The Ideal Home Gym Equipment

I work with people in their homes often, so I wanted to take some time to put together a list for useful things to have in a home gym that would get you through almost any workout with creativity. If you had the equipment listed below, I could easily design a full body work out or program to help you reach most goals.

I know not everyone has the space, money, or desire to go for a full-blown home gym, so I have arranged these in two tiers.

The Entry tier is for beginners and those who don't have the space and/or money to invest in a serious space for working out. Beginners are those who cannot lift much weight safely, who don't feel comfortable with the weighted fundamentals like squats, deadlifts, overhead press, push-ups, or planks. They are new to building the habit, and not ready to invest in a lot of heavy equipment.

Entry is also the tier if you have limited space or funds. You can still get a grade-A workout with these simple basics. Resistance bands are your friend! They are cheap, and pack away to almost nothing. You can store them in a single drawer.

The Advanced tier is for those who have been working out for a while, have space, and money. This is my dream home gym. It would have the equipment from the Entry-level as well, but with some big additions. If you go to a commercial gym, but want to switch to working out at home, this will get you through most workouts, excepting those that require fixed weight machines (like a leg press, hip abbductor, seated row machine, etc.).

Entry: Get started, and cheap, please!

1. Weights. This is the most basic thing, arguably the only thing you need. You can fake it with a backpack full of bricks or books, some gallon jugs, or even your child or pet if they are coopertative. But if you have the budget, you probably want dumbbells or kettlebells. If you really just want to get started, I would recommend a couple weights that feel "light" (i.e., you could push them over your head without hurting yourself, usually 5-15lbs., depending on your size and strength, but go by feel here!) and a couple that feel "heavy" (i.e., no way are they going over your head, you are going to struggle to get them to the cash register). These can be dumbbells, kettlebells, or a combination. If you have a little more to spend, I would recommend an adjustable dumbbell or kettlebell set. If you want to make a longer term investment, the heavier it goes up to, the better, but I know there are some that only go up to 15-30lbs., and if that is what you can afford right now, or you just aren't ready to invest without knowing the habit will stick, or even 15 lbs. sounds outrageously heavy, just do that for now and see if you can build the habit.

2. Resistance bands. Theoretically, you could just get resistance bands and skip the weights. I have a couple of sets I've bought over the years, and they all have their pros and cons, but I have never spent more than $50 on a set, and I've never been disappointed. For home workouts, you probably want a set with several "weights" of band, some sort of attachment that allows you to securely attach them to your wall, door, etc., at different heights, and a comfortable way to grip them. Some come with handles, various grips, some are loops that you can put around a chair or couch leg. This is where you space matters, so get something that works for your home.

   

   These have handles, but you can also look for detachable handles to give you more options, or long loop bands if you don't have a door that is safe to anchor a band over.

3. Optional: A mat. If you have slippery floors, this probably is going to be less optional for you. This can also help if kneeling on the floor really hurts your knees. Some people are just more sensitive to the floor on their knees (I suspect the shape of your knees is the main factor, as I have noticed no other), so if a cushioned mat makes it comfortable, get it. There is nothing wrong with eliminating some optional suffering from your life, and you can usually get a nice, cushy mat for less than $50. If you go less cushy, you can find these at some stores like 5 Below, TJ Maxx, or Marshalls for around $20. Pro tip: Let it air for a few days before you get on it if you can. Some of them can be a little smelly, especially those that are cheap or use a lot of rubber.

4. Optional: Stability, Bosu, or pilates balls. This one is another cheap, but very optional choice. It can be great for core work, or to add instability to other movements. It is also a great way to sit in front of the TV and wiggle, increasing your daily movement outside of your more structure workouts. I love a way to wiggle!

   

   I mean, it's really just for fun, but who wouldn't spend $20 on a little fun?

5. Optional: Cardio equipment. For a budget option, there are simple steppers, jump rope, small trampolines. A walk or jog is great, but it isn't always an option. If you have space, but not money, Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace are littered with cheap or free cardio equipment. Yard sales almost always have something. You want a way to get your cardio indoors if you live in an area that is unsafe for any reason, from weather to traffic to crime rate.

6. Optional: A step with risers/adjustable height. The 80s called, and they have a surprisingly versatile piece of equipment! This can be a great substitute for a bench if you need one, and can often be stored in a closet or under another piece of furniture like a bed or coffee table. Use it for incline push-ups if you aren't able to do a full one from the floor, lay down on it to get fuller range from your bench, row, or fly, elevate a foot on your lunge, stack it up to just below knee height to do step ups, it really is a fairly useful thing! Some adjustable steppers come with an incline option, so they make a most space-saving option than a proper bench, but with all the versatility. However, these are definitely more expensive! Still, for most things you can use a stair or lay on the floor, so this is definitely an optional one.

   

Advanced: It's time to get serious and spend a little money.

1. Barbell and plates. This will allow you to level up your big movements like squats, deadlifts, etc., but it is an investment in both money and space. You need to be easily squatting 55lbs. or more for this to make sense.

   

   Barbell, plates, and a squat rack with pull-up bar and safety bars in place. These guys are expensive.

2. A bench. You want to make sure it is rated for the loads you will be lifting. This will be not only your body weight, but also the weight you're putting on the bar! If you want to invest, go for a full, 500lb. rated bench or better. For the sake of versatility, you will want it to have an adjustable back to provide an incline, and make sure the feet have a good grip on your floor, or you're going to slide and it will be unsafe!

   

3. An adjustable barbell/squat rack. I would make sure it has safety bars, since you are less likely to have a spotter when you work out at home. This is one you also want to be pretty heavy duty if you are investing. It is not worth it to go cheap here, and you are better off sticking to dumbbells and kettlebells than buying a wobbly, low-weight squat rack. Bonus: Many squat racks have a pull-up bar, which can be great if you want to work toward that movement without having to block off a door with one of those pull-up attachments.

4. Optional: Cable tower machine and/or suspension system. A cable tower is really a dream gym item. It takes up space. It's difficult to deliver and install. It is expensive. But it also makes almost anything possible. This is necessary to level up those pulling movements like rows and lat pull-downs, but definitely optional. You could still use resistance bands, and if you're getting a nice, heavy squat/barbell rack, you can use that as a place to easily attach the bands and get your pull movements in. The suspension system is the next level. TRX is the big, name brand for this, but there are others that are a little more affordable and I have never noticed a huge difference in quality. You can attach the TRX to a wall or ceiling mount, or stick it in the top of your door with an anchor. It's especially great if you are working on more calisthenics or bodyweight movements, as you use your body weight for resistance.

   

   This was the best (free) image of a cable machine I could find. This is actually a lat pulldown specific cable machine, but it gives you an idea of the size you can expect.

5. Optional: Pull-up and dip station. Again, this takes up a lot of space, and you can also get a squat rack that has these options to save space, though it probably won't save you money. If pull-ups and chest/tricep dips are not part of your routine, skip it!

It isn't really about the equipment.

That is a rundown of what I would look for in a home gym to give me tons of options and versatility. But I just want to remind you that it isn't about the equipment. You don't have to have any equipment to exercise and get stronger, just a little space, knowledge, and determination.

My first workout was "Stretch to Win" on a VHS tape that my mom bought when she was pregnant with me, and I still think about Richard Simmons' Dancing to the Oldies series. What an icon! And the only equipment he had were those squishy sneakers and tiny, tiny shorts. Now you don't even have to have a VHS player, so if you are reading this, you can pull up a bodyweight workout for exactly $0 online. If you're trying to reduce your phone time, you can get a DVD at the thrift store. I always see at least a handful of workout videos there.

Need ideas? Have equipment but don't know how to use it? Want more specific recommendations? Drop a comment, or reach out of a free consultation. I'd be happy to discuss your options with you.