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To gym or not to gym? Often, following the holiday celebrations, that is the question. Perhaps a better question is, what gym set up is the right one?

Installing a home gym can range from an open space in a spare bedroom, garage, or basement to a full setup with specialized gym flooring and machines for both cardio and strength workouts. But one recommendation remains the same for any setup: Do your homework ahead of time.

Lindsay Brown, executive officer for Central Washington Home Builders Association, recommends the "find a professional" tab on her organization's website as a good starting point. Which leads to the question of whether a home gym is DIY or needs the work of a pro.

Again, do your homework. Because the answer to that question depends on how, why, and when that gym will be used.

Lance Reese, owner of The Bearded Monkey bicycle shop in Yakima, said considerations should begin with how many people will be using it, the fitness goals of those people and the cost. The Bearded Monkey sold fitness equipment both to home users and commercial and school gyms prior to 2020. He said he is an advocate of exercising outdoors when possible, but acknowledges that convenience, weather, and safety are some of the reasons folks stick to in-home workouts.

“When you buy equipment price equates to quality,” Reese said. “A 30-day warranty means basically it should work when you open the box. A seven-to-10-year warranty means the company expects their product to last and it should also feel sturdy when you use it and have the power to keep up with you and not lag in the case of a treadmill or elliptical.”

Reese added that all equipment still requires maintenance and must be set up properly.

“It may be worth it to have someone do it for you because you have to transport the equipment and even if it is delivered, it needs to be carried into the house and into the space where it will be used, which could cause damage to your home,” he said. “It is always easier to have someone who knows what they are doing set up something like that.”

Similarly, having someone with experience is essential if the home gym involves installing flooring, complex mirrors, or tearing out walls. As Brown pointed out, it is not uncommon for homeowners to encounter health hazards such as asbestos or lead paint with DIY projects. Qualified contractors are prepared for such possibilities and the needed precautions should be figured into the time and cost estimates.

Cost is a major consideration in home gyms, both in how to install and whether to use one or purchase a commercial gym membership. According to numerous surveys, a majority of Americans still prefer to exercise in the comfort of home versus going to the local gym.

Wherever you work out, it'll pay off. Federal health guidelines recommend adults engage in both aerobic exercise (increases heart and breathing rates) and anaerobic exercise (strengths heart, lungs, and builds muscle) every week. Years of research show they can improve heart health, blood pressure, blood sugar levels, cholesterol, depression, anxiety, type 2 diabetes, weight management and osteoporosis.

The newest research is behind the fitness trend of strength training. Even commercial gyms have switched from rooms crowded with as much equipment as possible to more open space for exercises that employ free weights or resistance bands.

So whether your preference is a yoga mat, a used treadmill, a couple of hand weights used in conjunction with one of the growing number of fitness apps, or a rubber-floored, mirrored-walls 500 square foot space sporting a Bowflex Xtreme 2 SE Home Gym and Pelaton bike, a home gym can work out well for any fitness program.

Just as long as it doesn't become the proverbial clothes rack.