Building a Home Gym on a Budget

Now that we have been living in this pandemic world for almost a year and a half a lot of us have made some major lifestyle changes and that includes where and how we conduct our physical activity. 

Unlike myself; most of us do NOT have access to a full gym at home. So how do we stay physically fit without access to everything that a gym or recreational facility would offer? Now you could walk daily, go for a hike, go swimming at a local beach or simply chase after your kids; but I'm presenting a solution that is not weather dependant. How to build a great home gym set up with minimal space and minimal equipment. 

Firstly, I would decide on your space. Will it be your garage? A shed? Your basement? Bedroom, etc? Once you have established the space you will be using let's decide what needs to be done before we set up your "gym". Will you have to move furniture out of the way? Will you have to properly insulate your space? Will you have to put down ever rubberized floor? These are important things to consider. I'd strongly recommend making sure you have enough floor space and height to perform a myriad of movements. ✔️

Secondly, before we decide what equipment would be deemed "essential" let's focus on our primary or "compound" exercises first! These include squatting, deadlifting, pressing and rowing. Compound exercises are exercises that work multiple muscle groups at the same time. For example, a squat is a compound exercise that works the quadriceps, glutes, and calves. You can also do compound exercises that combine two exercises into one move to target even more muscles! Make sure your space can accommodate these exercises. Build your workout regime around these primary exercises. Or you can always reach out to an experienced trainer or coach (like myself) to help develop a plan based on your goals, space, schedule and equipment.

Thirdly, let's talk budget! Obviously we would all love a leg press machine, squat rack, preacher curl bench, a plethora of dumbbells and bands, etc; however who has $25k just sitting around? And I'll tell you guys now building a "professional" home gym does and WILL cost that much ...I would know. Let's talk about the essentials. For exercises and mobility/ movement preparation purposes I'd suggest purchasing strength/ mobility bands; these can be used to stretch out the upper body and be used for exercises like pull aparts, bent over rows, monster walks and more! I'd also STRONGLY recommend a bench (adjustable preferably). You can really add to your exercise options with a bench; such as bench press, bulgarian split squats, hip thrusts, single arm rows and more! Now having an adjustable bench can really increase your exercise options. Ultimately you're going to need weights! Now it'd be awesome to have 20 different dumbbell pairs and multiple kettlebells however, under a budget this will not be feasible. So what I'd recommend would be purchasing a power block. PowerBlocks are adjustable dumbbells that are simple to use. To change weights, remove the pin, select the rail with the corresponding weight chart, then insert the pin completely into the desired slot. Simply lift your weight, and insert back into the stack when done. These guys are a must and are much more durable and easier to use than their adjustable weight counter parts; and they can range from 5 lbs to 90 lbs+. ✔️

Lastly, let's talk accessories. So far we've been focusing on more on equipment that you'll use for performance. Let's focus on other measures that will help with motivation and encouragement! A bathroom/ wall  mirror to verify proper technique will be extremely helpful, a good stereo with some wicked playlists, and a scale. These three items may NOT seem essential, but if used properly they can be very helpful to get you "fired" up, to make sure you're executing the movements properly and to hold you accountable. My suggestion as well would be to write down or print off your goals and put it up in your gym where they are clearly visible to remind yourself why you are doing what you are doing! ✔️

I suppose you are all curious roughly how much a bench, some bands, flooring, and some power blocks would cost. It depends if you get some equipment new or used, but these items should NOT be much more than $1000-$1500 and you'll have a great start. I have been able to write some pretty creative programs with a lot less...trust me. Whether you plan on slowly reintroducing yourself to conventional gyms, have enjoyed and stayed consistent working out from home or just feel lost without additional guidance I would love to help you narrow down your goals, develop a plan, implement that plan and keep you ACCOUNTABLE! And if your budget allows for more equipment or some personal training feel free to reach out! 

Get outside. Stay active. Stay healthy and enjoy your summer.