If you’re anything like me then you want the most bang for your buck. And if the 2020 pandemic taught you anything, then you know that gyms and fitness centers are becoming less reliable. It may have even pushed you to cancel all your memberships and make your own gym at your home. Taking this route can be a smart way to save money in the long run and could even incentivize you to workout harder or more often.
There’s lots of benefits to owning your own home gym. You don’t have to wait around for equipment to show up at the gym. You don’t have to drive to the gym. For some that’s more appealing than others weather there’s 2ft of snow outside or if it’s 100 degrees. And, if there’s a global pandemic where businesses are shutting down left and right, you can ensure that you’ll stay in shape through it.
The convenience and freedom of having your own home gym are clear as day. However, this luxury comes with a price. Depending on what type of training you do for yourself, home fitness equipment can be expensive. If you’re into just cardio and light weight training, then having your own home gym is a no-brainer. On the other hand if you enjoy swimming laps, sitting in the hot tub or sauna, play an occasional game of squash, or take advantage of personal training or massage therapy, then you may want to rethink about transitioning to a home gym and weigh your pros and cons.
For those who train with heavy weights, having a home gym to accommodate your fitness requirements is definitely not cheap. However, if you are truly committed to having your own fitness gym then it would pay off in the long run. Due to the high prices of squat racks, benches, and heavy dumbbells and barbells, it could take some time before your investment returns some savings. But if you are considering what to buy for yourself then perhaps I can steer you in the right direction.
The fitness equipment I would recommend the average gym goer whose goal is to just stay lean and in shape, I would recommend setting up your own home gym. Unless you’re interested in the add-on’s that public gyms offer like pool, hot tub, sauna, or personal training access, then I would think twice before you transition to a home gym. Lots of times when people sign up for a new gym they convince themselves that they’ll use all the extras a gym offers. But then they only use it a few times. For this reason, be honest with yourself about what equipment you actually use and benefit from.
For the fitness guru that is looking to not only stay in shape but put on muscle, then at the very least I would recommend a squat rack. This is because the squat rack is one of the most universal pieces of gym equipment there is. You can practically stop right there but if you want to take it further then I would add dumbbells to your home gym as well. You will also want a proper barbell and bench that inclines. For the squat rack, there’s no need to get anything fancy since these can be very expensive. Go for one that is on the cheaper side because most of the squat racks that are out there are for serious gyms with lots of people using it. Since you’re the only one that’ll be on it, you don’t need all that durability. Something that looks simple, cheap, and with good reviews should do just fine. For dumbbells, it depends on your fitness habits but I know for me, I practically never go above 65 lbs. So in this case I would most likely only by dumbbells 20lbs – 65lbs with 5lb intervals. That’s 10 different sets of dumbbells. However, I can make that even simpler. Since I know I rarely use a lot of the weights in the middle of that range, I could easily take about 3 or 4 of those sets out. So let’s call it 6 different sets of dumbbells. Viola, you basically can do every workout needed for muscle building and to stay in shape.
I would also recommend a sauna for your home gym. I’m a big believer in saunas and everyone can benefit from them no matter what your goals are. Unlike the gym equipment from above, a sauna can be an investment and raise the value of your home. In other words, you may get your money back when you decide to sell your house and move.
Home fitness equipment gives people everywhere the convenience and freedom to workout at any time without the hassle of other gym goers or long commutes. However, this luxury comes at a price. Depending on your fitness goals, it may make more sense to buy your own equipment rather than renting it out like at a traditional gym. Be honest with what you use and decide what the essentials are and start from there. Weigh out the pros and cons and see if this is something that you are interested in doing. Let me know if you have any other home fitness tips or recommendations on how to get started with a home gym.
Dabbl 