Building a garden gym

Top 7 tips for building the perfect garden gym

Home gyms allow for a healthy lifestyle to be achieved from the comfort of your home, and if you create a garden gym, you won’t need to sacrifice a room within your house to do it or build an extension.

Garden gyms can be highly versatile spaces equipped to suit your particular workout needs, from running to weights, from yoga to cycling. This flexible space gives you privacy, whilst also helping you to avoid the expensive monthly gym payments, the queues for equipment, and the commuting.

Your garden gym is open whenever you need to work up a sweat, and once the investment has been made and gym equipment has been purchased, it’s entirely free. It also adds value to your home should you wish to sell in the future

Urban Escapes garden studios have the experience and expertise in creating a range of garden gyms, small and big, as well as fitness studios. We can ensure that yours is both flexible and truly set up for you.

What are the benefits of garden gyms?

1. Workout 365 days a year

A garden gym is always open, enabling you to workout whenever you want. You will no longer have to adapt to your gym’s opening hours or seasonal closures. Your own gym will be open whenever you feel inspired to workout, day or night.

2. No more queueing

Gyms can be incredibly busy, especially during peak hours, and you often find yourself waiting for the machine you wanted to become available. Having a garden gym room means you can use whatever you want, whenever you want.

3. Privacy

It can sometimes can be overwhelming going to a gym. There’s mirrors everywhere, you’re trying to lose weight from Christmas and you feel like all eyes are on you and you are being judged. It can make you feel very anxious, especially when the person next to you is running 4 speeds higher than you on an incline. In your garden gym, you will be able to work out peacefully, at your own pace, without or without a mirror and not have to worry about being watched or judged.

4. Cost

Garden gyms will have a one-off payment, but you will then not be faced with an expensive monthly membership cost. On average in the UK, monthly gym memberships are £40, and luxury gyms can be thousands a year. A garden room may be a large investment in the short term but they are durable, long-lasting, versatile, and yours to keep! This means that even in 10 years’ time if you decide you would rather have additional entertainment space or extra bedroom space when your family comes to visit, you can change it. Garden rooms also add a lot of value to your property and therefore continue to repay you in other ways.

5. No more excuses

With a gym membership there are always so many reasons to stay at home instead. A garden gym, however, is right there as and when you need it.

6. Your room won’t get cluttered

There will be no more spin bikes in the bedroom being used as a clothes rack, or work benches in the garage. You can ensure all of your equipment is stored neatly in your garden room.

7. No commute

Save time and money on your commute to the gym with a 30-second walk to your garden gym. No more commuting after a long day at work!

Do you need planning permission for an outdoor gym?

No, you don’t need planning permission to install a garden gym. We build our garden studios within permitted planning. However if you require a higher ceiling, to fit a wider range of equipment, then we can support you through the planning process. Please see full details here

7 tips for building the ideal home gym

Based on our experience of building garden gyms in and around Brighton, we believe to create the ideal garden gym, you need to consider these 8 factors:

1. Protect the floor

A home gym can include heavy machinery and weights, so ensure you protect your garden room floor with some heavy-duty rubber floor tiles. Laying them throughout will also help improve the insulation. You will find they are easy to clean and will give your gym a more professional feel.

Our garden rooms sit on a reinforced stainless steel foundation, providing not only a very solid, durable base but also a low-profile one. This means you get maximum height space inside your garden room, whilst staying within permitted development allowances. This helps to provide a strong base for your equipment, as well as allowing enough space to accommodate tall equipment. We can also offer extra floor strengthening to support heavier equipment or weights.

Using rubber floor tiles over the floor also means that if you end up choosing a different use for your studio later, such as a yoga studio, garden office or playroom, then the floor will be protected for future use.

2. Insulate & ventilate

For year-round use, you’ll need to make sure your studio is well-insulated. Our insulated garden rooms are constructed using SIP panels, creating an envelope of insulation. They also feature double-glazed doors and windows as standard. See our range here . Not only will this keep you warm in winter, but it also provides soundproofing, enabling you to work out without annoying the neighbours!

You’ll also need ventilation, especially in the summer months. Being able to open windows is a minimum – even better would be having air vents (one to let out warm and moist air, and one to draw in cool air from outside) and an extractor fan too.

3. Find a storage solution

Small spaces can quickly become cluttered, however it’s easy to keep the floor area free for your workout. You can use hooks, shelves and storage units for storing weights, towels and water bottles, and re-purpose old bookcases, cabinets, or even old metal lockers for an authentic gym look.

A place to keep additional equipment will enable you to keep your main gym area clutter-free. This could be with an internal door, meaning that the room would double up as a free space studio for dance, yoga, aerobics and a workout gym.

4. Kit it out

The best thing about having your own garden gym is you get to choose exactly what goes in your gym. Pick your favourite machines and/or select the free weights you know you need to achieve your goals, and get a crash or yoga mat for floor exercises.

Mirrors are also important for motivation, as well as checking your technique and position. A wall clock with a second hand will be handy for timing sets.

If you have enough space, you could even incorporate a small fridge to have cold drinks on hand.

5. Audio & Visual Equipment

If you like to work out to music, then consider having speakers integrated into the ceiling. This will save on floor space, while still allowing you to enjoy listening to your workout playlists. If you want a bigger distraction, then we can supply a wall-mounted TV so you can catch up with the latest news or watch your favourite series while you workout.

6. Sound on

Our studios are built with a double layer of soundproofing plasterboard. This means you can get in a high-energy workout, with the music you love, without disturbing the neighbours.

7. Garden Building Size

Consider what you would like to use your garden gym for, and how big your garden is. If you have a compact garden and just want a room to be able to lift weights or have an exercise bike or treadmill, then 3m by 3m should be sufficient. If you want enough space for an array of equipment as well as space to stretch and cool down or have a fitness studio, then we would recommend a 4m by 5m studio

Summary

Urban Escapes will work with you to create a garden room where you can exercise all year round. We can cater to your exact needs, including full mirror walls, durable rubber flooring, and storage space for multi-use rooms. We’ll even make sure there are floor sockets to avoid trailing cables, and plumbing for your water cooler, or even a shower room.

We’ll listen to your requirements and work with you to design and deliver a contemporary space you can use all year round.

Installing a home gym in a garden room will save you so much time, while allowing you to workout in the comfort and privacy of your own home.

Whether you’re implementing a new-found healthier lifestyle, or you’re a gym fanatic who is fed up with commuting to and from the gym, our garden gyms are an excellent solution.

Create an inspiring place to get fit!

If you want to start your new fitness journey with us, then we would love to talk. Call us on 01273 208776 or drop us an email at [email protected]

If you’ve set up a home gym using one of our buildings, we’d love to hear from you. Share your pictures and tips with us on Facebook.

Please call, email or find us Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Youtube. We offer a free site survey and consultation which gives you the opportunity to talk to us about your ideal garden room and for us to go through what the possibilities are. There is absolutely no obligation or pressure from us for you to proceed, we aim to make this all as easy for you as we can.

Our fantastic team build our studios from scratch, on site, usually in one week. Our lovely studios are ready to move straight into with the electrics connected to house supply and walls painted. We can tailor any of our garden rooms to suit your needs! – Grant Capsopoulos

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