The variables here are space and budget, you may have one, both or neither of these assets but determination is all you need.
Our primary objective is simple, two acquire the equipment necessary to do more with less. To keep things to a minimum while getting the most out of your time investment. Most people should be able to see amazing results with less than a hundred dollars invested in something that will never break or wear out.
If our home gym doubles as a living room, then you will need to keep it simple. Kettlebells, a swiss ball and a mat may be all you can fit. You may not want to lug your kettle bells around the house but fortunately, they will fit in the corner of even the smallest living room.
Kettlebells are your best option because they are more versatile than a dumbbell and can be used to achieve greater results. Bang for your buck, this is the best investment you can ever make in your fitness. If you have a space dedicated to the gym, then you will want to add hanging gymnast rings. Hanging handles are the next greatest bang for your buck investment in your training.
The next thing to consider is flooring. This doesn’t have to be expensive or permanent but I do recommend getting good quality because your commitment to your health is long term, right? I use rubber mats about 3′ x 6′ and 1” thick, each one weighs about a hundred pounds so they are very solid and I won’t have to replace them for a long time.
Once you have flooring add a barbell and some weights for maximizing your potential with lifts that you just can’t find kettlebells heavy enough to do, the deadlift and squat. A plyo box is also a great, inexpensive addition and can be used for many things. You can use them with your hanging handles to make exercises innately more difficult or even easier, use them for stepping and jumping exercises. Resistance bands are also a great tool and are highly versatile so they add great value for the investment. If you have the budget to add dumbbells, they will complement any gym nicely and don’t take up a lot of space.
A foam roller is another nice, relatively inexpensive piece of equipment that you can get a lot of miles out of. I have seen people make various dumbbells and free weights with concrete in their garage and I know there are more than a few tutorials on Youtube on how to make them. Free floor space is critical to a home gym and there’s nothing wrong with training on the lawn. So, even if you don’t have a “gym space” you can train anywhere as simple as your front lawn. That is the beauty of functional weight lifting tools, you don’t need thousands of dollars of equipment and full sized gym to see real results.
Until next time,
Peter Hirsh
P.S. Once you have your home gym set up, try my 30 day Kettlebell RX Program to get you started on a workout routine.
