Because ultimately, while fancy equipment is nice, you want a home gym youll actuallyuse.
you could always add to it as you go.
So if you dont have a huge budget, build out your home gym in pieces.
Whether you use a wooden platform or not, youll probably want some rubber flooring.
Yes, the classic choice here is literally the same thing people use in horse stalls.
I even drive over them, and theyre fine.
see to it your rack hasactual safeties or spotter arms.
Thats not good enough.
I do it all the time at my weightlifting gym.
With a lot of racks, the safeties or spotter arms are sold separately.
check that to budget for that if needed.
Get one that is a regular, seven-foot-long, 20-kilogram (or 45-pound) barbell.
If you want anez-curl bar or some other specialty bar, that can be a secondary purchase for later.
If you only had one, youd have no way to load 85 pounds.
Dont bother with 35-pound plates, by the way.
you might just load a 25 and a 10.
Just verify you get enough weight.
Youll outgrow a pair of 25-pound dumbbells pretty quickly, for example.
Adjustable dumbbellsare a popular option to save space, but the good ones are often expensive.
Watch for salestheyre often available at deep discounts on big sale days like Black Friday.
Whichever you choose, do yourself a favor andget a nice rack to hold the dumbbells.
This is the cheapest and most versatile option, but probably the least enjoyable to use.
If that option is calling you, treat yourself to a nice cardio machine.
Gymnastics rings would be another good purchase.
A bench (adjustable or flat) is a natural purchase for anyone who loves to bench press.
I like to warm up with a kettlebell, and do some band pull-aparts before beginning my barbell workout.
