Going to a brick and mortar gym may not be the best option for everyone, and for several reasons. For starters, it is not convenient, expensive both in terms of gym fees and fuel costs to get there, crowded and needless to say the equipment available can be a hit or miss.
And sometimes, you may find it more motivating when working out by yourself in the comfort of your home, where you don’t have to wipe up puddles of sweat, or wait tirelessly for the squat rack to be free.
Building a home gym is an excellent solution to all the aforementioned woes, and the possibilities are literally endless.
If you want to do much more than basic bodyweight exercises, read on for our step-by-step guide on building the best home gym and what exercise equipment you need for a good overall workout.
Key reasons why you need a home gym
We’ve already mentioned some of the reasons earlier, but if you’re still not over the fence, here are a few more!
First things first – a home gym isn’t a must, if you want to lose weight and/or gain muscle mass. But it will sure as heck be a motivating factor, and you’ll be able to properly train every muscle in your body if you choose the right essential equipment.
Furthermore, a home gym in essence is not just a place for working out, but does much more than that – including:
- Lack of excuses to workout
- Allows you to be close to your family
- Improves the way you look, resulting in greater self-esteem
- Allows you to workout more often
- Allows you to experiment with your own workouts
- No time wasted during workout
We could go on and on about the advantages of a home gym, but bottomline is that you get way more back than what you put in, and it even allows you to train with people you love – family, friends, neighbors. And nobody have to subscribe for a membership!
In fact, experts believe that training with your friends or family can have a positive influence on you and affect your personal motivation. But that’s not all, training with your partner or spouse can also improve your relationship. At this point, you may be wondering if a home gym is cheaper than a commercial gym, and here’s the lowdown:
A home gym can save you big money.
Gym membership fees can vary greatly across locations, but the average cost in the United States is $58 per month, or $696 per year. Sure, many commercial gyms offer a long list of perks compared to a home gym such as hot tubs (that may or may not be properly cleaned), and cardio rooms (with more people socializing and watching TV than doing actual workouts). Basically, what you’re paying for in exchange for gym fees is a place to workout.
We’re not going to sugar-coat anything here, but a home gym does certainly entail more upfront costs, but over the long term it’s a much better investment than a gym membership.
Many people start with the basic equipment they need, and then upgrade/add to it as time goes by. We’re going to talk about the essential equipment for building a home gym later in this guide, so make sure you read on.
Even with the basic equipment, the list of workouts you can do is extensive, and works out to be much cheaper than a roughly $700 annual gym membership fee over a period of 10 years.
The upfront costs for a home gym can be lower if you choose to buy used equipment, but then you’ll have no warranty and you don’t know how the equipment has been used and maintained by the previous owner.
List: Exercise equipment needed for overall workouts at home
We’ve curated a list of the most important equipment needed for overall workouts at a home gym. So, before you get started building, make sure your list contains this (or similar) equipment, so your workouts aren’t in vain.
1. A full portable home gym (for warmups and travels)
Our top pick: BodyBoss 2.0 Portable Gym
If you’re a fitness enthusiast looking to build muscle and shed calories on the go, then the BodyBoss 2.0 – Full Portable Home Gym is definitely worth a second look. Just like the name suggests, this compact home gym allows you to perform a wide assortment of key exercises wherever you see fit, including exercises for the upper and lower body.
It can be ordered in a wide range of colors such as blue, gold and green, and boasts a lightweight and compact design. Further, it comes with a collapsible workout bar, and wrist ankle straps, which collectively provide you with access to over 300 exercises that you would perform just like in a commercial gym, albeit without the membership fees.
The BodyBoss 2.0 portable home gym features a fold up platform, which makes it easy to adjust the difficulty of exercises, resulting in a highly motivated workout. It comes with everything you need to get started right out of the box including a collapsible workout bar, wrist/ankle straps, a set of resistance bands, handles, fold up VectorFit base, and instruction manual.
You may also want to look into getting a pair of resistance bands, to increase to options of working out wherever you want.
Pros:
- Lightweight and compact
- Collapsible workout bar
- Ability to perform exercises for upper and lower body
- Several colors available
- Includes fold up VectorFit base
Cons:
- Connecting/disconnecting devices and bands may take time
2. An exercise mat
Our top pick: BalanceFrom Puzzle Exercise Mat
The BalanceFrom Puzzle Exercise Mat is a great addition to any home gym, and for several great reason. It consists of 12 tiles, and a total of 24 end borders that collectively span 48 square feet, where each tile measures 24″x24″x1/2″. Adding to this, it is made from high quality, dual sided slip resistant high density EVA foam, and is 1/2” inch thick.
This exercise mat is available in a choice of three exciting colors – black, blue and grey, making it easy to match it with your overall home gym décor. Further it showcases unmatched resilience, making it easy to maintain your balance during exercises. The BalanceFrom Puzzle exercise mat is backed by moisture resistant technology, so you can wash it easily with soap and water without causing any damage.
It is easy to assemble, thanks to its interl