14 Things Every Home Gym Needs
There’s a little game I like to play sometimes that seems to be popular with other people who prefer to work out at home: What equipment would I buy if I were starting a new home gym from scratch? Or you can play the advanced version: If you already have (insert common items here), what would you buy next?
Below are my recommendations for anyone starting a new home gym or looking to expand the one they already have—whether it’s in the corner of your bedroom or a full-fledged weightlifting haven in the garage. I’ll start with size and budget conscious items and then move on to more expensive purchases.
Kettlebells
If I had to build a home gym from scratch, I think I’d start with two kettlebells: one light enough to do a strict press or snatch, and one heavy enough to make swings and goblet squats challenging .
If I had a little extra money, I’d buy them as adjustable weights like this one from Bells of Steel so they can get heavier as I get stronger. Competition style regulators are by far the best.
Pull-up bar
Deadlifts are some of the hardest exercises to improvise outside of the gym (though if you take my advice about kettlebells, you can train with them). Such a crossbar in a doorway takes up almost no space, but opens up a lot of possibilities. If your door frames don’t allow for this type of bar, try a pull-up tower like this one .
Spin bike
Cardio is good for you . I keep telling myself this and I’m almost starting to believe it. With a spin bike, you can perform interval or stationary work while comfortably staying indoors when the road outside is dark, wet or icy. The price range of options here is wide: you can splurge on the top-end Peloton , or opt for one of the budget bikes (like the Sunny ) that cost less than a fifth of the price.
Rowing machine
As mentioned earlier, my first choice for cardio equipment is a bicycle. But if you want a different device, I would vote for the rower. Rowers use the entire body and are great for interval training. Concept 2 is probably the most famous (and, according to many, best) brand in this space. (Not a rower? Third choice is the treadmill.)
Dumbbells
Dumbbells are a great way to lift weights at home. They’re smaller than a barbell, less specialized than a set of kettlebells, and you can do a ton of different workouts with them.
As with kettlebells, you’ll need to decide whether you want to purchase several pairs with a specific fixed weight (cheaper to start with) or go for a more expensive adjustable set. Powerblock and Bowflex are fashionable options if you have the money but want to save space.
Bench
If you have dumbbells or want to work out, you’ll need a bench. I’m more of a barbell person, so I have a flat bench that can fit into my rack when I want to bench press. But people who do more dumbbell work often prefer a durable, adjustable bench that can be adjusted to work in an incline or seated upright position.
Barbell
Whether you’re into powerlifting or weightlifting, or just want to lift heavy weights for general strength training, there’s no substitute for a good old barbell. “Standard” bars with a one-inch hole are often found in budget sets, but your purchase will last longer if you choose an “Olympic” style bar with two-inch collars. Buy a 45-pound or 20-pound barbell like this one unless you have a specific reason to buy anything else.
Iron weight plates
You have several options for plates—we’ll discuss another one in a minute—but iron plates are a classic choice. They are durable, heavy enough and suitable for almost any job. Buy whatever you like: regular metal plates coated with plastic, a vintage-style deep plate. Anything but hex plates .
Bumper plates
Not everyone needs bumper plates, but if you are one of those people who do, skip the iron plates entirely and go for the good stuff. Bumpers are essential for the Olympic lifts (snatch and clean and jerk) and are also useful to have for other lifts such as the deadlift. Typically, the cheapest models are made of black rubber and are marked in pounds ; expect to pay more if you want them in international standard color-coded kilograms.
Squat rack or cage
You know you’ve made it as a home gym owner when you have your own squat rack . Consider the amount of space available, as some racks require high ceilings and all require enough space on the sides so you can reach the rack and change plates. There are folding racks, half racks and full racks. You can also go the DIY route by picking up one of those concrete bucket and block squat racks everyone has been using during lockdown . (Mine lasted great for years and only broke when the buckets received too much UV damage from being in the sun for too long.)
Resistance bands
Place a band on a pull-up bar and you’ll be able to perform assisted pull-ups; Instead, hold the tape in your hands and move it apart. Resistance bands are also a great addition to your barbells if you don’t have enough weights (or if you’re a fan of conjugate training, in which case you’re probably already putting bands and chains on everything that isn’t nailed down). .) If you want to use barbell bands, look for the long loop type ; if you want to use them separately, find a type that supports clip .
Sandbags
Sandbags are an underrated workhorse in many home gyms. Sand is very cheap – almost literally – but be prepared to pay a few dollars for a really good quality cloth bag of sand to put it in. (You can DIY it, though, and we have instructions .) Start with a bag that weighs about half as much as you do, and practice lifting it, carrying it, and generally doing everything people do with kettlebells . Yes, you can even press it above your head if you’re careful. If that’s too easy, choose a bag that weighs as much as you do or even more.
Pleo-box
The box is a handy item to have on hand and one of the few things I’ve always wanted to have in my home gym but never found the space for. With one box, you can do box jumps or box squats. With two, you can do dips or stand on them and do belt squats. The possibilities are endless.
Specialty bars
If you’re shopping for the man who has everything, I’ll tell you what he doesn’t have: another signature bar. After the regular barbell, the next typical purchase is a safety squat bar . You can also choose an axle bar , which is great for strongman training, or a curved or duffalo bar (honestly, I’m not sure why powerlifters love them so much, but they do). A dedicated deadlift bar is ideal for your advanced deadlifter, while a football bar or Swiss bar will give you plenty of benching options. The balance beam is great for the spoiled strongman or strongman in your life, and the EZ bar is great for the bodybuilder. Or grab a trap bar and do some easy deadlifts.