This summer is the perfect time to get into shape! With gyms still closed, creating your at-home gym to work out has never been cheaper and better timed!
Barbell
The most important item in your home gym, the barbell is the most versatile for the most amount of full-body weight-resistance training. With bench press, squats, RTLs, deadlifts, the barbell will provide everything you need to get into top form. Everything beyond this is for a more well-rounded physique focusing on the smaller muscles that the barbell misses.
Squat Rack Or Half Rack
The second most important is the squat rack or half rack to help use your barbell. Along with the next two in our list, everything is geared towards making better use of the barbell, easily the best free weight instrument you can use to work out. The rack will help hold the barbell while you adjust between different exercises. It will also help your take off into the exercise and when you finish.
Weight Plates
Most barbells weigh around 45 pounds, which can easily start being too light for many of the exercises you should be doing this summer. Getting two sets of 5 lbs, a set of 10 lbs, 25 lbs, and a set of standard plate sizes of 45 lbs. This will allow you a grand total weight of 235 lbs with the ability to reach every 10 pounds incremental.
Bench
The bench is the final thing to improve your barbell experience, but it has many functions of its own such as dips, weighted pushups, and inclined weights. A bench is the fourth and last essential item to your home gym, but far from making your home gym a great one.
Dumbbells
First on our ‘home gym improvements’ list are dumbbells. Dumbbells are another free-weight instrument which means they can be used for a variety of exercises. They are a staple in any gym and for good reason too. The reason they aren’t placed higher on our list is due to the lack of full-body exercise each single activity one can use with dumbbells.
Gym Flooring
Gym flooring is our next most important at-home gym equipment. The flooring provides a durable surface for weights to be dropped. This is important if you ever wish to push yourself for a new record and may drop the equipment. Most gym flooring is easy to clean which makes the smell of sweat (of which there will be a bunch) easier to get rid of.
Resistance Bands
Resistance bands are great for more unique muscle groups. This is great for certain back exercises that serve a small but vital role in day-to-day lives, but often don’t get used. If you plan to use heavier and heavier weights, it’s important that these muscles are developed as well, otherwise, you risk injury.
Various Attachments
Lastly on our list are various other attachments which can be suited to your personal needs and wants. This is to really deck out your at-home gym with more muscle-specific exercises. Whether these are landmines, leg curl/extensions, cable pulldown, etc… Here you may want to consider a particular muscle group you wish to develop more than others. But remember a well-rounded body is generally most attractive – don’t be the one to skip leg day.
Now the most important thing to an at-home gym more than any of the equipment is using the gym. It really helps to have a friend join you, this helps make your workout sessions more regular and the two of you can spot one another. It helps if they are lifting around the same weight as you, but it can also work totally fine with two drastic weight differences. It’s also a great activity to do with your partner as it is a trust-building activity and good for your health.
Click here to read about 4 Workout Routines For All Your Fitness Needs