Do you miss out on exercising due to your busy schedules? Do you spend time traveling back and forth to the gym? Do you find yourself wasting time waiting to use gym equipment?
If yes, then consider building a home gym. Then you won’t have to travel or wait in line. Instead, you can work out from the comfort of your home anytime.
If your property boasts a beautiful backyard, you can utilize the space to build an outdoor home gym. Training outdoors offers several benefits, like getting your daily dose of vitamin D, helping reduce stress and lower blood pressure, and making workouts fun.
Today we will explore outdoor home gym ideas and benefits and consider factors that will help you build a personalized workout space.
7 Outdoor Home Gym Ideas to Build in Your Backyard
When building an outdoor gym, you must consider location, space available, shelter, exercise equipment, and more. Here are some home gym ideas that you can implement in your backyard.
1. Open Backyard Gym
If the weather in your location permits, an open backyard gym would be a good idea. Start with setting good flooring. You cannot place the equipment directly on the lawn as the floor could be uneven. A patio or a deck could be too hard, increasing the chances of injury.
Heavy-duty rubber flooring would be a good idea. Several rubber gym tiles and mats provide the necessary support but are water-resistant.
You can store your free weights and other equipment closest to the door that opens to the backyard. Consider getting a power rack if you want a permanent gym fixture in your backyard.
2. Repurposed Garden Shed
If you already have a garden shed in your backyard, you can repurpose the space for a home gym. You could also build a garden shed from scratch. You can choose how minimalistic or fancy you want the shed to be. You can easily find step-by-step design plans online.
You can work out regardless of the time or weather with a covered structure like a shed. You can place a squat rack, install pull-up bars, or have dip stations. You can also add shelves to store your gym equipment.
If the space permits, you can add a cardio machine for a full-body exercise routine.
Garden sheds can be small. Make sure to add a window or an opening for ventilation. The enclosed environment may increase the temperature, make it difficult to work out, and lead to a smelly gym. Thus ensure you have proper ventilation and air out the space after every workout.
3. Backyard Calisthenics Gym
An outdoor workout area like your backyard will be ideal if you are into calisthenics. You will have plenty of space to move freely with natural light and fresh air. It makes it one of our top outdoor home gym ideas.
You could invest in personal gym equipment like a power tower, dip bars, parallettes bars, skipping rope, and resistance bands.
If you have experience with calisthenics, you can invest in equipment like a calisthenic station with monkey bars, pull up, and parallel bars. If you can afford the space, you could opt for calisthenics rigs. For example, these rigs have push bars, barbell racks, gymnastic rings, a climbing rope tower, and a human flag bar.
These calisthenics equipment are designed to be placed outdoors. So it typically has a strong steel frame, is powder coated, and is weather resistant.
If you still want to be able to use your backyard for other events, consider buying smaller pieces of equipment. And if you are dedicating the space to a home gym, opt for full-fledged calisthenics rigs.
4. Transformed Laundry Room
If you have a laundry room in your backyard, then general requirements like electricity will already be addressed. You have to take care of flooring and placing gym equipment.
If you want to continue using the laundry room for its intended purpose and a home gym, you need to get smart with equipment placement. First, search for home gym layout plans.
For example, if you have around 250 sq. ft of free space, you can find floor plans in a power cage, cardio, or isolation machine. Also, consider using wall mounts for storing barbells and weight plates for better space utilization.
If you can only afford about 100 sq. ft, you can still fit in a home gym with that area. For example, you can fit in a squat rack, weight bench, free weights, and a spin bike.
It all depends on if you want to completely transform your outdoor laundry room or utilize available free space for the home gym.
5. Outdoor Yoga and Pilates Studio
If you are into yoga or plates, it gives you much more flexibility regarding location. You do not have to worry about heavy equipment or cardio machines that take up much space. Instead, you can set up the area with lighter equipment like a yoga mat, exercise balls, foam rollers, sliding discs, pilates rings, and resistance bands.
You can use your existing patio or deck as your workout space. You could utilize the room that opens to the backyard as a studio space. This way, you work out in a sheltered area while enjoying the benefits of working outdoors.
If you are looking for a dedicated space, you could build a structure in your backyard as your yoga studio. For example, you could have a simple structure like a shed with no walls or a partial closing. These can be budget-friendly options.
Or, if you want an upscale room, you could build a shed with glass walls. Again you can find floor plans for these structures online.
6. Upcycle Backyard Deck
You can upcycle the area for your workout sessions if you have a backyard deck. However, as mentioned above, the flooring could be hard on your body. So investing in gym tiles or rubber mats is a must.
You can use your deck space if you want to perform yoga or bodyweight exercises. You do not have to make any alterations.
But if you want an outdoor gym for long-term use, consider adding a roof to make the space durable. Then, depending on the area available, you can place a multi-function home gym machine, cardio, and isolation machines. Ensure the devices are adequately covered when not in use. Or, look for portable designs.
A sheltered outdoor deck area provides the comfort of working inside a gym. But, simultaneously, you enjoy the benefits of working outside, like fresh air and natural light.
7. Outhouse Home Gym
If you have an outhouse on your property, you can use the space to build a fully-functional gym right in your backyard.
You can add a home gym machine and cardio machines. You can add a television or a music system for entertainment, a sauna, and a bathroom. You can utilize the rooftop of the outhouse for yoga, pilates, or stretching.
The outhouse could be the area where you exercise, unwind and relax. As basic needs like electricity, ventilation, and plumbing are handled, the site could double up as your home office.
Search for home gym floor plans depending on the free space available. It will help you better utilize your outhouse.
Why Should You Build an Outdoor Home Gym?
Are you still wondering if an outdoor gym will be the right choice for you? Here are some benefits that can help you decide.
1. Natural Lighting and Fresh Air
If you do not like working indoors in enclosed spaces, an outdoor gym will be ideal. You can work out when the sun is shining bright. In addition, you do not have to worry about installing air conditioning and high energy bills.
2. A Healthy Alternative
Did you know some studies have found that working out outdoors can lower a person’s blood pressure? It can also help reduce stress.
Exercising outdoors in the morning can help your body create vitamin D essential for healthy bones.
3. No Smelly Gyms
Enclosed spaces like a home gym can start smelling quickly. The lack of ventilation, poor hygiene standards, and your sweat flying all around can create smelly rooms.
With natural ventilation in open backyard gyms, you bid that foul smell goodbye. However, it would be best if you made it a habit to regularly wipe down and clean gym equipment to maintain its durability.
4. Improved Performance
Exercising outdoors is easy on your body as well. As your body’s heart rate and blood pressure do not spike up much, the same set of exercises may feel less challenging outside.
It can help you push your endurance and level up your fitness routine.
5. Helps Deal with Insomnia
Working out may reduce insomnia. Adding sunlight and fresh air to the mix may help alleviate the condition and improve sleep quality.
What Factors to Consider When Building an Outdoor Home Gym?
So, you have decided to build a home gym. Here are some consideration factors to help you get started.
1. Local Regulations
If you already have a garden shed or an outhouse on your property, you can turn the space into your home gym and utilize the area as you, please. But if you are building a structure from scratch, please check with the local authorities first.
There could be limitations on how big or tall the structure can be. And you may also need to get the construction approved beforehand.
2. Space Available
The type of outdoor home gym you can build depends on the free space available. You should have ample room to move around besides the machines and gym equipment
So always consider space before investing in a gym machine. For example, if you have a small garden shed, you may be unable to fit a power cage. Instead, opting for a half rack and free weights for more functionality would be best.
3. Shelter
Choosing a sheltered or unsheltered outdoor gym depends on the weather conditions and preference. If rain and snow are an issue, placing heavy machines outside will not be ideal. They are better suited in an outhouse or repurposed laundry room.
If working out in an open environment is a priority for you, then opting for something like a calisthenics gym will be ideal.
4. Flooring
Flooring is an essential part of any gym, indoors or outdoors. A supportive flooring will help place the equipment on an even surface and be good for your joints. Rubber, foam, and carpets are popular gym flooring choices.
Summary
You can work out with an outdoor gym in your backyard whenever you want. You can work out with your partner, children, or friends. It is also a fun option to vary your workout routine.
You can enjoy fresh air, natural lighting and ventilation, improved workout performance, better mood, and sleep quality.
We hope the outdoor home gym ideas we discussed above inspire you to build your home gym.