Starting a home gym

Commercial gyms are often overpriced and might leave serious lifters wanting more. Having your gym at home means more freedom to workout on your own schedule and budget. If you’re serious about weight lifting, you’ll need to invest some money in serious gear.

While most home workout gear is gimmicky and intended for people who only want to use it once or twice and then chuck it under the bed, there is high-quality gear that can rival that of any large corporate gym. Here’s the equipment you need to have in your home gym if you want to see gains.

Barbells and Weights

Barbells and weights are the backbone of any good gym, and your home gym is no exception. You’ll need to choose between standard and Olympic barbells, depending on your needs. A standard barbells bend easily and are more suited for lighter lifting since they can’t support larger weights. Olympic bars are usually around seven feet long with a rotating sleeve. They’re intended for heavy lifting and can hold over 200 lbs without bending.

You’ll also need weight plates so you have something to actually lift. You should have an assortment of weight plates in a variety of sizes for different weight exercises. You want to challenge yourself with your weight selection, but remember you can always add more weights to your collection as you expand your home gym.

Home Gym Necessities for Serious Lifters

Power Rack

A lot of people avoid adding a power rack to their home gyms because they can take up a lot of space, but they’re the cornerstone of any solid home gym. The best part of a power rack is that they add another measure of safety since the pins will help save you if you miss a lift. The power rack is versatile and can be used for basically any free weight move and even pull-ups.

Must Read: 5 Home Gym Essentials for a Safe Workout

Bench Press

If you’re a serious lifter, you’ll want to avoid cheap bench presses which aren’t designed to hold hundreds of pounds. Remember, you’ll be doing heavy presses on this bench, and you’ll need to calculate both your body weight and the weight of your average lift to make sure you’re choosing a functional bench. Look for an adjustable bench in your search to make sure you can customize it specifically to your needs.

Bench Press

Dumbbells

Dumbbells are one of the easiest items to stock in your home gym. Once again, you can choose between Olympic and standard so you have a lot of options at different price ranges. Standard dumbbells are usually more budget conscious and easy to find secondhand. If you have the money, you can even install your own dumbbell rack in your home gym, though this can take up a lot of space.

Also See: Full Body Workout Routine with Dumbbells

Cardio Equipment

Whether you choose a treadmill, stationary bike, elliptical, or stepper, you should have some kind of cardio equipment in your home gym. These can be costly to those just starting their first home gym, but you can often find them secondhand or at sporting goods stores. If you live in a nice-weathered climate year-round, you might be able to skip the equipment if you like to run or bike outside regularly.

Home Gym Necessities

Starting a home gym can be a lifesaver for serious lifters. Commercial gyms come with membership fees and restrictions. Serious weight lifters often struggle to thrive in these environments and need something more personalized. A home gym is a great solution which allows you to combine your favorite parts of the workout in your own home. Work out on your own schedule without having to deal with the crowds of other gym-goers. Just be sure you have these home gym necessities!

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