How to move gym equipment: treadmill, bike, elliptical, weights

If you have a home gym set up in your house or apartment, then you’ll want to take with you some or all of your exercise equipment pieces when the time comes for you to move to another home.

Moving fitness equipment to a new home can be difficult and expensive.

However, you should also realize that leaving behind your gym equipment may not be a good idea because you’ll have to rely on local gyms and fitness centers after the move. And you must know from personal experience how most of those places can be too crowded, too expensive, and too inconvenient to fit your busy schedule.

Read on to learn how to safely move your gym equipment – a treadmill, a stationary bike, an elliptical machine, or weights – so that you can stay fit and healthy by working out right after the house move is over.

Why moving your gym equipment is a great idea: Pros

As you can guess, there are several great advantages to moving your home gym equipment pieces with you to the new home:

• After the move is complete, you won’t need to look for and purchase any pieces of gym equipment simply because you’ll have taken them with you.
• You won’t need to go look for local gyms in the new city or town simply because you’ll be able to set up your home gym right away after the move.
• You won’t have to worry about interrupting your workout regime until you join a gym or get the exercise equipment you need.
• You can work out whenever you feel like it from the comfort of your new home.

Why moving your gym equipment may not be such a great idea: Cons

You have to weigh the pros and cons of moving your home gym equipment in order to make the right choice under your specific set of circumstances. One of the worst possible house-moving scenarios is to regret, for some reason or another, your decision to take some or all pieces of gym equipment with you.

Here’s why moving your gym equipment may not prove to be the best idea after all:

• You will spend a good amount of time packing and protecting your gym equipment units for safe transport.
• You will have to pay for the transportation of your gym equipment pieces. And in case they are too big and too heavy, and you’re moving long distance, the moving cost might prove to be higher than what those exercise items cost you in the first place.
• You will have to be aware that there’s always a risk of damage during the transportation phase of the house move.
• You will have to have enough space in the new home for the pieces of gym equipment you decide to move with you.  

What to do before moving your gym equipment

Before you start preparing your pieces of gym equipment for packing and moving, there are a few important things you need to do first to ease the entire process and make it as safe as possible.

• DECIDE whether you’ll take all of your fitness equipment pieces. This is an essential first step simply because it won’t make much sense to pay for the transportation of a piece if you almost never use it or if it’s in a bad overall condition and you’ll need to replace it soon enough.
• BE CRITICAL as workout equipment is heavy and costs good money to be transported to another home sometimes located hundreds or thousands of miles away. Is it really worth the cost and effort? Sometimes it’s better to sell a piece of gym equipment and buy a new one after the move is complete. Do the math and see where things stand.
• TAKE PHOTOS of each gym equipment piece from multiple angles to help you reassemble the fitness equipment more easily and safely upon arriving in your new home. Do this even if you keep the instruction manuals of the fitness machines.
• CLEAN AND SANITIZE all of your gym equipment pieces to prevent the possibility of introducing any germs or bacteria to the new residence. Use quality wet wipes or paper towels with all-purpose cleaners to clean thoroughly all surfaces of your weights, treadmill, elliptical machine, stationary bike, or other workout equipment you may have. Don’t forget to wipe down your yoga mats and yoga accessories as well.
• SECURE at least one other helper to help you move your gym equipment. Bear in mind that most pieces of workout gear are very heavy so you want to have a few helpers around you to complete the often challenging task without any accidents.

See also: Interactive week-by-week moving checklist

How to move a treadmill

The best approach to moving a treadmill will depend on how heavy and large your home treadmill is. If it’s over 100 pounds, then you’re going to need not only a reliable helper but a moving dolly as well to transport the heavy fitness equipment to the moving vehicle.

Follow these steps to pack and move your treadmill:

• SET the incline of the treadmill to zero and then remove the safety key. Keep that key in a secure place.
• POWER DOWN and UNPLUG the treadmill from the power source.
• FOLLOW the instructions in the owner’s manual to fold the treadmill. Depending on the specific model, you may need to fold down its standing segment or fold up the belt section.
• USE its locking mechanism – either a locking pin or a tightening knob – to lock down the treadmill once you’ve folded it in order to prevent it from opening and moving during transport.
• WRAP the heavy fitness equipment in thick blankets to keep it protected until it reaches your new home. Use tape to keep those blankets in place.
• USE an appliance dolly – the L-shaped lever with two wheels – to transport your heavy treadmill. To do that, have your helper tilt the treadmill backward to about 45 degrees while you slide the dolly underneath it, then tilt back the dolly and secure the gym equipment piece to the hand truck with straps or rope.
• WHEEL the loaded treadmill outside your home and load it carefully into the moving truck. Once loaded, secure it with ropes or ratchet straps to the side of the moving vehicle.

Read also: How to pack heavy items for moving

How to move an elliptical machine

Elliptical trainers are heavy and are awkwardly shaped which makes them really tough to move around. Nevertheless, they offer a great way to work out so you’re making the right decision to take your elliptical machine with you.

Here’s how to move your elliptical machine:

• UNPLUG the exercise equipment from its power source.
• DISASSEMBLE your unique exercise equipment unit by following the instructions in its manual. In most cases, elliptical machines can be broken apart safely into 4 components: handlebars, pedal, base, and main console.
• WRAP each disassembled part in packing paper first, then cover them in thick moving blankets for extra protection, and then place the smaller parts in moving boxes.
• COLLECT and KEEP all smaller fastening elements such as bolts and nuts in a labeled sealable plastic bag to keep them safe.
• LIFT and CARRY Lift and carry the main frame of the elliptical machine with your helper – it should be light enough for safe transport once it’s been disassembled and protected properly. Due to the bulky size of that gym equipment piece, be extra careful when you’re going around sharp turns, narrow corridors, and flights of stairs.
• Use an appliance dolly to transport your elliptical trainer safely if you can’t disassemble the exercise machine for one reason or another.

Good to know: What is a moving dolly and how to use it safely?

How to move an exercise bike

Stationary bikes continue to be one of the most popular home gym equipment pieces and there’s a good chance that you have an exercise bike too. And now that your move-out day is approaching, you must be wondering how to move your stationary bike to the new home.

• UNPLUG your stationary bike from the power source (if it’s an electric bike) and keep the cords in a secure place.
• DISASSEMBLE the handlebars and the pedals to lighten the gym equipment and make it easier and safer to move.
• WRAP all parts in moving blankets to cushion them against accidental hits during transit. Wrap any extra-fragile parts in bubble wrap first.
• LIFT and CARRY the wrapped-up stationary bike with your helper. Exercise bikes are not particularly heavy so you should not have any problems transporting yours in a safe manner.
• LOAD the exercise bike into the moving vehicle and secure it well onto the side of the truck. Your stationary bike should remain STATIONARY during transport.

How to move weights: hand weights, dumbbells, and barbells

Don’t be surprised to find out that your multiple sets of weights will be… well, HEAVY.

There are several things to remember when you’re about to transport your free weights between two homes.

• SPREAD the weights among multiple boxes to distribute evenly their serious collective weight.
• USE plastic bins that will be able to handle the extra weight of your hand weights, dumbbells, and barbells. If you don’t have any plastic storage containers and don’t have the time to purchase any, then you can use lots of small cardboard boxes that are strong enough to withstand the load.
• REINFORCE the bottom and sides of each small cardboard box with strong packing tape.
• WRAP each separate weight in packing paper first, then in a (moving) blanket, and finally transfer it into the strong moving box, preferably made from plastic.
• FILL the remaining empty space inside the box with old newspapers or pieces of clothing (towels work great) to prevent the weights from moving around and possibly causing damage during the haul.

Must-read: The best packing tips you’ll ever need

If you do happen to own particularly expensive gym equipment or if most of those exercise equipment pieces are too big and cannot be taken apart safely, then you should seriously consider hiring gym equipment movers – a professional moving company that specializes in relocating fitness equipment.