Essential Home Gym Equipment

If you are looking to create a home gym we’ve got you covered with our list of essential home gym equipment make sure these equipment pieces are on your purchase list. The best thing about owning a home gym is choosing when to work out, how much to work out, and, most importantly, how to workout.

The possibilities are almost endless. There are, however, some essential home gym equipment pieces that practically every home gym should have. Depending on your preferred way to work out, there is something for everyone on this list. Whether you want to improve your stamina and conditioning or to build muscle, you will be able to do it all from the comfort of your home.

It all comes down to the equipment in the end. Not just the quality, but also the quantity can improve your workout quality massively. Here are the most essential home gym equipment pieces that every future home gym owner should consider:

Dumbbells are Essential Home Gym Equipment

The number one thing that many fitness experts will recommend to those who want to build muscle from home is dumbbells. Now there are two main choices that you can make: you can get adjustable dumbbells, or you can purchase a weight rack and buy dumbbells of various weights.

For a home gym, a better option is undoubtedly the adjustable weights. Not only will they be more affordable, but they will offer you much more flexibility and versatility. The best thing about adjustable weights is that you can save a lot of space. Sure, you can get a weight rack and store your dumbbells there if you purchase them separately, but adjustable dumbbells take it a step further.

Besides, dumbbells are an excellent choice for performing all types of workouts; from total body workouts to isolation exercises, they can do it all.

A few Quality Options for Dumbbells

One Cardio Machine is Essential

Yes, cardio machines might not be the most space-conservative option in the world, but they can be beneficial for building stamina and shedding unwanted fat. But they don’t have to take up a lot of space; some are very conservative in terms of size and are foldable so that you can store them in a corner. There are various types of cardio machines to choose from. Learn more about how to burn fat on these bad boys with HIIT.

Treadmills

Treadmills are a crowd popular and for good reasons. A good treadmill will help you to lose fat and build stamina, as well as build your leg muscles with an incline capacity and different intensity levels. The reason why they might not be viable for some is that they just take up too much space.

However, there are multiple foldable treadmills currently on offer, letting you have (mostly) the same experience as you would with a standard treadmill. You might find that a foldable treadmill will miss a feature or two, but will still be just as useful for your quest to build stamina and shed fat.

Quality Treadmills

Cycles

A good alternative for treadmills are home bikes or cycles, but they are not for everyone. Those who want to build leg strength more than lose weight will generally go for home bikes. Although this doesn’t mean that you won’t lose weight with one. The reason why some people don’t like home bikes is that they opt to go cycling in nature. It is undoubtedly an option to consider.

Affordable Cycle Options for your Gym

Elliptical

An elliptical trainer is a useful option as a cardio machine; you can walk, stair climb, or even run, all on one cardio machine. And that is the advantage of elliptical trainers – the versatility. Again, there are foldable elliptical machines available, the perfect choice for home gym owners.

Check out this Elliptical!

Rowing Machines

For building upper body strength and losing weight, rowing machines are the way to go. They are space-conscious, in a sense that they won’t take up that much space than some other cardio machines, such as a treadmill, for example. Besides, they are much more lightweight, so they are easily movable. Many of them have wheels so you can drag them and store them without hassle.

Our Recommended Rowers

All in One Strength Machine or Squat Rack/PowerRack

In the end, if you can afford it you should include either an all in one strength machine or a Squat Rack/Power Rack. The all in one machine allows you to perform multiple exercises on it and in this way is just as it sounds all in one. On the other hand, having a quality squat rack you will be able to squat, bench press with free weights. You should strongly consider one of these options for your home gym.

All-in-One Home Strength Machine

We are talking about workout stations here. These are perhaps the best place to start for beginners and build the home gym from there. There is a reason for that – they are probably the most versatile option on the list, depending on the station you buy, of course. When we talk about essential home gym equipment, it doesn’t get more essential than this.

A good workout station will let you work all of the muscles in your body, will be built from quality and durable materials, and will not take up too much space. Some people might not have enough space for a machine like this, which is where dumbbells are the better option. But if you do have enough space, then a workout station should be one of the first things on your shortlist.

Our All in One Home Strength Choice

Bench with a Squat Rack

A workout bench is also a good option for home gyms. They allow you to perform various exercises and can be the centerpiece of your home gym. However, a bench alone will most of the time, not be enough for performing exercises for your whole body. Many benches nowadays will come with a squat rack already equipped.

Or, you can opt to buy one separately. It will let you perform squats, a critical exercise for building your leg muscles, and your whole body. I myself prefer the squat rack approach as squats are imperative for overall fitness along with a few other core exercises. If you are looking to learn more about squat racks and how they compare or differ from power racks read this guide.

Bench with Squat Rack

Get this Squat Rack

Affordable Bench

Resistance Bands

A good resistance band is a part of the essential home gym equipment. They offer vast options when it comes to working out; they are suitable for stretching, as well as for building muscle and even for cardio. Plus, they are easily storable, portable, and highly versatile. That makes them a must for any home gym.

There are many types of resistance bands: some are tougher and offer more resistance, which is perfect for building muscle, while others are softer and more suited for stretching and rehab. Don’t fall into the false belief that resistance bands are just for old ladies, cupcakes, and rehab. They can provide quite the strength workout.

Options for Resistance Bands

Additional Equipment

The beauty of a home gym is that you can always upgrade it. It can prevent monotonous workouts and will keep variety in your routines. Perhaps you love a sport or a type of workout that requires separate equipment pieces. The great thing is that these additional pieces will not take up much space at all, but can be very effective. Additional equipment includes:

• a pull-up bar
• barbells and free weights
• medicine balls
• kettlebells
• balance balls
• yoga mat
• boxing punching bag
• jump ropes

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Wrapping up Essential Home Gym Equipment

When choosing the essential home gym equipment for your gym, you must also consider your budget and the space you have available. In any case, a home gym with these pieces of essential home gym equipment will offer you plenty of versatility for performing workouts.