The Best Lighting for Your Home Gym

Whether you began exercising indoors to escape the summer heat or you have a dedicated home gym year-round, working out in the comfort of your AC can be a great way to get in shape. Unfortunately, many interior spaces are not as accommodating for exercise as you'd like, which can make the idea of working out at home less appealing. However, one way to easily improve your indoor fitness experience without spending a fortune is by making some changes to your lighting. Check out a few of our pointers.

1. Take advantage of natural light. It may seem counterintuitive for us to say this, but the best kind of lighting for your home gym is actually natural light. Studies have shown that natural daylight can make you feel more alert and energized, and it can also create a refreshing ambiance in a room. Not to mention, using sunlight in place of artificial lighting will help save you money on your electricity bill. If your home gym contains large windows or skylights, take full advantage of them by opening your curtains or blinds and placing your workout equipment well within the resulting spread of light.

2. Use bright, cool white overhead lighting. If you have a workout room with only a few or small windows or you prefer to work out after dark, you may just have to upgrade your artificial lighting. Light in a color temperature above 5000K (light in the same hue as sunlight) has been shown to induce the same energizing effects as natural light. We recommend swapping out your old lights with CFL or LED bulbs. Both light sources are well-known for emitting quality light in a cool color temperature without producing much heat. But light in the right color temperature is only half of the equation. Brightness, measured in lumens, is the other vital component to creating an energizing environment.  Read our blog on Lumens to find how much light you need for your gym.

3. Make sure your room is evenly illuminated. Nothing makes a home gym more depressing than a scantily lit room with shadows cast in every corner. Make sure your light source is able to evenly distribute light throughout your room to avoid shadowy patches or distractingly bright focal points.

4. Dim the lights for low-key workouts. You may want a more calming atmosphere during your cool-down routine or low-key exercises like Yoga or Pilates. A light dimmer switch is an ideal solution. Use bright, cool white lights during your rigorous work routines, and dim the lights afterward to create a more tranquil atmosphere during your cool-down or stretching exercises. Our blog on choosing a dimmer will help you make the right choice for your home gym.

5. Have fun with it. Working out doesn’t have to be a completely boring past-time. Many people make it fun with activities like Zumba or Wii Fit. If you do workouts like this, consider syncing your lights to the beat of your music or accenting some surfaces with color changing tape light. Adding in some interesting visuals and color can be very helpful for keeping you motivated while exercising.

That’s it for our suggestions. What kind of lighting do you have in your home gym, and what do you think we missed? Share with us in the comments or drop us a line on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or Pinterest!