It has been roughly 5 months since the last time I have been to a gym. Most people, for obvious reasons, accepted that their fitness would probably take a hit due to gyms being closed. For me, that was just not an option. During this time not only was I able to get stronger, but I’ve actually increased my fitness while being able to maintain my Olympic lifting. It got me thinking… what equipment have I used at my home gym that allowed me to do this? And what equipment would I recommend to others if they were going to start their own home gym?
Here is the equipment that I’ve used during the last 5 months, in no particular order:
1. Barbell
2. Bumper plates
3. Dumbbells (20lbs/35lb/50lbs)
4. Kettlebells (35lbs/53lbs/70lbs)
5. Rower
6. Wall Ball
7. Jump Rope
8. Box
There is only 1 thing that I’d like to add to my home gym, which is a pull up bar. With that being said, I have done a lot of dumbbell and barbell rows and I am interested to see if that has helped me maintain my ability to do 15+ strict pull ups once I get back to the gym.
Even without the pullup bar, I’ve used 8 pieces of equipment on a regular basis and I’ve gotten stronger and more fit since I switched to at home workouts. So which equipment would I recommend prioritizing for your home gym?
1. Barbell + Bumper Plates:The ability to squat, deadlift, bench, press, snatch, clean, jerk, push press is a game changer. I love the dumbbells and they definitely would have helped me maintain strength, but this equipment has allowed me to get stronger. Being able to get back to the basics (squat, deadlift, and press) and focus on increasing reps has improved my technique on the movements and given me much more confidence.
2. 2 Pairs of Dumbbells:I have done so many dumbbell workouts I can’t even count. This equipment allows for so much variety in the types of workouts you can do. I would recommend getting two pairs to start. One pair that is light and a second pair that is heavy/challenging for you. This will give you even more options and allow you to push yourself when using the heavier set.
3. Rower:Of all the equipment I put on here, this is by far the most expensive (probably around $999) but if you have the dough, it is a fantastic piece of equipment. Not only is it durable but it allows you to do multiple types of workouts. You can sprint, do medium distance intervals, long duration cardio, and you can throw it in a rotation with other movements. Rowing is a full body exercise and can be great when the weather doesn’t allow you to get outside. If you do get yourself a rower, I promise you won’t regret it.
4. Jump Rope:This one is a no brainer because of the low cost. This piece of equipment is great for easy cardio or if you’re looking for more of a challenge, you can do double unders and throw it in a rotation with other movements.
5. Kettlebells:This one is last on my list mainly because the dumbbell can be used in place of the kettlebell for most movements. With that being said, if you’ve got all the other pieces of equipment and are still looking to expand your home gym options, getting a couple of these at different weights would be a bonus.
The last thing that I need to mention (because it is absolutely free and requires no equipment) is running. This activity is your best friend when doing home workouts. It is also the reason I have increased my fitness in the last 4 months. I run about 3 times a week in varying formats. Once in a workout with other movements, once with intervals, and one long run once a week. It Is by far the movement that most people need to improve, but often ignore. The truth is, running is easy to improve but the hardest part is consistently doing it. Quarantine has motivated me to increase how often I run and I’ve improved so much because of it.
There is my list. Obviously, there are a lot of toys that you can get for your home gym but with these pieces of equipment, you can get stronger and improve all areas of your fitness. Not only will having a home gym allow you to get in a lot of great workouts, but there is an added bonus of saving driving time which you can use to spend doing other things you like to do!
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