BE>LOG
The Ultimate Guide to Building a Home Gym

Building a home gym but no idea where to start? Consider this guide as your home gym manifesto. We’ll cover customisation, budget, and making the most of your space.

 

LET’S GET STARTED.

Firstly, it’s good to define your fitness goals. Building strength, losing body fat, a single arm handstand; your goals will determine the set up. A bodybuilder’s gym will look and function much differently to someone looking to get in shape for an upcoming wedding.

Building a home gym is more than an investment in equipment, it’s an investment in yourself and one that will pay dividends for years. Not only are you saving time by having your gym at home but high quality equipment lasts a lifetime so you can add new pieces to your collection as you reach your goals. Space is king when it comes to a home gym. Thankfully, even small spaces can be utilised to the fullest by choosing the right equipment. Try to pick an area that has a solid, flat foundation, good airflow, and high ceilings. A garage usually ticks most of these boxes, with the added benefit of keeping clutter out of the house, making them a popular choice for home gyms.

Planning your layout is also vital before moving forward with the build. If you are performing weightlifting or powerlifting, a decent space (most likely the size of a lifting platform) will be needed for a lot of your compound exercises.

The same goes for functional training set-ups; they require more open floor space for most of their exercises. If all you need is a treadmill and a few dumbbells, think about how the space will function when the equipment is set up. A clear mental picture guides your purchases so you’ll make the most of your space.

 

HOW TO SET UP YOUR NEW HOME GYM.

As advanced or as simple as you wish.

For serious athletes that have the budget and want to build an entire gym with everything they need to hit their training requirements, it’s easy- pick what you want and go for it. However, for those that are just starting out, a more careful approach is needed.

For a beginner, start with the essentials: a rack, Olympic barbell, weight plates, bench, flooring and maybe some accessories. This is just a reference, it’s up to you to choose what you want and importantly, what you’ll enjoy using. See below for some beginner ideas.

Advanced level home gym builds will most likely consist of the basic home gym list and a lot more. This is where personalisation and attention to detail.

Once you have a basic idea about the set up, let’s dig into the finer details.

FLOORING

When you lift heavy things up and down it’s good to have protection. Flooring can help shape an area and protect the ground. Carefully consider this aspect as flooring can be hard to change once cut and laid. For most home gyms, rubber or EPMD gym flooring tiles are best. To find out how much flooring you need, measure the size of the area you plan to use and buy the tiles suitable to that size area. Tiles are sold in 1m x 1m x 15mm thick units.

Rubber Gym Flooring

Rubber Flooring is specifically designed for home gym and light commercial use. Made from recycled rubber, this is a great option for those needing a softer bed for functional training, dropping weights, or just working on your downward dog.

EPDM Flooring

A cheaper rubber tile could have larger granules and not be compacted evenly throughout the surface. This can lead to the rubber fading or crumbling apart. With our EPDM premium quality rubber tiles, the material is consistent in its density throughout the mat. That means that every part of the mat has the same density and contains the same absorption capacity. Weights bounce off the surface evenly and uniformly, making them reliable and safe for anyone to use.

 

RACKS

This is where the fun stuff starts; your very own personal rack is a motivating sight. Preferably, start with the equipment that will serve the most purpose in your gym. If you are a CrossFit or Functional Fitness athlete, you will need an adjustable rack that can handle reasonable weight, and something to do pull-ups and gymnastics movements on. A Commercial Power Rack, half rack or even a wall-mounted folding rack would all be great options. A powerlifter and bodybuilder will also require a similar set up.

A quality rack in your home gym can be a versatile piece of equipment, easy to add accessories to and takes up relatively little space.

Power Racks

A Power Rack is your ultimate home gym must; perfect for squatting or pressing movements in addition to pull ups and gymnastics movements. Power Racks come with safety mechanisms and storage; combined with an exciting variety of ever evolving attachments.

Half Racks

This is a smaller version of a Power Rack; taking up less space, while offering most benefits found on the larger Power Rack. Complete with a pull up bar, J-Hooks & safeties; these also cater for most attachments.

Wall Mounted Folding Racks

These can be packed away after training, and are convenient for those in smaller spaces. Directly mounted to the wall and easily fold able, your space can be freed up after a workout. Comes with a pull up bar attached, and can handle squat or pressing movements easily.

Squat Racks & Stands

Great for lifters who just want to squat and press; squat racks and stands are made to be completely moveable and take up minimal room.

SPECIALTY RACKS

Geared towards the more elite fitness enthusiast, these racks are specifically built to handle extreme weights and have precise measurements for lifters wanting to train for competition, or simulate competition. Primarily for Powerlifting or Bodybuilding, these best train for movements such as squats and bench presses.

IPF Combo rack

Integrates both squat and bench press uprights as a singular part, making it super easy and efficient when transitioning between lifts. Specifically built for the Powerlifter and/or the elite level athlete to train movements as seen in competition.

Olympic Bench Press

Heavy duty, purpose-built bench purely for bench press. These units are made with super thick 4mm commercial grade steel to handle any weight.

Prone Row Bench

A bench specific to the Prone row movement. Completely isolates the back muscles while lying on a stable, facedown bench.

BARBELLS & WEIGHT PLATES

What is a gym without a barbell and weights? To help you navigate the complexities and subtleties of these essential home gym items, we’ve dedicated separate articles to barbell and weight plate buying guides.

 

BENCHES

A decent bench is an absolute necessity for any home gym owner, from novice right the way through to certified pro. Combine a bench with a rack, a barbell and a few weights to give you a substantial pool of exercises to reach any fitness goal.

A lot can be said for a high-quality, well- built, heavy bench. A robust bench will stand the test of time. We’ll take a look at the differences between benches.

Flat Benches

Flat benches come in many forms and levels of build quality. This is a great addition to your gym for covering core exercises, bench press and dumbbell press. The only drawback is they’re non-adjustable, if you’re looking for a more versatile bench, check below.

Adjustable Benches

A nice happy medium, adjustable benches allow the athlete to diversify their training. With most adjustable benches you can adjust the bench from perfectly flat to complete upright or 80 degrees for overhead presses or bicep curls.

Adjustable FID Benches

A Flat Incline Decline bench, or FID, allows the athletes to also decline the bench for even more added ranges of motion and training possibilities. These benches will generally come with a foot support as well to lock the body in a decline position.

No Gap Adjustable & FID Benches

Most benches have a gap between the seat and back support which can be a mild annoyance in some positions, ‘no gap’ benches solve that problem. These benches will come with an increased range of horizontal and vertical adjustments for both the back and seat rests.

RACK ATTACHMENTS

This is where we start to customise and have fun. Rack attachments come in all shapes and sizes, with a diverse range of functions. From dip bars to power arms, landmines and safety spotter arms, you name it, it’s built specifically to fit your new rack.

Attachments range from supports and mounts for your bar, to actual implements you can use to train on. Most are simply a slide and connect, making it super easy to change between attachments or remove to do other exercises.

Many attachments are created to replace bulky and heavy, one use machines. So, you save on space and money by choosing the right attachments - that’s a double win in our books!

Check out our popular attachments to suit your rack:

Power Arms

Power arms are perfect for pushing exercises, pulling exercises, squatting and general strength training. This attachment is great for a diverse range of training regardless the level of the athlete. Easily adjustable and have a high weight limit.

Dip Bar

Train strict tricep dips with absolute stability. This a great attachment, well-built and fits onto any rack or rig upright.

Monolift

This attachment makes de-racking and re-racking the bar super easy and effortless for big weights or injury prevention. Geared towards the heavy lifter, great for bench pressing and squatting.

Landmine

A great and very small accessory that lets you find another use for a barbell. Simply insert the barbell, and use this attachment however you please. Perfect for shoulder and core movements.

Belt Squat

Increase leg strength without using a large commercial machine, that is easy to remove and place in storage when not in use.

Sandwich J-Hooks

The sandwich J-hooks are a great upgrade to your rack if you wish to have added protection for the barbell. These are also great for some selected bars like buffalo and safety squat bars where the rack positioning may not be perfectly flat due to its thinner design. They are super strong with double braced reinforcements and built with a super durable polymer rubber insert.

Leg Press

Similar to the belt squat, great for adding heavy duty, strict leg training capability to your rack. Easily detached and stored away to save valuable floor space.

Safety Spotter Arms

Safety is key. Built with reinforced bracing and plastic to protect the bar, the spotter arms are easily removable and can go anywhere for that ideal positioning so you can lift safely.

Safety Straps

Much like the safety spotter arms, safety straps go inside of the rack, making them a great addition for those pushing the limits with their lifts.

Wall Ball Target

This is a great addition to any rack or rig, giving the athlete two heights for a wall-ball target that can be placed on any rack or rig upright.

MACHINES

Machines can be seen as a luxury for some home gym owners. They can be large, heavy, and in some cases, only perform a single exercise.

That being said, even for novice and intermediate level fitness enthusiasts, some machines are irreplaceable. If it’s what you need, it’s what you need.

Let’s take a look.

Functional Trainers

Functional trainers can take up a good piece of real-estate within small areas. The advantage is, they’re versatile, great for full body training, and packed with features to train almost every muscle group.

Glute-Hamstring Developers (GHD)

The perfect core training tool, relatively small and easy enough to move around. Most commonly found in CrossFit gyms, these are great for GHD sit ups, reverse hyper-extension and hamstring curls.

Reverse Hyperextension

Great for lifters looking to maximise back, glute and posterior chain strength. Although this is a single exercise-based piece of equipment, its benefits can carry over into powerlifting and bodybuilding exercises.

Belt Squat

A belt squat is great for those looking to gain significant strength or do rehab training due to the minimised load it places on your posterior chain, lift big without the risk of injury.

Glute Builder & Hip Thrusters

Power comes from the glutes! Great for building leg, glute and hamstrings; isolating these muscles with low impact.

Farmers Carry Handles

Farmers Carry can train muscles all over the body and is great for building all-round strength.

Sled

Not just for Rudolph, a sled can be paired with weights and a rope. From sled push, to drags and pulls, the sled is a great functional fitness tool for building those core muscles.

 

ACCESSORIES & CONDITIONING

Accessories and conditioning equipment offer a good mix between luxury and necessity. There’s something for each fitness level and budget here. For those that can afford a good range of gear within this category, then these are fantastic items to fill your home gym and really make it yours.

You can get a great workout from a kettlebell, medicine ball and a skipping rope alone - taking up a small amount of space and costing little.

Think about what you want to train. For bodybuilding - dumbbells or dumbbell handles are commonly used for a large range of exercises, whereas CrossFit and functional fitness athletes would look at plyo boxes, ropes, gym rings and more specialised equipment.

Dumbbells

The quintessential piece of gym equipment. Built to last a lifetime, portable with endless exercise options. Dumbbells can come in several forms. Rubber hex are ideal for just about anything you can throw at them, whereas round PU(polyurethane) coated dumbbells are more suited to the strict training and most commonly found in boutique home gyms or commercial gyms.

Dumbbell Handles

Adjustable dumbbell handles are great for quickly changing weights with minimal equipment. These go perfectly with Iron plates and can be stacked with significant amounts of weight for heavy lifting.

Kettlebells

The ultimate functional Russian fitness tool for all abilities! Kettlebells have endless exercise options, coming in a wide range of weights perfect for any user. Swings, carries, presses, deadlifts, snatches, cleans and more; they are super durable and go great in any gym setting, of any size.

Dead Balls

Another compact, functional fitness tool for your everyday user, or professional athlete. Dead Balls are widely used in the functional fitness world for dead ball cleans, carries, slams and more.

Wall Balls & Medicine Balls

Great for conditioning, giving you a safe and cost-effective way to add weight to basic movements such as squatting movements, ab exercises, core exercises and slams.

Battle & Climbing Ropes

Ropes as such are great fun for all levels of training! From pulls and drags with a sled, vertical rope climbs and other rope drills. A versatile and niche tool to hone your fitness.

Gym Rings

Gym rings are great for ring rows, ring muscle-ups and can even attach to implements such as sled for drags and pulls. They are light weight, super portable and cost effective to satisfy a lot of body weight movements.

Resistance Bands

Whether it be for rehab/prehab, resistance training, assisted body-weight training or even strength accessories, these are a great tool for any home gym space. They come is a variety of thicknesses. Super lightweight, small and portable enough to fit in your suit- case.

Plate Carriers / Weight Vests

Weight vests, or plate carriers, are great for adding intensity and raw weight to your workouts. Choose what weight to put in a perform a wide range of strength and cardio moves, from squatting to walking.

Plyo Boxes

A great all-rounder addition to your gym space. Train functional moves like box jumps and step ups. Also great for assisted strength training such as box squats and weighted step ups.

Jump Ropes / Skipping Ropes

Muhammad Ali’s best friend! Skipping ropes are great for an intense cardio session. Probably the most effective, lightweight and portable exercise item you can own.

CARDIO MACHINES

We all like to build strong, visible muscles. But it’s important to keep that heart in peak shape too!

No longer for just commercial gyms, cardio machines are affordable and in some cases, easy to store away.

Again, think about your fitness goals. Cardio machines are a great way to burn calories and keep weight off. Warm-up, cool-down, work through injuries, or rehab with machines that can provide statistics and feedback on your workouts. 
Yes, you can run outside... but have you considered interval training, combining many different exercises for a unique workout? Air Runner with Magnetic Resistance has the capability for the athlete to quickly change between intensity modes and targeted workouts.

Rowers

No need to get in the sea! These machines provide a great full body cardio training workout with the added benefit of taking up very minimal real-estate when stored.

Bikes

Mostly targeting the legs, bikes are a great low impact cardio machine for you to add into your high intensity workouts, rehab or even warm-ups and cool-downs. Air Bikes come with an LCD monitor giving you a tonne of great workout options and metrics to track.

 

STORAGE

Not the most exciting topic, good storage can best utilise the small amount of space you may have available. Efficient storage also protects the equipment, making for a safer and cleaner home gym environment. Most racks come with storage options built in; making it a super cost effective and hassle-free solution.
From multi storage units to specific weight plate holders and racks. Protect, organise, and keep your equipment out of the way while training. These storage solutions come in a variety of standalone and floor sitting units. Wall mounted or even rack mounted, to save on space as well as time!

WHAT’S NEXT?

Much like building your body, building a home gym is an investment that will pay dividends. You save time spent on commuting and money spent on needless gym fees. A global pandemic has made people realise that exercising at home can serve all fitness levels, from novice to elite, from absolute beginner to gold medal winner.

Now that you’ve got your perfect home gym setup, and no trainers or instructors telling you what to do and how to do it, you’re going to need to program your own workouts. See our helpful guide on HOME GYM PROGRAMMING.

The Ultimate Guide to Building a Home Gym

Building a home gym but no idea where to start? Consider this guide as your home gym manifesto. We’ll cover customisation, budget, and making the most of your space.

 

LET’S GET STARTED.

Firstly, it’s good to define your fitness goals. Building strength, losing body fat, a single arm handstand; your goals will determine the set up. A bodybuilder’s gym will look and function much differently to someone looking to get in shape for an upcoming wedding.

Building a home gym is more than an investment in equipment, it’s an investment in yourself and one that will pay dividends for years. Not only are you saving time by having your gym at home but high quality equipment lasts a lifetime so you can add new pieces to your collection as you reach your goals. Space is king when it comes to a home gym. Thankfully, even small spaces can be utilised to the fullest by choosing the right equipment. Try to pick an area that has a solid, flat foundation, good airflow, and high ceilings. A garage usually ticks most of these boxes, with the added benefit of keeping clutter out of the house, making them a popular choice for home gyms.

Planning your layout is also vital before moving forward with the build. If you are performing weightlifting or powerlifting, a decent space (most likely the size of a lifting platform) will be needed for a lot of your compound exercises.

The same goes for functional training set-ups; they require more open floor space for most of their exercises. If all you need is a treadmill and a few dumbbells, think about how the space will function when the equipment is set up. A clear mental picture guides your purchases so you’ll make the most of your space.

 

HOW TO SET UP YOUR NEW HOME GYM.

As advanced or as simple as you wish.

For serious athletes that have the budget and want to build an entire gym with everything they need to hit their training requirements, it’s easy- pick what you want and go for it. However, for those that are just starting out, a more careful approach is needed.

For a beginner, start with the essentials: a rack, Olympic barbell, weight plates, bench, flooring and maybe some accessories. This is just a reference, it’s up to you to choose what you want and importantly, what you’ll enjoy using. See below for some beginner ideas.

Advanced level home gym builds will most likely consist of the basic home gym list and a lot more. This is where personalisation and attention to detail.

Once you have a basic idea about the set up, let’s dig into the finer details.

FLOORING

When you lift heavy things up and down it’s good to have protection. Flooring can help shape an area and protect the ground. Carefully consider this aspect as flooring can be hard to change once cut and laid. For most home gyms, rubber or EPMD gym flooring tiles are best. To find out how much flooring you need, measure the size of the area you plan to use and buy the tiles suitable to that size area. Tiles are sold in 1m x 1m x 15mm thick units.

Rubber Gym Flooring

Rubber Flooring is specifically designed for home gym and light commercial use. Made from recycled rubber, this is a great option for those needing a softer bed for functional training, dropping weights, or just working on your downward dog.

EPDM Flooring

A cheaper rubber tile could have larger granules and not be compacted evenly throughout the surface. This can lead to the rubber fading or crumbling apart. With our EPDM premium quality rubber tiles, the material is consistent in its density throughout the mat. That means that every part of the mat has the same density and contains the same absorption capacity. Weights bounce off the surface evenly and uniformly, making them reliable and safe for anyone to use.

 

RACKS

This is where the fun stuff starts; your very own personal rack is a motivating sight. Preferably, start with the equipment that will serve the most purpose in your gym. If you are a CrossFit or Functional Fitness athlete, you will need an adjustable rack that can handle reasonable weight, and something to do pull-ups and gymnastics movements on. A Commercial Power Rack, half rack or even a wall-mounted folding rack would all be great options. A powerlifter and bodybuilder will also require a similar set up.

A quality rack in your home gym can be a versatile piece of equipment, easy to add accessories to and takes up relatively little space.

Power Racks

A Power Rack is your ultimate home gym must; perfect for squatting or pressing movements in addition to pull ups and gymnastics movements. Power Racks come with safety mechanisms and storage; combined with an exciting variety of ever evolving attachments.

Half Racks

This is a smaller version of a Power Rack; taking up less space, while offering most benefits found on the larger Power Rack. Complete with a pull up bar, J-Hooks & safeties; these also cater for most attachments.

Wall Mounted Folding Racks

These can be packed away after training, and are convenient for those in smaller spaces. Directly mounted to the wall and easily fold able, your space can be freed up after a workout. Comes with a pull up bar attached, and can handle squat or pressing movements easily.

Squat Racks & Stands

Great for lifters who just want to squat and press; squat racks and stands are made to be completely moveable and take up minimal room.

SPECIALTY RACKS

Geared towards the more elite fitness enthusiast, these racks are specifically built to handle extreme weights and have precise measurements for lifters wanting to train for competition, or simulate competition. Primarily for Powerlifting or Bodybuilding, these best train for movements such as squats and bench presses.

IPF Combo rack

Integrates both squat and bench press uprights as a singular part, making it super easy and efficient when transitioning between lifts. Specifically built for the Powerlifter and/or the elite level athlete to train movements as seen in competition.

Olympic Bench Press

Heavy duty, purpose-built bench purely for bench press. These units are made with super thick 4mm commercial grade steel to handle any weight.

Prone Row Bench

A bench specific to the Prone row movement. Completely isolates the back muscles while lying on a stable, facedown bench.

BARBELLS & WEIGHT PLATES

What is a gym without a barbell and weights? To help you navigate the complexities and subtleties of these essential home gym items, we’ve dedicated separate articles to barbell and weight plate buying guides.

 

BENCHES

A decent bench is an absolute necessity for any home gym owner, from novice right the way through to certified pro. Combine a bench with a rack, a barbell and a few weights to give you a substantial pool of exercises to reach any fitness goal.

A lot can be said for a high-quality, well- built, heavy bench. A robust bench will stand the test of time. We’ll take a look at the differences between benches.

Flat Benches

Flat benches come in many forms and levels of build quality. This is a great addition to your gym for covering core exercises, bench press and dumbbell press. The only drawback is they’re non-adjustable, if you’re looking for a more versatile bench, check below.

Adjustable Benches

A nice happy medium, adjustable benches allow the athlete to diversify their training. With most adjustable benches you can adjust the bench from perfectly flat to complete upright or 80 degrees for overhead presses or bicep curls.

Adjustable FID Benches

A Flat Incline Decline bench, or FID, allows the athletes to also decline the bench for even more added ranges of motion and training possibilities. These benches will generally come with a foot support as well to lock the body in a decline position.

No Gap Adjustable & FID Benches

Most benches have a gap between the seat and back support which can be a mild annoyance in some positions, ‘no gap’ benches solve that problem. These benches will come with an increased range of horizontal and vertical adjustments for both the back and seat rests.

RACK ATTACHMENTS

This is where we start to customise and have fun. Rack attachments come in all shapes and sizes, with a diverse range of functions. From dip bars to power arms, landmines and safety spotter arms, you name it, it’s built specifically to fit your new rack.

Attachments range from supports and mounts for your bar, to actual implements you can use to train on. Most are simply a slide and connect, making it super easy to change between attachments or remove to do other exercises.

Many attachments are created to replace bulky and heavy, one use machines. So, you save on space and money by choosing the right attachments - that’s a double win in our books!

Check out our popular attachments to suit your rack:

Power Arms

Power arms are perfect for pushing exercises, pulling exercises, squatting and general strength training. This attachment is great for a diverse range of training regardless the level of the athlete. Easily adjustable and have a high weight limit.

Dip Bar

Train strict tricep dips with absolute stability. This a great attachment, well-built and fits onto any rack or rig upright.

Monolift

This attachment makes de-racking and re-racking the bar super easy and effortless for big weights or injury prevention. Geared towards the heavy lifter, great for bench pressing and squatting.

Landmine

A great and very small accessory that lets you find another use for a barbell. Simply insert the barbell, and use this attachment however you please. Perfect for shoulder and core movements.

Belt Squat

Increase leg strength without using a large commercial machine, that is easy to remove and place in storage when not in use.

Sandwich J-Hooks

The sandwich J-hooks are a great upgrade to your rack if you wish to have added protection for the barbell. These are also great for some selected bars like buffalo and safety squat bars where the rack positioning may not be perfectly flat due to its thinner design. They are super strong with double braced reinforcements and built with a super durable polymer rubber insert.

Leg Press

Similar to the belt squat, great for adding heavy duty, strict leg training capability to your rack. Easily detached and stored away to save valuable floor space.

Safety Spotter Arms

Safety is key. Built with reinforced bracing and plastic to protect the bar, the spotter arms are easily removable and can go anywhere for that ideal positioning so you can lift safely.

Safety Straps

Much like the safety spotter arms, safety straps go inside of the rack, making them a great addition for those pushing the limits with their lifts.

Wall Ball Target

This is a great addition to any rack or rig, giving the athlete two heights for a wall-ball target that can be placed on any rack or rig upright.

MACHINES

Machines can be seen as a luxury for some home gym owners. They can be large, heavy, and in some cases, only perform a single exercise.

That being said, even for novice and intermediate level fitness enthusiasts, some machines are irreplaceable. If it’s what you need, it’s what you need.

Let’s take a look.

Functional Trainers

Functional trainers can take up a good piece of real-estate within small areas. The advantage is, they’re versatile, great for full body training, and packed with features to train almost every muscle group.

Glute-Hamstring Developers (GHD)

The perfect core training tool, relatively small and easy enough to move around. Most commonly found in CrossFit gyms, these are great for GHD sit ups, reverse hyper-extension and hamstring curls.

Reverse Hyperextension

Great for lifters looking to maximise back, glute and posterior chain strength. Although this is a single exercise-based piece of equipment, its benefits can carry over into powerlifting and bodybuilding exercises.

Belt Squat

A belt squat is great for those looking to gain significant strength or do rehab training due to the minimised load it places on your posterior chain, lift big without the risk of injury.

Glute Builder & Hip Thrusters

Power comes from the glutes! Great for building leg, glute and hamstrings; isolating these muscles with low impact.

Farmers Carry Handles

Farmers Carry can train muscles all over the body and is great for building all-round strength.

Sled

Not just for Rudolph, a sled can be paired with weights and a rope. From sled push, to drags and pulls, the sled is a great functional fitness tool for building those core muscles.

 

ACCESSORIES & CONDITIONING

Accessories and conditioning equipment offer a good mix between luxury and necessity. There’s something for each fitness level and budget here. For those that can afford a good range of gear within this category, then these are fantastic items to fill your home gym and really make it yours.

You can get a great workout from a kettlebell, medicine ball and a skipping rope alone - taking up a small amount of space and costing little.

Think about what you want to train. For bodybuilding - dumbbells or dumbbell handles are commonly used for a large range of exercises, whereas CrossFit and functional fitness athletes would look at plyo boxes, ropes, gym rings and more specialised equipment.

Dumbbells

The quintessential piece of gym equipment. Built to last a lifetime, portable with endless exercise options. Dumbbells can come in several forms. Rubber hex are ideal for just about anything you can throw at them, whereas round PU(polyurethane) coated dumbbells are more suited to the strict training and most commonly found in boutique home gyms or commercial gyms.

Dumbbell Handles

Adjustable dumbbell handles are great for quickly changing weights with minimal equipment. These go perfectly with Iron plates and can be stacked with significant amounts of weight for heavy lifting.

Kettlebells

The ultimate functional Russian fitness tool for all abilities! Kettlebells have endless exercise options, coming in a wide range of weights perfect for any user. Swings, carries, presses, deadlifts, snatches, cleans and more; they are super durable and go great in any gym setting, of any size.

Dead Balls

Another compact, functional fitness tool for your everyday user, or professional athlete. Dead Balls are widely used in the functional fitness world for dead ball cleans, carries, slams and more.

Wall Balls & Medicine Balls

Great for conditioning, giving you a safe and cost-effective way to add weight to basic movements such as squatting movements, ab exercises, core exercises and slams.

Battle & Climbing Ropes

Ropes as such are great fun for all levels of training! From pulls and drags with a sled, vertical rope climbs and other rope drills. A versatile and niche tool to hone your fitness.

Gym Rings

Gym rings are great for ring rows, ring muscle-ups and can even attach to implements such as sled for drags and pulls. They are light weight, super portable and cost effective to satisfy a lot of body weight movements.

Resistance Bands

Whether it be for rehab/prehab, resistance training, assisted body-weight training or even strength accessories, these are a great tool for any home gym space. They come is a variety of thicknesses. Super lightweight, small and portable enough to fit in your suit- case.

Plate Carriers / Weight Vests

Weight vests, or plate carriers, are great for adding intensity and raw weight to your workouts. Choose what weight to put in a perform a wide range of strength and cardio moves, from squatting to walking.

Plyo Boxes

A great all-rounder addition to your gym space. Train functional moves like box jumps and step ups. Also great for assisted strength training such as box squats and weighted step ups.

Jump Ropes / Skipping Ropes

Muhammad Ali’s best friend! Skipping ropes are great for an intense cardio session. Probably the most effective, lightweight and portable exercise item you can own.

CARDIO MACHINES

We all like to build strong, visible muscles. But it’s important to keep that heart in peak shape too!

No longer for just commercial gyms, cardio machines are affordable and in some cases, easy to store away.

Again, think about your fitness goals. Cardio machines are a great way to burn calories and keep weight off. Warm-up, cool-down, work through injuries, or rehab with machines that can provide statistics and feedback on your workouts. 
Yes, you can run outside... but have you considered interval training, combining many different exercises for a unique workout? Air Runner with Magnetic Resistance has the capability for the athlete to quickly change between intensity modes and targeted workouts.

Rowers

No need to get in the sea! These machines provide a great full body cardio training workout with the added benefit of taking up very minimal real-estate when stored.

Bikes

Mostly targeting the legs, bikes are a great low impact cardio machine for you to add into your high intensity workouts, rehab or even warm-ups and cool-downs. Air Bikes come with an LCD monitor giving you a tonne of great workout options and metrics to track.

 

STORAGE

Not the most exciting topic, good storage can best utilise the small amount of space you may have available. Efficient storage also protects the equipment, making for a safer and cleaner home gym environment. Most racks come with storage options built in; making it a super cost effective and hassle-free solution.
From multi storage units to specific weight plate holders and racks. Protect, organise, and keep your equipment out of the way while training. These storage solutions come in a variety of standalone and floor sitting units. Wall mounted or even rack mounted, to save on space as well as time!

WHAT’S NEXT?

Much like building your body, building a home gym is an investment that will pay dividends. You save time spent on commuting and money spent on needless gym fees. A global pandemic has made people realise that exercising at home can serve all fitness levels, from novice to elite, from absolute beginner to gold medal winner.

Now that you’ve got your perfect home gym setup, and no trainers or instructors telling you what to do and how to do it, you’re going to need to program your own workouts. See our helpful guide on HOME GYM PROGRAMMING.

The Ultimate Guide to Building a Home Gym