Designing A Space To Burn Calories At Home

Public gyms are inspiring and can be a saving grace during cold winter months when just the fact of being outside is unpleasant. But there are some drawbacks: packed changing rooms, having to wait to use equipment or, worst of all, jumping on equipment that a certain sweaty someone failed to wipe down after using.

Enter home gyms, an amenity increasingly found in finished basements in new construction on the East End. But designing a private fitness sanctuary is more complex than it may at first appear. “The most common thing that happens is people will try to compare what they’re looking for with what they’ve used before, and often our job is to translate what the industry is going towards and get the best fit,” said Norman Morrison, senior product manager at Gym Source, a gym equipment retailer, which has a store in Southampton. Fitness equipment and technology are constantly evolving and advancing, he added.

A home gym can be as simple or elaborate as a homeowner wants. A basic set-up might feature a spinning bike, a jump rope and a fold-up bench with free weights, while a more detailed one might have all that, plus a treadmill, an elliptical, and a cable machine, according to Mr. Morrison. Costs can start at $1,800 and keep climbing. “I’m standing next to a $13,000 treadmill right now,” he said over the phone. “There are treadmills that are over $25,000.”

There are a few helpful steps to take before outfitting a home fitness center. Begin by speaking with a personal trainer about what kind of workout is personally appropriate, no less what is desired. “Having an independent advocate to bounce stuff off of is important,” said Mr. Morrison. Secondly, find out what nearby companies sell equipment that they also service, because the machines will likely need to be tuned up on occasion. “An in-house service department is much more reliable and much more responsible,” he added.

Also, do not assume the local gym has the best equipment, since many buy in bulk and the technology is always evolving. Finally, when purchasing equipment, make sure the machines offer a blend of strength and cardio. “Cardiovascular equipment makes you live longer; strength training makes you younger while you’re alive,” said Mr. Morrison.

For those who could use a little more at-home motivation, Peloton indoor bikes bring the classes to the home. Peloton, which has a store in East Hampton, offers subscriptions to live and on-demand spin classes that can be watched on the bikes.

Candace Ryan has a gym that includes a Peloton bike in her Shelter Island home, where she lives with her family for the summer. “I probably use it anywhere from six to eight times a week. Some days I get two or three rides in,” she said.

“A lot of people say, ‘I’m not motivated enough to work out at home,’” but a home gym can be designed to meet anyone’s criteria, said Ms. Ryan. “You can blare your music, it’s clean, and it’s yours.”