Build a Home Gym on Any Budget

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Build a Home Gym on Any Budget

Expert Tips for Building Your Home Gym

Get the most out of your at-home exercise with these tips from Nigel Anderson of Gym Source, who has helped set up workout studios for dozens of celebs, including Janet Jackson and Demi Moore.

1. Keep your thermostat between 58 and 66 degrees.

This ensures that you aren't too hot for cardio or too chilled for stretching. If you don't have an air conditioner, run a dehumidifier in the summer to pull moisture out of the air and keep the room from smelling like, well, a gym.

2. Install a dimmer switch.

Match the lighting in the room to the mood of your routine: Brighten things up when you do high-energy cardio, and tone it down for mellow yoga sessions.

3. Mount your TV on a wall or a shelf.

Make sure the center of your screen is at eye level during your workout to help prevent neck strain.

4. Invest in rubber mats.

Prevent scratches and nicks to hardwood by placing padding on the floor (24-by-24-inch Value Lock tiles, $29 each; mygymfloor.com).

5. Install a wall mirror.

Keeping an eye on your form while you lift is key to doing perfect reps.

6. Decorate to motivate.

Frame photos of your fitness inspirations -- a favorite Olympian (hello, Michael Phelps!), a shot of you wearing that slinky little black dress -- and hang them on the walls to spur you on.

Originally published in FITNESS magazine, February 2009.