Why The Colour Orange May Make You Fitter
When used in home décor, orange can have a wonderful impact.
Whether a bright or subtle shade, it’s a colour that brings its own energy to a space.
It’s also versatile, & when applied correctly, can bring warmth, earthy tones or vitality to any room in the house.
It can also be fun as well as warm & inviting, energizing as well as cosy.
But when it comes to your home gym, you may be looking for a colour that keeps you motivated through the hardest of workouts.
So is orange the best colour for a home gym? Orange has been shown to have certain effects on mood & energy that can be beneficial when exercising. Although other colours show positive effects for physical training, orange certainly ticks a lot of boxes & is definitely a colour to consider.
Colour research is a field of science that is ongoing & is still discovering the effects colour has on our psychology & emotions.
At its core, everything is just energy.
Take sound waves for example & how they vibrate the eardrum, which is then interpreted by the brain so we experience sound.
Music is a great example, as certain sounds can evoke strong emotions.
Light is also wavelengths that pass through our eyes to be interpreted by the brain.
So it makes sense that colour can also affect our psychology.
The Science Behind Using Orange Decor In A Home Gym
Colours effect the way we feel & percieve a space & orange has it's own unique effect on our mood & psychology.
Light can behave differently, but all pigment based colours derive from 3 primary colours.
These are red, yellow & blue.
Red & yellow are both warm colours.
So named because these colours remind us of sunshine & warmth.
Mix red & yellow & you have orange.
Orange is also a true warm colour.
Warm colours can be inviting & create cosiness, but also evoke feelings of happiness & optimism.
Orange is also a strong & energetic colour.
Many sports teams use orange in their branding & outfits.
Brands like Fanta & Nickelodeon for example are selling their product as happy & energetic.
Harley Davidson & MasterCard use orange to reinforce strength in their brand as well as Amazon who evolved their logo to incorporate orange.
Orange also shares the characteristics of red & yellow.
Red having vitality & passion & has even shown to increase heart rate & metabolism, which is also why it’s shown to increase appetite.
Which could be ideal for a home gym, as you're stimulated to refuel after a hard workout.
Yellow is known for evoking excitement & energy, especially brighter shades.
Sometimes we all need that extra injection of vigour when working out.
It’s also a happy & optimistic colour, this may help to keep you positive about your fitness goals & keep you smiling even when the burn kicks in!
Is Orange The Only Colour You Should Use?
As studies have shown, orange does have a lot of characteristics that are beneficial for a home gym.
But other colours also have certain qualities that can be helpful in this environment.
Perhaps your gym doubles as a yoga or meditation space.
In which case you may want to bring some calming elements into the room.
Green
Green is a cool colour that is reflective of nature.
It’s one of the easiest colours for the human eye to see & is a restful colour.
It’s also a colour of growth, great for building muscle.
It also promotes rest, healing & health.
A study was published in The Journal of Environmental Science & Technology showing that being surrounded by green may have the same benefits of actually exercising outdoors.
Blue
Blue is another colour that may be appropriate for use in a home gym.
Blue is also a cool colour found in nature as in water & the sky.
Like a peaceful blue sky, lighter shades can evoke relaxation.
Incorporating blue can bring balance between the physical vitality that orange can bring, with the qualities of blue for a restful mind.
Blue is also a colour of confidence & safety, just what you need when bench pressing 220 lbs!
Blue can also lower heart rate & body temperature, which is good for when you’re getting all hot & sweaty.
Blue objects can also appear less heavy, so having blue weights & barbells may trick the mind into lifting heavier weights.
Orange definitely has many psychological benefits for a home gym, but it doesn’t have to be the only colour.
It could be a bit overwhelming, especially when more vibrant shades are used as the dominating colour.
By mixing & matching other colours, not only will you have a space to work out in that will keep you motivated, you'll have wonderful décor too!
Final Thoughts
Is orange the best colour for a home gym?
I always feel “best” is subjective.
If the colours you choose achieve & create what you need, then they’re the best for you.
If you'd like to explore colours in more depth, I wrote an article covering different colours & their effect on a room's energy & mood.
But orange does tick many boxes for an environment designed for exercise.
There's many shades of orange, so it can be mixed & matched with other colours.
Explore the benefits of other colours & match these with orange & you can not only have a home gym that looks great, it will motivate you to work out too.
What's been your experience?
Have you found the colour of the gym affects your workout?
I hope you found value in this article & as always, a share is always appreciated.