Most Americans, about 75%, don’t get as much exercise as they should. However, gym and fitness center memberships can be expensive and inconvenient. The answer for many is to assemble a well-equipped home gym. Over its lifetime, a home gym is cheaper with flexibility that can’t be beaten by a commercial gym. But where to start?
We’ll guide you through weight lifting equipment essential for every home gym, from where to start to more advanced machines.
Weight Lifting Equipment to Buy First
It’s tempting to outfit your home with the best money you can buy. However, it’s always best to start with the basics to build your routine.
Set of Adjustable Dumbbells
A set of dumbbells is the absolute minimum requirement for an effective home gym setup. They offer the variety of a full set of weights without taking up all the space. With adjustable dumbbells, you can change weights almost instantly to save time between sets.
Adaptable Weightlifting Bench
Another piece of gear you can’t have a home gym without is an adjustable bench. These benches change from fully supine (in your back) to sitting upright, with several settings in between. Changing the range of motion enables you to focus on hard-to-reach muscle groups.
For additional space efficiency, choose a workout bench that fully folds up and has wheels for easy storage.
A Good Exercise Mat
Exercise mats give you better traction and stability, two vital aspects of safe exercise — especially when still learning good form. Exercise mats help protect your floor from other equipment such as weights, medicine balls, and kettlebells. They also make certain floor exercises, such as crunches, planks, and swimmers more comfortable.
More Advanced Machines
Once you have built out your gym with basic weight lifting equipment, you can consider advancing.
A Set of Kettlebells
Kettlebells are balls with a handle on top to allow the weight’s center of gravity to move past your hand. These weights are great for advanced core, cardio, and full body workouts. Kettlebells are perfect for movements such as snatches and swings.
Ideally you’d have kettlebells in multiple weights or, if space is an issue, an adjustable kettlebell.
Cable Crossover Machine
A good cable machine allows you to move in both horizontal and vertical planes. Known as dual-axis, this machine can replace multiple machines used in commercial gyms. It will enable different compound and complex movements not available to single-axis machines.
Squat or Power Rack
While dumbbells and a bench are more than adequate for the vast majority of home exercisers, those serious about weightlifting should consider a squat rack. Squat racks function as a spotter for your heavy lifts, so you can focus on heavy lifts such as squats, lunges, bench presses, and overhead shoulder presses. Many racks come with accessories and attachments for pullups, cable pulldowns, and resistance bands.
Diving into the world of fitness can be intimidatin, especially if you’re not already an avid gymgoer. It’s not easy deciding which machines are or are not worth the investment. However, purchasing a few basic items will get you started on your new fitness journey while saving you time and money at the same time.
