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Gyms:
Exercise Your Options
Text and photos excerpted from Design
Ideas for Basements by Wayne Kalyn
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| Photo by Phillip H. Ennis; designer: Siskin-Valls,
Inc., provided by Creative Homeowner |
The best bonus from putting an exercise room
in your basement is not the money you will save on gym memberships
or the time you save on trips to the health club. Rather,
it’s that you’ll find time to work out. For some
reason, people who put in a gym, as opposed to a treadmill
in the bedroom, tend to actually use it.
CREATE A COMFORT ZONE
Concrete slab floors found in most basements are a blessing
and a curse. They can support the heavy workout machines,
but they are hard to stand on for long periods of time. Whatever
you put down should be able to take a lot of wear and tear.
Vinyl or rubber tiles at least 3/8-inch thick are a practical
and inexpensive option: they offer more protection and cushion
than carpeting and are maintenance free. (A few swipes of
a damp rag will clean them.)
VENTILATION AND LIGHT
Planning your gym in a section of the basement that has several
operable windows serves two purposes: looking outside takes
your mind off of the workout and opening a window allows you
to get fresh air in a room that can quickly get stuffy and
stale. Window treatments such as wooden shutters or miniblinds
will allow you to screen out the sun during the hot summer
months. If windows aren’t an option, arrange electrical
outlets to include a large overhead fan. Standing oscillating
fans can also take the heat off when doing a tough workout.
WIRING
If you are a dedicated aerobic dancer, then make sure to upgrade
and arrange wiring, cable and receptacles so that you can
easily use a TV and a DVD player or VCR. Many people like
a little entertainment to take the boredom out of their exercise
routine, too. Integrate wiring from your media room into your
gym layout, so you can listen to music while working out.
Flush-mounted speakers in the ceiling or speakers mounted
in the four corners of the room provide rich sound without
getting in the way of your gym equipment. If you spend a lot
of time on the treadmill, fixing a TV on a swiveling, ceiling-mounted
corner bracket allows you to view the set from anywhere in
the room.
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| Photo provided by Creative Homeowner, courtesy
of Precor |
GYM EQUIPMENT
To accommodate your cardiovascular and strength-training needs,
you will probably want one or two cardio machines and either
a set of dumbbells or a weight-lifting station. A stationary
bike remains an evergreen among home gym enthusiasts because
it takes up little space and can be used by those who suffer
from knee, hip, lower back or weight problems. Elliptical
trainers and treadmills are the most popular cardio machines.
Treadmills are perhaps the most versatile, allowing you to
either walk or run on them. To prevent workout boredom, it
is wise to have more than one machine.
In terms of strength training, you have two
options: free weights (dumbbells and a bar and metal weights)
or an all-in-one weight-lifting station with a bench. If you
will be working out alone most of the time, the latter is
probably the best choice because you don’t have to worry
about being crushed under the bar if the weight is too heavy.
 More
great ideas on finishing basements can be found in Design
Ideas for Basements by Wayne Kalyn, 2004 by Creative
Homeowner, available in bookstores or from Creative Homeowner,
24 Park Way, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458; (800) 631-7795;
www.CreativeHomeowner.com
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