Now that you have a designated space and budget, it’s time to pick the best home gym equipment. The fun part! This really is personal, but for a general, typical lifter, a versatile and useful backbone includes:
- A power rack with pull-up bar built on. Read: Guide to the Best Home Gym Power Racks
- An adjustable bench. Read: Adjustable Bench Comparison Guide
- A barbell. Read: Barbell Comparison Guide
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Weight plates. Read: How to Pick the Best Weight Plates for Your Gym.
Not sure how much of a home weight set you need? Read: How Much Weight Do You Need to Buy for Your Home Gym?
- Adjustable dumbbells. Read: What Makes the Best Adjustable Dumbbell?
You may also want to consider adding:
- Resistance bands: These are great for warming up, rehab, and to add resistance – on their own or with barbell lifts.
- An adjustable kettlebell: Kettlebells pack full-body training in a small package, made even smaller with the adjustable option.
- Cable machine and attachments: Cable machines are great for lifters of all fitness levels and are incredibly versatile.
- Foam roller: Roll to warm up, roll to cool down, roll to help recovery.
- A plyo box: Box jumps, step-ups, and more are a few of the ways to use these boxes.
- Gym Chalk: Secure your grip on heavier lifts and pull-ups with chalk.
Resources to Help You Choose the Best Home Gym Equipment
REP's blog is an ever-growing resource to help you navigate the options. You’ll find the blog under the “Learn” tab on the home page navigation bar.
The blog is packed with helpful info, from training tips to healthy lifestyle info. But the most useful categories when building your home gym will be “Guides” (comparing and explaining different gym equipment offerings) and “Inspiration” (full of home gym inspo, designs, and ideas).
Here are some articles that might be particularly helpful:
- Under “Inspiration,” you will also find articles about building specific types of gyms, such as a powerlifting gym, a Strongman gym, a functional fitness gym.
- Product Detail summaries
Make it Easy: Home Gym Packages
Feeling overwhelmed? The paralysis of choice gotchoo? Stop that. Stop it right now.
We’ve got some super simple click-and-go home gym sets to make your life easy peasy. Pick the description of the kit that best fits your needs, make a few clicks, add to cart, and you’re done.
- For lifters looking to start a home gym with minimal space: Minimalist Package
- For competitive or more experienced powerlifters who want to follow a program: Juggernaut AI Package 1
- For lifters who want to customize a basic home gym in one easy order: BYO Home Gym Package with REP’s Best-Sellers
- For gyms that want to pack big gains in a small space: Space-Saving Home Gym Package
- For lifters who want to bring the “box” home: Functional Fitness Package
- For a gym where you can do the “big five” compound barbell movements: The 5x5 Big Lifts Package
- For the Strongman, designed by a pro Strongman competitor: Strongman Package
- For a pre-configured full gym setup that includes a half rack, cable machines, and built-in storage – this is the best, all-in-one home gym equipment setup: Hyperion® series 1
Read more about How to Choose a Gym Equipment Package here.
What Floor Should I Put in My Home Gym?
Selecting the right gym flooring is crucial for creating a safe, comfortable, and effective workout environment in your home gym. Proper flooring not only protects your equipment and floors but also reduces the risk of injuries, provides cushioning for your joints, and enhances overall workout performance.
Durability: Choose flooring that can withstand heavy equipment and weights. Your kid’s cheap floor tiles probably won’t cut it with a robust rack.
Shock absorption: Flooring should provide some shock absorption to protect your joints and reduce noise.
Cleanliness: Pick floor mats that are easy to keep clean and sanitary. Because – uh, please, we don’t need to explain this to you, right?
Read: The Floor is Yours: Let’s Talk About Gym Flooring
How to Organize a Gym?
Don’t forget to plan storage, too. Here’s the best storage system for your home gym. And here are some tips to keep your home gym organized.
Tip: REP’s Modular Storage System could turn professional organizer Marie Kondo into a professional bodybuilder, it’s so customizable and thoughtful. Ooh, it sparks so much joy!
Review and Adjust Your Budget
As you choose gym equipment, review and adjust your budget as you go to make sure you’re on track. Track expenses and make adjustments as needed based on the actual costs. Be flexible. If you find a good deal on one item, you may be able to reallocate those savings to another area of your gym.
Step 6: Plan the design
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