low impact types of workouts that involve floor routines, body weight exercises, yoga, biking on a stationary bike, etc.
Just because you don’t have high ceilings for a lot of jumping, plyo and power lifting workouts, doesn’t mean you can’t work out in your basement. Invest in good flooring that is comfortable for your body when lying down.
Choose a piece of cardio equipment such as a stationary bike or a treadmill that is a lower profile to the ground. You may even find that it’s easier to attach a pull up bar to the low ceiling which will make for an easier transition between floor exercises to pull ups.
Since your basement home gym has low ceilings and overall feels small and tight, definitely invest in one if not two wall mirrors that will make the space appear double the size of what it really is.
Unfinished Basement Gym Lighting
I have had a basement home gym for over 10 years, and I never took the time to change out the lighting. All there was were two small light bulbs that made the basement dark and gave it a dungeon feel.
To be honest, I never enjoyed going down there to work out strictly because of the light. I knew if the space was light, bright and airy, it would feel more inviting.
So take the time to change out your lighting. Install new lights within the basement gym area, and buy at least 1 floor lamp that allows the light to shine up towards the ceiling with a lamp shade that is pointing up (not down).
If the space allows, get two lamps, especially if you don’t plan to have an electrician work on the space.
Here is the lamp that I bought for my basement home gym. This lamp has a dual purpose and serves as my desk lamp too.
Basement Gym No Windows
Lights and mirrors are going to be your best friends in this basement home gym. Since you don’t have windows, the space will feel like you are in a box, a box without a way out.
But when you have good lighting that has a natural ambience to it, you’ll feel like the sun is shining right in on you. The mirrors will allow the light to reflect and brighten up the space even more. If you have two available walls, buy two mirrors to fit into the space.
Another important thing to keep in mind about a basement home gym without a window is having good air flow. Purchase a small to medium sized fan that rotates to help circulate the air around the room.
If you are looking for even more basement home gym ideas, definitely check out this list of gym equipment for the luxury home gym.
*It is important to always consult your doctor before beginning any exercise program and get medical clearance. Always warm up thoroughly and stretch after all workouts. LiveCoreStrong.com and Jena Bradley will be not be responsible or liable for any injury sustained while exercising at home, gym or elsewhere. Perform exercises at your own risk.
