How to Build a Home Gym
Lots of people find it cost effective to train at home. While the start-up cost might be a lot in the beginning, it could end up saving you money overall. Many companies have specially designed pieces of equipment to fit in your garage. You can always slowly increase equipment over time.
Here are some basics of what you’ll need to get started:
Rubber Mats for Flooring
• You’ll avoid a lot of damage (and noise complaints) by having something to absorb some of the sound
• Sometimes it’s cheaper to look at barn equipment. You may find a cheaper rate when buying horse stall mats rather than traditional lifting mats. They are made of virtually of the same material.
Resistance Bands
• Use these for stretching and mobility
• Also travel well for some resistance exercises if you’re on the road/in a hotel
Kettlebells
• These tend to be a little cheaper compared to weight plates, at least to get you started
• Typically a little more versatile than dumbbells
• Choose manageable weights
• You can use them for swings, snatches, clean and presses, high pulls, deadlifts, etc.
Jump Rope or Speed Rope
• Great for quick bursts of cardio
• Easy to travel with and great for warm-ups and cool-downs
Weight Bench
• Not only useful for traditional lifting, but can be used for triceps dips, step ups, hamstring curls, etc.
Radio
• Nothing is worse than listening to yourself breathe (more like gasping for air) while working out
• It’s your home gym, so ditch the headphones and crank up the stereo (just be sure to stay within noise ordinance compliance hours – nothing kills the buzz of the workout like a cop showing up to tell you to keep it down)
