When many of the gyms closed temporarily during the lockdowns of 2020 and 2021, many people began working out at home. They bought a basic set of dumbbells and a yoga mat, and followed home workout routines to keep fit until the gyms reopened.
But when the commercial gyms did reopen, a small portion of people decided not to continue their memberships. They realized that home workouts were just as effective in helping them to achieve their health and fitness goals.
Working out from the comfort of your own home provides a range of benefits. Firstly, it completes cuts out any travel time. You can quite literally roll out of bed, throw on some workout gear, and get moving.
You don’t need to make yourself look presentable since nobody is going to see you (apart from your dog or cat if you have one)! If you wish to, you could work out in your pajamas.
Since you’re at home on your own, you can play motivational music out loud as you get a sweat on. There are no distractions and no waiting around for gym equipment to become free.
Depending on how much spend on home gym equipment, it ends up being cheaper to workout at home in the long run. You’re saving tens or hundreds a month by cutting out the gym membership and personal training sessions.
If you are looking to gain all of these benefits and set up your own home gym, you’re going to need to buy some work out equipment. Gym equipment can be expensive but you don’t need to buy every single type of machine that you find in a commercial gym.
Sticking to the basics will ensure you can stay within your budget while still building the best home gym.
Here is a list of the essential pieces of equipment and technologies that you will need to build a great home gym.
High-Quality Speaker and Headphones
Music makes a huge difference when you’re working out. Your home gym will need a high-quality speaker and a set of headphones to keep you motivated with some great tunes when the workout gets tough.
Make sure to get wireless devices so that you don’t need to worry about tripping over cables and getting tangled in earphone wires while you’re trying to work out.
Having both a Bluetooth speaker and a set of headphones gives you more flexibility when it comes to your music choice. If you decide to get your partner involved in the home workout, the speakers will be more suitable to play the music out loud.
However, for the days when you want a more intense solo workout, your headphones are the perfect option. This will also be a better option if you live in shared accommodation or a block of flats where you need to be courteous to others around you.
Sony is one of the best brands for wireless music technology. Take a look at the Sony WI-1000x review to see why so many people recommend this brand for speakers and headphones.
Adjustable Bench
You don’t actually need an adjustable bench to get a great workout done. However, there are a variety of resistance training exercises that you can perform with a bench, such as the bench press, seated shoulder press, and hip thrust will all require the use of a bench.
An adjustable bench will enable you to change the angle at which you perform each exercise but you will still be able to do a lot with a fully flat bench if that’s all that you can find. Your bench can be stored safely in the corner of your home gym room, ready to be used when you need it.
Dumbbells
If you want to grow some muscle and get that desirable toned look, you’ll need to use a set of dumbbells in your workouts. Dumbbells help to create resistance for your muscles to work against and this can help to stimulate muscle growth.
Even if you aren’t too bothered about growing your muscles, dumbbells can add intensity to your cardio workouts. They can be used in a HIIT circuit to add new challenges and variations to your usual routine.
Dumbbells come in a range of weights. If you can, order a couple of sets, one that’s relatively heavy and one that’s relatively light. This way, you have an appropriate weight for a variety of dumbbell only exercises.
For example, if you’re training your lower body muscles, you’ll probably be able to use a fairly heavy set of dumbbells. But if you’re doing an upper-body row or overhead press movement, you’ll generally need a lighter weight.
You may be able to get a set of dumbbells that has adjustable weights. They have a basic bar with several removable plates that enable you to change the weight as and when necessary.
Treadmill
If you’re a cardio lover, a treadmill is a must-have. But whether you enjoy cardio or not, it’s always helpful to have at least one cardio machine in your home gym.
You could go for a stationary bike or an elliptical trainer but you can’t go wrong with a treadmill. It’s a classic piece of gym equipment that is extremely versatile. It’s great to use as a warm-up to your strength training work out too, especially in the cooler months.
You have the option to take a relaxing walk or add an incline to work your gluteal muscle a little more. If you want to ramp up the intensity and get your heart rate up, you can jog or run on the treadmill. For an amazing HIIT workout, the treadmill can also be used to perform a series of sprints that will have you breathless in no time.
Treadmills cost anywhere from several hundred to thousands of dollars but they are worth the investment if you’re going to be using your home gym multiple times a week for the foreseeable future.
