Creating the Perfect Home Gym
By Mark Young
Having been in this industry a long time, I think I’ve seen or heard about some of the worst home gyms you can imagine.
“I’ve got a stability ball and a pair of 25 pound dumbbells”.
Wow. That’s a great setup. You’ve obviously thought that out well.
“I think I might have some dumbbells lying around. You know…one of those sets where you get some three pound weights, five pound weights, and eight pound weights?”
You’re kidding me right?
“I bought a Bowflex last year. Surely there must be some use for that.”
Sadly, no there is not. Unfortunately you just spent two grand on a really expensive coat hanger. Until they start selling free weights on television, don’t buy anything you see on a fitness infomercial…ever. I don’t know why this surprises people, but there is no easy way to get ripped abs in just 3 minutes per day no matter what that really lean guy (or girl) on the commercial tells you.
Below are 3 options for setting up a home gym that will actually produce results. Keep in mind as you read this that a gym membership usually costs between $400-$600 dollars per year so although this might seem costly, it will be cheaper in the long run.
Besides there are many advantages to training at home.
a) You can train whenever you want.
b) You’ll be training at home so there is less travel time and you can train while you’re cooking a casserole in the oven.
c) No one is around to intimidate you or to make you feel uncomfortable.
d) You can flex in the mirror all you want. Okay, this one is more for the guys…and you can argue all you want, but we all know you’re doing it.
Let’s get to those options…
Option Number 1 – Bench & Bells
For those who have limited space and a small budget
1. Bench – Any good gym needs a weight bench. It should be sturdy (i.e., not shaking around as soon as you lie on it) and it should adjust to a flat position and go on an incline.
2. Dumbbells – A good set of dumbbells can be used for pretty much anything. If you have these and a bench you can get in a workout anytime while taking up very little space.
Women should purchase dumbbells from 5lbs to at least 30lbs in five pound increments. Yes, women need that much weight. If you want your muscles to adapt you have to continually overload them. Five pounds is not overloading. However, I would highly suggest that women also purchase some intermediate dumbbells like 8lbs and 12lbs as well.
Men should purchase dumbbells starting from 5lbs and progress in five pound increments up to 50 pounds. Truthfully, most men who are working out properly will outgrow the 50’s fairly quickly.
As an alternative, you might consider Powerblocks. These are fully adjustable from 5lbs to 50lbs and some sets even have extensions that allow you to go up to 90lbs or even 130lbs. They are real space savers and they cost less per pound than conventional dumbbells.
However, if you decide to stick with normal dumbbells DO NOT go with the old fashioned ones where you change the weights and screw on the ends. If you use these you’re bound to find this annoying and your new workout routine will last less than a month. Make it easy on yourself and get some preset dumbbells. You’ll really appreciate this down the line.
Option Number 2 – Rack & Plates
For those who have a little more space and a little more money
1. Bench – Same as above
2. Power Rack – A power rack is usually a large steel frame that includes hooks (to rest bars on) and safety bars (to make bench pressing and squatting safer). This is the gold standard for anyone who is really serious about training. In the rack you can bench press, row, squat, deadlift, shoulder press, and do pretty much everything you could possibly need to do to build an incredible body. I would suggest that you make sure it has a chin up attachment too as these should be a part of your program. Even if you can’t do one now, you will want to at some point during your training.
3. 7 foot Olympic bar – The difference between an Olympic bar and a regular bar is that an Olympic bar has wide ends. The main benefit of this is that you can put weight on one end and the bar won’t flip up and hit you in the face. They also hold more weight and are much more durable than skinnier bars. For the record, the skinnier bars are called “standard bars” so if anyone asks which you’d prefer, you prefer Olympic.
4. Olympic Plates – Usually plates can be bought in sets of around 300 pounds. For some this might seem excessive, but remember that you’re getting a certain number of each sized plate. You’ll probably want a smaller number of bigger plates when you’re starting and a larger number of small plates. Keep in mind that many relatively novice women can deadlift near 135 pounds. By the way, make sure not to end up with standard plates. They won’t fit on your Olympic bar.
Option Number 3 – The Whole Nine Yards
For those who have plenty of space and want to set this gym up for optimal results
1. Bench – Same as above.
2. Dumbbells – Same as above
3. 7 Foot Olympic Bar – Same as above
4. Olympic Plates – Same as above
3. Power Rack – The same rack as above will suffice, but if you can afford it you might want to see if you can get a rack with a seated row attachment and a pulldown attachment. These stations are not totally necessary, but they do allow for more variety and a whole bunch of cable exercises that you couldn’t otherwise do.
But what about cardio equipment?
Sadly, most people will spend thousands of dollars on a Bowflex or a Treadmill and almost nothing on weights when it should be the other way around.
If you prefer to do cardiovascular work at home, consider a skipping rope. If you haven’t used one for a while you’ll be surprised at just how tough it can be. It’s also pretty cheap.
You might also purchase an aerobic step. Try stepping up and down on the step between sets during your workout to keep your heart rate up. Unfortunately, these are usually pretty overpriced so if you’re setting this up in your garage or basement you might want to just use a wooden box or a milk crate to save a few dimes.
Additionally you might want to try something completely novel…go for a walk. Yep, just put on your shoes and hit the pavement. It’s free and it is great exercise provided you do it often enough and for long enough. Or pick up a sport at the local rec center. They’re usually inexpensive and it is scientifically proven to make doing cardiovascular exercise ten million percent less boring. Really.
The Bonus Items
One item that I certainly wouldn’t be without is a mat. You can use it while doing stretches and ab work on the floor. Personally, I like thicker mats as they’re a bit more comfortable, but any mat will do.
Foam Rollers are also a good item to have. Truthfully, I wouldn’t really call this an optional item as I wouldn’t train myself or a client without one, but you can choose to pick one up or not. If you have no idea what I’m talking about you can read this article.
The Wrap
On TV they make it look like shopping for exercise equipment is impossible when, in reality, it isn’t that bad if you know what you’re looking for. Get your own gym started and you’ll be ready to blast off to a new body.
If you’re at a complete loss for what to do with all of your new equipment stay tuned. We’ll soon have our complete online consulting program up and running and you’ll be able to get expert advice at the click of a mouse.
Now go grab your equipment and get started
Add comment February 24th, 2009
