Home Gym in the Garage
For a couple of weeks now, the charge of "P90X baby...bring it!" has rung out in out basement, as we both embark on the fitness craze that is the beachbody workout by Tony Horton. The workouts consist of jump training, pull ups, and several other activities that call into question our commitment to a home gym in the basement. Our biggest problem is height.
Take the pull up bar, for example. Even though we have it installed (attached to the ceiling joists in the basement), when you factor in the headroom and the suspended ceiling, it hangs at about 6 feet or so. It works, and you don't have to duck to get under it, but when you hang there for a pull up, you literally have to keep your knees at a 45 degree angle or better if you don't want to hit the floor. Then there is the jump training, which I haven't gotten to yet, but with the low ceiling seems like a recipe for disaster. Even overhand stretches are difficult because you can reach the ceiling.
So, without the basement, nor a dedicated extra bedroom or office, we've started to think about the garage. It has the space, it has the height. But there are a few considerations to keep in mind. First, we live in Wisconsin. It gets cold here in the winter. So we'll need to fully insulate the walls and the garage doors, as well as the storage area above the ceiling. Even then, we'll have heating concerns. We can look to space heaters or something like that, but we'll have to be careful about what we do and how we use them safely.
After the space would be heated and insulated, the floor comes to mind. Right now, it's a concrete slab. We'll need something for warmth and comfort. I mean, as you do crunches, overhand reverse curls, triceps lifts and oblique crunches, you need something to lay on. One novel idea I read about is to look into horse pads. These are 4x6 or 6x8 pads designed for the bottom of a horse carrier or stable. These will support the weight of any equipment you have, as well as provide some support, but they are not light and a little cumbersome to move around.
I'm not sure where we'll end up with this. The idea has appeal, but so does being able to keep the van in the garage during the winter snows. It would be a innovative idea to get used to, but if it keeps the fitness goals on track, we need to do whatever it takes.
