Commercial gyms are closed for at least the next couple of months due to the coronavirus outbreak. As a result, people are left scrambling to build a home gym to continue their workout programs and achieve their fitness goals. Have you been browsing online catalogs of home gym equipment but you’re clueless on what to buy?
Let’s take a look at the best home gym equipment based on how effective it is and how much space you have in your home. I’ll also throw in workouts for each set of exercise equipment.
Is a Home Gym Better Than a Commercial Gym?
It’s easy to think that a commercial gym is inherently better than a home gym, but this isn’t necessarily the case. Even after this COVID-19 scare, you might want to consider improving your home gym and avoiding the commercial gyms. Here’s why a home gym might be superior to a commercial gym:
Cost-Effective
Over the long-term, a home gym is the most economic option. According to a study published in the Statistic Brain Research Institute, the average cost of a gym membership is around $58. Your monthly gym membership might be less but don’t forget to consider the annual fees, some that you can only find in the fine print. [1]
If those numbers are correct, you’re spending close to $700 per year on a membership. That same amount of money can get you most of the home gym equipment on this list. At most, it’ll take two years to pay for itself.
Cleanliness
Gyms were one of the first businesses to shut down after the announcement of the coronavirus outbreak, and rightly so. Gyms are essentially germ boxes with poor ventilation and not everyone takes part in the honor system of wiping down their machines with disinfectant.
When you work out at home like in a garage or basement gym, you don’t need to worry about catching the flu or a bug from a stranger.
Convenience
How many times have you been stuck in rush hour traffic on your way to the gym? Have you ever confused the gym’s holiday hours and wound up arriving to a closed gym? When you belong to a commercial gym, you are on their schedule. More importantly, so is everyone else, and this results in those peak rush times.
When you have your own gym, you set the hours. You don’t have to battle traffic to get there. Most importantly, you’re not waiting to use equipment.
Looking for some workouts to go along with your home gym equipment? Check out these home bodyweight workouts for all levels of experience.
Bodyweight workouts you can do at home are free, convenient, and safe.
Best Home Gym Equipment
Think you need a commercial gym in order to see the best results? Think again. Here’s the best home gym equipment for any living space to help you achieve your fitness goals.
Small Spaces
The following home gym equipment will fit in a part of a room in your home – something the size of a hotel room. It’s perfect for someone on a tight budget who needs everything to be stored underneath a bed or in a closet. This equipment is also ideal for beginners as it focuses on foundational movements that promote muscle growth and fat burning.
- Adjustable / Removable Pull-Up Bar
- Adjustable Dumbbells
- TRX Straps
- Resistance Bands
- Ab Roller
Here’s a full-body workout involving all of this equipment to get you started:
- Dumbbell Romanian Deadlifts: 3 sets of 12 to 15 repetitions
- Wide Grip Pull-Ups: 3 x 5 – 10
- Resistance Bands Front Squat: 3 x 15 – 20
- TRX Fly: 3 x 5 – 10
- YTWL with Resistance Bands: 2 x 10 – 12
- TRX Mountain Climbers: 2 x 20
- Ab Rollout: 2 x 10
Learn more about the variables of muscle growth.
Large Rooms
The following home gym equipment is going to fit perfectly in a room in your home. If you have a room the size of a traditional home office, that will be perfect. This equipment is going to be ideal for someone who wants a home gym but doesn’t want to worry about having “too much stuff.” Honestly, this is all you’ll ever need in a home gym; everything beyond this point is bells and whistles.
- Three-Angle Bench (preferably with a squat rack attachment)
- Barbell with Weight Plates
- Permanent Fixture Pull-Up Bar
- Set of Dumbbells
- TRX Straps
- Ab Roller
Here’s a full-body workout involving all of this equipment to get you started:
- TRX Push-Ups: 3 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions
- Decline Press: 2 x 8 – 12
- Pull-Ups: 3 x 8 – 10
- Rear Deltoid Fly on Bench: 3 x 15 – 20
- Overhead Squat: 3 x 10 – 15
- Step-Ups: 2 x 8 – 12
- Barbell Romanian Deadlift: 2 x 8 – 12
- Ab Rollout: 3 x 20
Maximum Space
If you have a garage or basement that you can turn into a gym, you hit paydirt. Any room that allows for maximum space will work fine, and it’s the best option for a long-term fitness investment. You’ll be able to buy equipment that allows for optimal range of motion without worrying about taking out a ceiling fan. With all of this home gym equipment, you’ll be able to target every muscle group and you’ll love how convenient it is to progress your workout programs.
- Cable Machine
- Squat Cage with Three-Angle Bench
- Captain’s Chair
- Full Set of Dumbbells
- Barbell with Weight Plates
Here’s a full-body workout involving all of this equipment to get you started:
- Barbell Back Squat: 3 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions
- Lat Pulldown: 3 x 10 – 15
- Barbell Deadlift: 3 x 8 – 12
- Cable Chest Cross: 3 x 10 – 12
- Dumbbell Military Press: 2 x 10 – 15
- Triceps Pushdown: 2 x 10 – 15
- Dumbbell Hammer Curls: 2 x 8 – 12
- Hanging Leg Raises: 3 x 10 – 15
Energize Your Home Gym Workouts
Be sure to power your home gym workouts with a tried-and-true pre-workout supplement: introducing MO90 – Muscle Overload. Packed with scientifically proven ingredients like beta alanine, caffeine, and panax notoginseng, this is one pre-workout that will keep you going for hours after the workout is over.
References
Statistic Brain. “Gym Membership Market Analysis.” Statistic Brain, 31 July 2018, www.statisticbrain.com/gym-
