Skip to main content

Everything You Need in Your Home Gym

    If you are wanting to build a home gym, or already have a home gym and are wondering what equipment you will need to fulfill all of your workout needs, then this article will give you some products that worked well for me personally and for friends of mine.  I think it is important to first determine what you consider a home gym.  When people think of a home gym, they imagine a large room with multiple workout machines and a big mirror on the wall, but this is not necessary at all.  I have a set of adjustable dumbbells, a bench, and a medicine ball, and I can fulfill everything I need.  

    Firstly, I think it is important to talk about the size of the room.  You are going to need a room of a reasonable amount of size.  This size can vary person-to-person depending on how much equipment is going to be put in it.  The room that I use is about 20 feet wide by about 25 feet long, which is perfect for the equipment there.  However, if you want to have a treadmill and multiple benches, then you will need a room that is larger than this.  If you do not have any room in your house, then I recommend using your garage as a workout space.  Garages are a perfect size for a set of dumbbells and a bench.  Also, moving your cars out of the garage and equipment into the garage is easy.  

    One of the products that I have is a set of adjustable dumbbells.  Adjustable dumbbells are some of the best products that you can buy because they take up very minimal space and allow for a wide range of weights.  I recommend using adjustable dumbbells over a set of dumbbells because of the price and ease of storage.  There are tons of different brands and weight sizes to choose from.  I use the NordicTrack 50-pound adjustable dumbbells and have no complaints.  If you are looking for these click here.  These dumbbells can adjust between 10-pounds and go all the way up to fifty pounds.  I have also had these for over a year now and they are still in the same condition as when I bought them.  Another benefit of these dumbbells is they are around the same price range if not cheaper than similar adjustable dumbbells.  Compared to other weights that I have used at friends' houses, I enjoy the sliding mechanic to adjust the weight instead of the turning wheel that some dumbbells have.  I feel that I know what my weight is set to and will not get confused which I have with other types of brands.

    The next product that I believe is the most important product is a bench press.  The bench press is really the do it all piece of equipment.  The amount of variants of workouts you can do with a bench press is unbelievable.  I can work out my chest, biceps, back, triceps, and even legs while using a bench.  I won't go into detail about what these workouts are because I will be talking about them in future blogs, but I strongly recommend buying a bench press.  I strongly recommend getting the Fitness Gear Utility Bench which you can find here.  This bench press is absolutely unbelievable.  It is easy to adjust the angle and it is very sturdy after adjusting the angle.  It is also relatively cheap compared to the competitors in this market.  Easily my favorite thing about this bench is the ease of changing the angle.  I am personally not a fan of the benches where you have to unscrew the knob and then change the angle and then place the knob back in because I believe that that takes up too much of my time.  Another thing that I enjoy about this product is how it can fold which makes this very easy to store.  

    With the bench press and the adjustable dumbbells, you can accomplish pretty much any workout that you desire.  I have never come across something that I thought I could not do.  However, if you have more room and you are interested in a squat rack, then I believe it would be very beneficial as well.  I personally do not have a squat rack due to size constrictions, but one of my friends has one and I absolutely love it when I get to use it.  He has the Powerline PPR200X Power Rack which can be found here.  This is a great piece of equipment, but a huge downside is the price.  If you can afford a squat rack then go right for it because there is so much to do with these.  A personally favorite addition of the Powerline is the ability to perform pull-ups.  It is a very sturdy product, but there are much cheaper options to choose from.  Also, if you are going to buy one of these, then you will need a straight bar and the additional weights that will have to be purchased.

    The last products that I recommend are a yoga mat and a medicine ball.  A yoga mat is simple and any yoga mat is going to do the same thing.  However, when I am on my carpet doing ab exercises it scratches up my back so I prefer to use a yoga mat.  I don't recommend a specific one, any yoga mat will do.  With the medicine ball, there is no right weight for me to tell you to do this weight.  The weight is all for you to decide.  A medicine ball is a great way to kill your core and get an amazing finish to your workout.  There are so many different variants of medicine ball workouts.  The medicine ball that I use is the SPRI medicine ball which can be found here.  I use an 8-pound medicine ball and it is perfect for me.  I would recommend a 6-pound or an 8-pound for beginners because it is tough to use at first.  This medicine ball is only $25 and I feel it is very useful for performing core exercises.  Another blog that gives advice about medicine balls is here.

    In conclusion, there are so many different ideas for your home gym.  There are tons of different equipment out there and I am not telling you to go buy the exact same products that I use.  I, however, recommend buying a bench press, a set of adjustable dumbbells, and a medicine ball.  Anything else that you feel you need will be beneficial, but I feel these are the basics to performing any exercise you want to.  Also, what works for me, might not work for you.  Everyone has different room sizes and you have to determine what will suit you the best and fulfill your own workout needs. 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

When should I do cardio?

 One thing that I have never agreed with when it comes to the fitness "experts" is when you should do your cardio workout.  Many of them say that you should do your strength or weight training and then perform your cardio workout.  However, I have done both cardio before weights and cardio after weights and I feel that one is a lot better than the other.  I am easily on the side of waking up in the morning going outside and getting a nice jog in.  I noticed when I performed cardio first, that I felt more energized during my strength training and I also felt more awake.  If I just started doing strength training, I felt myself being tired and losing focus easily.  As well as that, when I performed my cardio first, I thought of it as a way to stretch out my entire body.  It loosens you up and you will feel a lot more ready for whatever else you have planned for the day.   So basically, I am saying that I completely disagree with the people...

Charlie Hunnam or better known as King Arthur

 There is a huge misconception in the world that the actors we see on TV or in movies are the way they look because they have access to better gyms, trainers, and diets than we do.  I think a great example of how this misconception is wrong is by looking at the actor Charlie Hunnam.  If you do not know who this is, he is probably best known for being King Arthur in King Arthur Legend of the Sword  and also Jax Teller in Sons of Anarchy.  The reason why I am bringing him up is that he does not have a trainer or use the fanciest weights.  He said in multiple interviews that he works out by body weight.  Some of the things that he does are: push-ups sit-ups squats planks  wall sits dips twenty minutes of cardio These are all workouts that don't require a gym.  Now I want you to get a mental image of what you think he looks like, after you have done that just use a quick google search and look for him.  He is a perfect example of what can be...

About Muscleman

 Hello, I am Muscleman and I am writing this blog to help people get started on their fitness journey.  I am a 21-year-old college student.  I am writing this blog because I know that going to a public gym can be daunting for the first time and many people want to work out in the privacy of their own homes.  Also, you might just have no idea where to start.  I would spend hours searching and reading tons of different articles and still feel like I didn't know where to start.  So this blog will be the place where you can get all that information in one place.  Whether you need to find out about a workout plan, or just some exercises or workouts to get you started.  I plan to cover everything from what time I felt was most beneficial for me to work out to different types of exercises that worked for me.  This is my first time writing a blog so it might not be the best at the start but I am willing to listen to any suggestions.  I just like...