Starting A Home Gym
/How often do you workout at home?
Probably a lot more often recently with all the stay-at-home orders that have been issued throughout the country.
So… how’s it going?
Are you sick of bodyweight workouts yet? Are you ready to add some variety to your workouts? Or, are you doing just fine with the limited or no equipment?
Whatever boat you’re in, one question I’ve been getting a lot lately is, “what should I have at home?”
The answer… it depends.
I know, that’s not probably what you want to hear, but without knowing your individual circumstances, goals, and budget- it’s the best I’ve got.
So, since I can’t give you a hard and fast answer, I’m going to do my best to break down some basic options. At the end of this article, I’ll give you some suggested home gym “packages” that you may want to consider.
If you already have some basic equipment, this article may not be for you. However, if you’re looking to start or build up your basics, I’m going to do my best to break it down for you.
Here we go…
Note: Other than the mats, the links below are to the type of equipment I would buy, not necessarily the specific brand. However, I did link to equipment that looked like what I would personally purchase if were buying online right now, mid-pandemic.
Weights/Resistance Equipment
Dumbbells/Kettlebells
To add some variety to your home workouts, ideally you have some kind of dumbbells and/or kettlebells. The weight you have will be dependent completely on your needs, but if at all possible you want a light, medium, and heavy set.
If I had to start my own home gym right now, I would probably go with a something like this kettlebell set, which would mean I’d be doing a lot of single-sided work or off-balance work (since I’d only have one of each weight).
If you wanted to go the dumbbell route, I’d try to get pairs, and start with weights like 5s, 10s, and 15s. I see a lot of “dumbbell sets for women” that are 3s, 5s, 8s or something of that nature, and honestly- for most people I wouldn’t spend my money on that set. Of course, there are exceptions to every rule (my 75 year old plus clients for example), but for most of the people reading this, 3# weights won’t do you much good. Even if you need to start there, you’ll outgrow (in a good way!) those weights quickly.
If you’re only going to get two sets of weights, I’d recommend something in the 5-8 range and the 12-15 range depending on the type of workouts you plan to do.
If I had to choose only 2 sets of dumbbells for myself I’d probably go 10s and 15s… but then I’d try to add something heavier (like a set of 25s, or a 50# kettlebell) for lower body work.
For anything that I needed lighter, I’d make sure I had a good set of resistance bands…
Resistance Bands
On the other hand, the easiest way to add some extra resistance to your home workout is with resistance bands. Not only are they less expensive and easier to purchase online than weights, but they are extremely versatile.
Even though you’ll buy a band by resistance level (often they’ll give you a weight, but it’s really more of an estimate than anything” the longer you make that band the “lighter” it will be, the shorter you make that same band the “heavier” it will be. Because of that, you can easily adjust the “weight” of the band as needed for each exercise.
You can buy bands individually or in sets. However, when you’re buying a set something to pay attention to is whether or not each band has its own handle, or if the set only comes with one pair of handles that you have to switch from band to band.
Which is better? It’s really a personal preference. I personally wouldn’t want to have to switch out handles in the middle of a workout. However, some people don’t mind it at all.
One thing I would recommend that you do look for in a set is a door anchor. If you’ve got a doorway in your house that will allow you to use the door anchor, the exercises you can do with your band has just expanded… and when you’re stuck at home, variety can be everything!
Mats
When it comes to mats, if you plan on working out at home much I highly recommend investing in a good quality one. As a bonus, you’ll be able to bring it to the gym with you when (if) you ever decide to go back.
Sure, you can get a less expensive one, and if you’re just starting out, that may be the way you want to go. However, if you are serious about building a good home gym (or if you like the idea of being able to use your own mat at the gym), the investment is well worth it.
My favorite mats are the Beachbody Jump Mat and the Manduka Pro Yoga Mat.
The Beachbody Jump Mat is the exercise mat that I have/use. I've had mine for years, and I bought one for Rob when we first started dating... and both mats are still going strong. It’s a thicker and heavier mat, so I wouldn’t bring it back and forth with me to the gym, but it’s perfect for extra cushion. I’ve used it on all kinds of surfaces from concrete to carpet to allow me to have extra padding and stability with my workouts. It's not a super "cushy" mat but it holds up to a lot of wear and tear- and I've used it for cardio/kickboxing, etc. as well as for floor and core exercises.
FYI- I have an account with Beachbody since I teach and buy their stuff, so if you use that link I might get some kickback (at no extra cost to you), but you can totally look up that mat on its own if you want.
As for yoga mats, I used to tear through the ones I bought at stores like Target multiple times a year. However, even though I’ve continued to teach PiYo twice (or more) a week and integrate yoga when I can into my workouts, I haven’t had to buy a new mat since I purchased my Manduka Pro yoga mat. Not only that, but it still looks practically brand new.
I LOVE this mat for Yoga & PiYo. It's thicker than a normal yoga mat, and it has held up really well for the last 5 years. Don’t be surprised if the first time you use it the mat seems a bit slippery. You can either do a gentle scrub with salt (follow the instructions that come with your mat), or just sweat on it a bit. The more you use it, the better it gets.
BONUS EQUIPMENT
While there are so many “toys” you could get for your home gym, I promised to keep it simple in this article. So, for physical equipment, if you’re going to get something beyond your basic resistance equipment and a mat, these are things I would consider next.
Step Platform- No, I’m not stuck in the 80s. Yes, I’m serious. A good step with height options would be the first thing I’d put in my “additional gym items” list. There are so many things you can do with a step, and height options will allow you to make your workouts harder or easier according to what you need. You can get either the smaller “circuit size” or the larger “health club size, but if you have the money and space- I’d go with the longer option so you can use the step as a bench for additional exercise options. (Also, I’ve found that it’s easier to find extra risers for the health club size if you’re ready to take your game up a notch even more)
Pull up bar- You’ll need a door frame for this, but if you’ve got a place to put it, I’d add this to cart. Pulling movements are one of the hardest things to do without weight. However, posterior chain strength (your back!) is so important. No, you may not be able to do a pull-up yet, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t start working on it!
Stability Ball- These can be love them or leave them. However, having a ball does give you more options and variety to your workouts. You can use them as a bench, sit on them, or integrate core and hamstring work with your bodyweight. They aren’t overly expensive, and if you find that you’re working at home more- not a bad option for a “desk chair”.
Jump rope- Why? It’s an inexpensive addition to your gym. And if you are able to jump rope, it’s great cardio. Plus, kids enjoy them too... Bonus!
Foam Roller and/or Lacrosse Ball- If you can, go for both! But at the very minimum get yourself a lacrosse or tennis ball. It’ll work magic on sore muscles!
Workouts
Okay, so we talked equipment. But what about the actual workouts? Well, I’ve posted several workouts. And you can easily find a plethora of workouts with a quick search on the internet. All kinds of people are posting workouts these days.
However, not all workouts are created equal. There are going to be good workouts out there, and there are going to be not so good workouts out there. Trust me, I’ve seen a fair share of both. And unfortunately, sometimes what “seems” like a good workout may actually be an injury waiting to happen.
When it comes to the best collection of workout programs to stream, I haven’t found anything that I like better than Beachbody on Demand. Not only are there a variety of types of workouts, but EVERY SINGLE PROGRAM comes with additional tools such as nutrition plans, recipes, workout calendars, and more. If you want the most bang for your buck, this is the streaming service I recommend, hands down. TurboFire, PiYo, LIIFT4, T25, and ChaLEAN Extreme are just some of my favorite programs you can stream on this platform. You can also access P90x, Insanity, 21 Day Fix, 80 Day Obsession, and so many more.
My recommendation? Check out the performance challenge packs or Shakeology challenge packs that are built for the program that peaks your interest because not only do you get the full year of streaming, but you can get some of the equipment as well as nutritionals all at a discount.
If you need help finding a program or deciding where to start, ask! I’m familiar with many of the programs, and can help you find the one that’s right for you, your skills, and your goals.
Of course, the other option online that I stand behind is THE FRICKin Good Life Online Training! You didn’t think I wasn’t going to mention it, right? More personalized than any kind of streaming service that you’ll find- you can work with me one on one online! I offer “in person” training (think FaceTime workouts) or personalized programming and communication depending on what you prefer.
Some things people have said about online training with me:
“I was surprised at the ease of use. I expected some glitches, especially because I'm not as tech savvy, but there were none. I liked the demo videos […] I could watch the video and remember doing the movement with you in the past, or see them do a new movement and know just what to do.
[I also liked that] I didn't have to stick with a specific appointment time or day, I could move things around as I needed to and still get in a workout. I didn't even need to be in a specific place! Over the weeks I worked out in a regular gym, a hotel gym and even in my hotel room, and still got great workouts. Even though I was in different places and States, I still worked out because I was accountable to you, and I knew you'd be checking in on me, other weeks of travel, I would have just taken a break and skipped the workouts.”
“I was surprised how easy it is! I was scared that it would be really cumbersome, especially filming myself. I liked knowing that someone is counting on me so I can’t slack off and skip workouts.”
Interested in working with me online one on one? Apply here and I’ll contact you with more information!
Home Gym Starter Suggestions
As promised, here are three different lists to get you started building your home gym.
So there you have it. If you’re a client (in-person or online) and want to talk more specifics for you, let me know! Otherwise, I hope these lists help you get started as you build your home gym!
Have fun, stay fit, keep moving!
BONUS RESOURCES
The FRICKin Good Life Workouts
Corona Brain and What to Do about it
Should you Modify When Exercising?
Tabata Ideas