Home gym suggestions for every level

November 20th, 2016 by

Home gym suggestions for every level!

Q. What the minimum amount of equipment is required to get good results from a lifting program.

A. It depends on your goals and fitness level. I will break down a few of my suggestions, and I would love to hear what you have at home too!

If you are new to training (absolute beginner).

You may just need your bodyweight and a few bands. Learning to move your body is a great start! In fact some people should just start out walking. Don’t be fooled, body weight work can be very HARD, regardless of your fitness level.

If you have at least done some exercise videos and picked up some dumbbells

Dumbbells-several sizes

Adjustable aerobics step.

Bands-varying resistance with an anchor (handled and looped bands are great).

Stability ball

PullUp Bar
A very effective program can be put together with these basic items. Most of them are very cheap and they take very little space. You are all set for lunges, step ups, bodyweight movements, etc..

If you have are intermediate to more advanced

Heavier dumbbells

Barbell (preferable a 45lb Olympic bar and a smaller EZ curl bar)

Weight plates-in various sizes. I also like a few of the lighter bumper plates for deadlifts and BB Hip Thrusts if you can’t pull with 45lb plates. Unless you are going to be dropping your weights on the floor from up high, you only really need the 10 or 25 pound bumpers. This will bring the bar up high enough off the floor for good form, and you can add regular smaller weights to make it heavier if needed.

Adjustable bench

Pull Up Bar

Squat stands or if you have space, a power or 1/2 rack.

This is in addition to the list above. Beyond these items are details/preferences.

There are limits to having a home gym in addition to benefits. One thing that is great about a home gym is that you don’t have to commute, and can be flexible to when you train. That is also limiting, in that it is sometimes very difficult to motivate yourself to get off the couch and get into the garage or basement to get your training done. The other big issue is boredom. If you are the type that gets bored easily with the same exercises, then you may end up needing to add to your collection. This leads us to the third limitation, space. Some just don’t have a huge room for all of these things. The list above is the basics. Owning these things will keep you entertained and seeing results for a very long time. You can always add pieces as you go along. Heavier weights and bands as you become stronger is likely all you will need.

Bonus equipment

Cables (functional trainer)- Most things can be done with bands. It works, but for me it isn’t the same. This one takes a ton of space, but the benefits of having it for its versatility is worth it. With a variety of handles and attachments, you can do so much. I have a great home gym, but no cables and I do just fine. They are optional. Maybe someday I will make space for them though, because they are an awesome addition.

Valslides or Gliders (depending on your surface)-Awesome for hamstring body curls (among other things) if you don’t have room for a leg curl machine, or even if you do. I hear furniture gliders work great for this too if you have carpet.

Bench Press- You can press with dumbbells, but many adjustable benches come with a bench press, so you if you are starting from scratch it is something to look for. In addition, it is nice for some variety. Sometimes it is really hard to get very heavy dumbbells up on your own without getting injured, so this is another way to move heavier weights safely. Plus benching is just plain fun! A half or power rack eliminates the need for a bench press and you would only need an adjustable bench.

Mini bands– Great for glute activation drills and helping with squat form. Can you tell I am a fan of bands?

Airex Balance Pad– Great for kneeling work and barbell hip thrusts.

TRX and/or Gymnastics Rings (some crossover but you prefer one over the other for different reasons). It takes little space, and can be used for regression exercises, inverted rows, hamstring curls, and metabolic work. Easy to travel with too!

Landmine base or attachment– This is probably my favorite and most versatile piece of equipment. Definitely worth the cost. From squats and ab work, to pressing, this is an amazing addition to any home gym. If you don’t want to pay for one, you can always use a couple plates on the floor to create a substitute.

GHR- I love my GHR! One of my favorite investments. I realize not many will have the space for one of these, and it is a bigger ticket item (check Craigslist).

I personally don’t love adjustable dumbbells because they are awkward and bulky for my small hands. If you are short on space, they may be your best option. My suggestion is to go into a store that has them and try them out.

I am also not a fan of the big multi-station gyms. While they may be a good start and have a few good features, most of them are very bulky and limited. I don’t like the leg presses on them, and often they can be a challenging fit for anyone who is very short or very tall. I think you are better off investing in some of the basic equipment purchased separately if you have that budget and space. That being said, you work with what is available to you. Some people love them!

There are a million and one fun things you could add to your home gym, climbing ropes, accessories, different types of barbells, kettle bells, mats, sand bags, sleds, etc.. Some of it you could get for free or cheap on craigslist. As you Amazon.com has a big selection. I also like Perform Better, Rouge, and elitefts. It is just a matter of space, fitness level, and budget.