ALLBIDS Blog

10 Essential Equipment Needed for a Home Gym

Wednesday, 29 August 2018 | Mike Leano

If you're tired of working out at your local gym - maybe you don't like waiting for others to finish using exercise equipment, or you'd rather not pay continuously for the use of their facilities  - then maybe it's time you should think about putting together your own home gym.

But before you jump right in, there are a few factors to take into account.

1. How committed are you to this project? There have been many who bought pricey equipment for their homes, only to never use them again.
   
2. Do you have enough space in your home? Perhaps a spare room or a spacious garage?
   
3. Is a home gym the right answer to your fitness needs? Are you okay with working out by yourself? Or would you prefer exercising with other people to stay motivated?
   
4. How's your home situation? Do you have young kids? A home gym is great for exercising while looking after them. However, they can interrupt and distract you during workouts.

Once you've straightened out these concerns and still think having such as setup is perfect for you, then it's time to get cracking. Here are 10 equipment essentials you'll need to build your very own home gym.

Barbell and weight plates

When it comes to basics, nothing beats having a barbell and a plate set. Most of your workouts will centre on this equipment. Here are some examples of what you can do with it:

• Bicep curls
• Various rows (e.g. barbell rows, upright rows)
• Deadlifts
• Bench presses
• Snatches

Get the Olympic bar set, which is about 7 feet wide. It's thicker and sturdier than a standard bar, and you won't ever outgrow it.

If you can get bumper plates (i.e. weight plates coated in rubber), so much the better. They'd protect your floor if you ever drop them - which is pretty likely when doing certain exercises.

Power rack

Unless your home gym will be used by other members of your family, you'd probably be working out alone. Because of this, you'll definitely need a power rack, which functions as a mechanical spotter.

For instance, if you're doing bench presses, having the rack's bar catches right above your chest will prevent you from getting crushed under the barbell in case you ever get tired from lifting the weight.

Remember: a power rack makes heavier workouts possible without compromising your safety.

When picking out a power rack, aim for something commercial-grade, thick and durable enough to survive the most punishing workouts. And see to it they can be fitted with attachments like a chin-up bar or pegs for storing weight plates.

Weight bench

You can do a range of exercises on a weight training bench. This includes the following:

• Concentration curls
• Bench and inclined presses
• Dumbbell pullovers and rows

Make sure the bench you get is:

• Adjustable - This lets you do many exercises by switching up the bench according to your needs. Look for something that can lie inclined and declined.
  
• Commercial-grade - These are typically more durable than benches made for home use.
  
  

Jump rope

You can't have a proper home gym without cardio. Fortunately, you don't need to buy expensive equipment (like a treadmill) to do cardio. All you need is jump rope.

Fun fact: skipping rope burns more calories than a treadmill. According to this study, 10 minutes of daily rope skipping will significantly improve cardiovascular health than 30 minutes of daily jogging.

Furthermore, skipping rope burns more calories than rowing or swimming, but is still considered a low-impact workout.

Don't worry about timing and coordination - it's something you'll develop over time.

Kettlebells

Kettlebells are cast-iron steel weights used to do various exercises, including:

• Goblet squats
• Kettlebell swings
• Strict presses

In fact, kettlebells are so versatile that they can replicate most dumbbell exercises, and offer so much more variations. This makes them an essential for any home gym.

Protective flooring

There are several reasons why you'll need protective flooring for your home gym:

1. To protect your floor. Dropping heavy weights can damage your floor.
2. To protect your gym equipment. Dropping said weights can also damage your equipment.
3. To reduce the noise. You wouldn't want to keep disturbing your neighbours.

For best results, get commercial-grade interlocking gym flooring mats. They're cheap and long-lasting.

Adjustable dumbbells

Another equipment needed for a home gym is a set of adjustable dumbbells. That way, you won't have to buy dozens of different-sized dumbbells, which will take up a lot of space and cost a pretty penny.

Dumbbells allow you to focus exercises on either side of the body instead of exercising both arms (as barbells normally do). With dumbbells, you can do quite a bit of exercises like:

• Side lateral raises
• Overhead presses
• Military presses
  
  

Medicine ball

A medicine ball is a weighted ball typically used for core and strength training, and rehabilitation. It's also useful for plyometrics (i.e. jump-training exercises), which means you can do a wider variety of drills if you have one for your home gym.

Some examples include:

• Bear hug, headlock and shoulder squats
• Burpees
• Crush-grip push-ups

Tip: look for a soft medicine ball, which will make catching/throwing exercises easier.

Take note, medicine balls are different from exercise balls. The former may be shaped like a ball, but it functions as an exercise weight. The latter is used as a surface for exercising, forcing the body to stay balanced.

Punching bag

Hitting a punching bag makes for a great workout. They develop strength and coordination, add more impact to your cardio, boost your oxygen consumption, help burn more calories.

We also think a punching bag is better at reducing stress than merely pumping iron.

Of course, you have to make sure that there's enough room in your home gym to make full use of the punching bag.

Full-length mirror

Clearly, a full-length mirror won't function as an exercise tool. It will serve as a tool to inspire when you exercise. Nothing is quite as motivating as seeing your muscles work as you perform reps.

More home gym options

ALLBIDS runs countless online auctions for your gym equipment and personal fitness needs. We provide all buyers layers of protection, which means you can bid with confidence. So look for your home gym essentials at ALLBIDS today.

If you're looking to sell your gym equipment, you can also use ALLBIDS to make the most of your return. Give us a quick phone call, message or chat to find out how.