How to Develop a Home Gym?
What Kind of Home Gym Do You Want?
In my article Types of Home Gyms: What Exactly is a Home Gym? I propose there are 3 main types of home gyms. In a nutshell, the 3 types of home gyms I set out are:
- studio space only,
- a cardio gym,
- a weight training gym, and/or
- a combination of all three.
Then ask:
- What are your fitness and workout goals?
- What types of workouts do you like doing?
Focus on what you like doing because you’ll actually do that type of workout.
How Much Money Do You Have to Spend on a Home Gym?
You can spend anywhere from less than $100 (i.e. a workout DVD and a mat) to tens of thousands of dollars. How much can you afford? Most decent cardio machines and multi-exercise weight training gyms start at $500.
How Much Space Do You Have For Your Home Gym?
This will dictate how much equipment you can buy. Maybe your budget is bigger than your space – or vice versa. You’ll probably have less space than you’d like – so be mindful of the dimensions of the fitness equipment you’re looking at.
What Gym Equipment do You Need to Meet your Goal and Fit Your Budget?
Create a shortlist of the most important items you need. If you’re a runner, then a treadmill is primary (unless you live where you can run outside all the time, then I would get an elliptical or exercise bike). If you want to lift weights – either look at the multi-exercise weight lifting home gyms or buy a bench, a good dumbbell set, and a good barbell set (for starters). If you’re torn between a treadmill or an ellipticl, read my Treadmill vs Elliptical article.
If a Weight Training Gym – Where to Start?
First check out the multi-exercise home gyms such as Bowflex or Powertec to see if they offer the type of weight training gym that will suit you.
If you want a free weight gym, then here is a checkist:
Barebones weight lifting equipment
- Adjustable bench – flat and incline.
- Dumbbell set that goes to at least 100 pounds per dumbbell.
- A set of plates so you can get in a heavy workout.
- A chinup bar.
Two important-but-you-can-get-by-without items if you’re serious, have the money and the space:
- A power rack for squatting. This is essential for power lifting – you’ll be able to bench press and squat.
- A lat pulldown machine (cable and pulley). This is a very versatile machine for back and triceps.
After you have these items, the sky is the limit. Start buying the items that you prefer.
What to look for when shopping for home gym equipment?
- Compare the warranties.
- Inquire about the shipping before deciding. Sometimes shipping can cost a lot of money and would have made a different purchase more worthwhile.
- If you’ve never worked out before – if able – try a free trial week at a commercial gym and try out different equipment to see what you like and don’t like. Maybe you like machines over free weights. Perhaps you find yourself spending most of your time on cardio equipment. Be sure to buy the equipment you’ll like using.
The great thing about a home gym is you can always add to it. If you get stronger, buy more plates – it’s that simple.
What’s new with home gym equipment?
Just so you know, nowadays, home gym models come in compact design, a multi-station home gym among many other innovations. Some of the home gym equipment out in the market are individual work out stations, multi station gyms, single stack home gym, power racks, Smith machines, power rod gyms, weight benches, cable cross machines, leverage gyms among many others. If compact home gym doesn’t meet your specific needs you can have your home gym customized.