Gym

5 Pieces of Equipment You Need for Your Home Gym

Whether it’s to save money on a pricey gym membership or to avoid being around other sweaty people, lots of people choose to exercise at home. If you’re thinking about putting together a home gym, there’s never been a better time than now.

Building up your home gym is a better investment than a monthly gym membership. You can get equipment that works better for you than what might be at a gym. Best of all, you won’t have to wipe someone’s sweat off of it before you use it.

Once you decide that a home gym is your ideal way to work out, it’s time to start putting together the must-have gear for your workout. We’ve put together a list of the top 5 pieces of equipment that everyone needs to have for their routine.

1. Dumbbells

Dumbbells offer a lot of versatility for bodybuilding and just staying in shape. If you only have space for one piece of equipment, having some weights should be the one piece of equipment that you keep around. Whether you use them during your dedicated workout hour of the day or just while you watch TV, they’ve got serious versatility.

You can work out every part of your body with just one pair of dumbbells. If you’ve got premade dumbbells, with set weights, you’ll have to set aside some space or get a rack for them. The hexagon shaped rubber dumbbells are some of the most comfortable and longest lasting.

If you’re just starting out, get 3-5 sets in a range of weights. Find light ones that you can jog in place with, then get some that are fairly easy to lift over your head. Next get some that you can’t lift over your head just yet.

If you don’t have space for a big rack of dumbbells but still want some versatility, look for adjustable dumbbells. This way, you’ll be able to get every kind of weight you need for a variety of workouts without having to compromise your tight space.

You’ll also be able to save money by getting variety with just one set of adjustable dumbells.

2. Stationary Bike

One of the best workouts you can get is riding a bike. If you don’t live in a place where you can commute to work on a bike or if you work from home, a stationary bike is your next best option.

There are a wide variety of bikes to choose from, including the straightforward mechanical bike to bikes with digital displays and networked technology. You can hop up on the bike and get in shape during those periods when you otherwise might just be sitting on your couch watching TV.

An airbike is a great option for people who are looking to get in great shape. With an air bike, the harder you pedal, the more the fan will resist. You can change resistance at your own pace and do some high-intensity interval training.
Rather than the average stationary bike, you can push and pull with your arms while you ride, giving you an additional upper body workout.

Once you decide to get a bike, put it someplace where you’ll see it every day. Putting it in your garage or in the corner of your spare bedroom will mean that it might just end up collecting dust after a few months.

Check out BodyGearGuide.com to see what’s offered in the world of bikes.

3. Pull Up Bar

This is one of the cheapest and easy to use pieces of equipment you could get for your home gym. What’s great about pull up bars is that they’re not just for pull-ups.

Once installed, you can do all sorts of gymnastic exercises. If you’re in especially good shape, you could hang from it and do sit-ups. Getting to that level, you’ll be in fantastic shape in no time.

Like the stationary bike, it should be put in a higher traffic area of your home. Putting it someplace out of sight will lead to it being out of mind, which won’t help you get into the shape you want.

If you take some natural supplements and use your pull-up bar every day, you’ll build up strength in no time.

4. Rings

Rings are an inexpensive and versatile addition to your home gym. They offer you a wide variety of options for exercising.

If you have experience doing gymnastics, you’ll find some familiarity and find comfortable ways to work out with them. You can add a lot of variety in your upper body exercises with some simple, lightweight rings.

Take a break between reps to just hang or hold yourself up. The feeling will leave you strong but relaxed.

5. Jump Rope

If you travel a lot or are short on space, a jump rope is a great addition to your home gym. It’s a great way to get a full body cardio workout in just 15 minutes.

If you’ve got experience, you might like to get a lightweight speed rope to work on timing. Or if you want a full-body workout, a weighted rope will help you work on your strength.

Whatever your skill level, a jump rope is an easy way to get into working out. If you’re a dancer or a runner, this will get your whole body in shape for that. Jumping rope is easy to fit into a day and has a higher yield of results than most workouts that are as simple.

Build Your Home Gym Today

Even if you’re on a budget, it’s easy to start building your home gym up. Don’t forget to pick up a comfortable pair of running shoes for working out in. They should offer heel and toe support and be good for making a light jog in, even if you won’t be running.

Pair this all with a good set of workout clothes that you feel comfortable in and you’ll be able to start working out every day of the week.

If you’re looking for more fitness tips, check out our list of fitness books.

Gym Wear: 5 Things Every Man Needs to Have

You might not give much thought to what you wear to the gym. It’s probably the one of those ratty old college or band t-shirts that fill your drawers, and a pair of sweats or elastic-waist shorts.

Even if you carefully choose the clothing you’ll wear to work or on a date, this is the gym we’re talking about. Who cares what you put on?

It turns out that you should care. Here’s why — and how to choose clothes that will work to your advantage when you work out.

5 Ways To Work Out in Style

1. Get A Good Fit While Getting Fit

Don’t choose baggy clothes to work out in. They won’t make your body look bigger. Boxy shirts and saggy sweatpants will actually impede you at the gym.

In addition to possibly getting snagged or caught in the machinery, clothes that are too big won’t let you see how your body is moving. This means it’ll be harder to monitor your form.

Shirts for working out should have no more than two to three inches of excess fabric at the waist; choose shorts that hit about two inches above the knee. Check out some of the great options from Generation Iron.

2. Choose the Right Fabric

A lot of men relegate their old t-shirts, the ones that have holes under the arms or are just too ratty for everyday wear, to the workout drawer. Experts say that’s a mistake, however. Cotton t-shirts will soak up your sweat, making it heavy and uncomfortable to wear.

Dedicated performance wear is a better choice. Wicking fabric won’t leave you feeling wet, sweaty, and clammy. Nor will you leave puddles behind on the bench after you’re done pressing — which your fellow gym-goers will appreciate.

3. Opt for More Clothes Than Holes

We get it; you’ve worked hard for those pecs and lats, and you naturally want to show them off. Any type of fishnet shirt or barely-there tank top, however, is going to mark you as “that guy.” Which guy? The one that women roll their eyes at.

These days, the gym is more social than ever before. You could run into your boss, a potential client, or that woman you’ve been eyeing on Tinder. So opt for low-key, not flashy, clothing.

4. The Right Footwear

It ought to go without saying that you should wear proper athletic footwear, but next time you hit up the gym, look down. You might be surprised at the number of folks you see in Vibrams, sandals, even boots and flip-flops!

If you’re not especially into running or cycling, choose a pair of cross-trainers that are comfortable and supportive.

5. Choose Complementary Outerwear

Unless you always shower at the gym, it’s best to invest in a dedicated jacket or coat to throw on when you leave. Why?

Putting on your good wool pea coat on top of your sweaty workout clothes will eventually lead to the pea coat smelling like you did wind sprints in it. In Georgia. In August.

Buy yourself a performance jacket that’s warm enough to ward off the chill when you leave the gym. Bonus — you’ll have something for hiking and outdoor workouts, too.

Ready To Get Your Sweat On?

Hopefully, we’ve inspired you to put away those old Led Zeppelin Ts, invest in some stylish, high-performance workout wear, and go get your sets in!