How much space do you need for a home gym?

whmscll

Do you think I could fit a squat rack, rack to hold plates, bench and a spin bike or equivalent into a 7.5 x 8.5 foot space? I'm only 5'5" so the rack doesn't need to be tall.

richln

Probably not. An olympic bar is 7'2". Even if you did manage to fit all of that into that space, it would be so cramped that it would be difficult to load and unload the bar.
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/32220646#Comment_32220646

Sumiblue

That's small. I have a 8.5 x 9.5' room that I use. I chose a power cage because it's more vertical & has a smaller footprint. I have a bench & my plates are just on the floor but I'm planning on getting a plate rack. I have just enough room on the sides to put the weights on and off the Olympic bar. The 9.5' depth leaves me enough room to pull the bench out of the cage so I can squat or DL in the cage. I don't think I would have enough space for a spin bike, too. I keep any extras like spring clips, fractional wts, foam rollers, bands, step risers, etc in the room's closet. I have just enough room in there to do HIIT workouts in front of the cage but sometimes it gets tight, depending on what I'm doing.

iofred

You might if you make it two separate poles for the Olympic bar, rather than a rack, so you can put those out of the way when not in use, but the room is very small. I have 2 rooms as my home gym, and even there I struggle with space, but that is because my equipment appears to be expanding. Have you considered a multi-gym??

shor0814

Half rack turned diagonally and a simple bench tsar you can place against a wall on end when not in use . It will be tight but might work for you.

rileyes

I have this one from Dick's:
http://t.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=23773346
You can get a bench that tilts up against the wall. Your space is very tight, though. And, as @Sumiblue said, it may be challenging to get the weights on and off. Also does your space have headroom for the unit?

I would consider placing your spin bike in another part of the house. Maybe integrate it like a sculptural piece?

xmichaelyx

Depending on your goals, you could use a 1" bar instead of an Olympic bar. They are usually significantly shorter, but can hold less weight (and may or may not fit whatever style uprights you use).

I did this for a few years when I had very little room. It's fine unless you want to lift heavy.

rileyes

Or my favorite: Landmines! You can use your Olympic barbell with a Landmine sleeve (about $30 on Amazon.com) with your weight set. <---This is what I would do for your space. Then you would have plenty of room for spinning and floor work like Kettlebells.

883xlsportster

rileyes wrote: »

Or my favorite: Landmines! You can use your Olympic barbell with a Landmine sleeve (about $30 on Amazon.com) with your weight set. <---This is what I would do for your space. Then you would have plenty of room for spinning and floor work like Kettlebells.

Can't go wrong starting out with a landmine setup IMO.

whmscll

Thanks for all the suggestion! Looks like I'll be getting creative!