Home Gym Setup

I’ve been building up my own gym since I lived in an upstairs studio apartment when I was in college!

At first, it was just the bike my mom gave me and a few small weight dumbbells. Once I had some same cash, I started adding more. One of the first purchases I made was my barbell and a set of 35lbs bumper plates! You can get a similar barbell for $60 and a set of bumper plates for about $230 on Amazon. I bought a couple sets of weight bar collar clips that have worked amazing!

Next, I purchased my rack stand! And, I was able to find a decent set adjustable dumbbells and some weight plates on Facebook marketplace and Craigslist for about 60 cents a pound! I built two pairs of plate holders and my studio gym was complete! I am sure my downstairs neighbors loved when I worked out!

Then, I bought my house and it was time to level up my home gym! I bought a used Concept 2 Rower, a simple LAT Pulldown Machine, and an Adjustable Weight Bench! Then I was lucky enough to find a very small, very affordable elliptical machine for FREE on Facebook!

Needless to say, I am a huge supporter of buying used equipment online and in your local area. Thrift shops can have killer deals and people give away things for killer deals (sometimes) on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist. I should say, I purchased the Lat Machine brand new, on purpose. It is a pulley system and I don’t trust other people or their kids to have treated it the best. Safety first for me! But please shop around and try to find the best deal and equipment for you!

That being said, with safety in mind here are a few must have’s for my home gym!

  • Weight Bar Collar Clips – These bad boys are amazing! and keep the weight on the bar and not on your feet, neck of head.
  • Olympic Dumbbell Handles – Speaking of collars… I highly recommend getting a high quality set of dumbbell handles. Especially is your are going to do any over head movements. My cheap set broke mid shoulder press and I could have been really hurt. Buy a high quality set and use them for years!
  • Dead Wedge The Deadlift Jack Alternative – This sucker slides right under my weight plates and allows me to easily remove plates from my barbell without struggling to lift or twist or jimmy.
  • Full Body-ish Sized Mirrors – These are fantastic to correct my form in. They help me keep my back straight and maintain the correct posture when lifting.
  • Foam Roller – It might hurt sometimes but it feels so good to squish and loosen up my muscles!
  • A Lacrosse Ball – A simple but effect tool for rolling out my feet. I use this everyday and take it with me when I travel. A tip, put in the freezer so its nice and cold!
  • MyoLance Peanut Massage Ball – This guy is great for working on knots and tight muscles. That and a rolling pin. Both are a cost saver version of a massage.

Gym Equipment I Have Used And Recommend:

  • Solid Steel Adjustable Squat Rack – I use this as a squat rack and as a bench press set up
  • Concept 2 Rowing Machine – Amazing! Will probably use this same one until the day I die!
  • Adjustable Weight Bench – I went adjustable verse a solid one because I use this for incline and decline bench work. It works great for all of that and rows and hips thrusts!
  • LAT Pulldown Machine – This baby works for all kinds of back and arm movements. I sit on the ground for back pulls and pump up my biceps and triceps with it too! And it uses weight plates!
  • Olympic Dumbbell Handles – Amazing! These are a great alterative to a set of dumbbells. You can add more weight and adjust as needed. And, it uses the same weight plates as all of my other stuff!
  • Lift Weight Pulley System – This is a great alternative to a full on Lat Machine. I used this before I upgraded to my Lat Machine. It costs about $36 and works with weight plates.
  • Doorway Pull-up Bar Setup – You can hang this is about any door and get a good workout in on it. And you can loop cables and bands as well.
  • A Simple Jump Rope – You can use it inside or out and in any season. It’s a good cardio killer!
  • Resistance Band Set – Great for warming up and working on mobility and recovery!
  • Cable Attachments – Various cable attachments for lat pulls, curls, and rows.
  • T-Bar Row – Landmine Base – A neat tool that uses a barbell for rows and over functional body movements!
  • Dead Wedge The Deadlift Jack Alternative – A back savers for changing out weight plates on a barbell or adjustable dumbbell when its on the ground.
  • Weight Bar Collar Clips – A must have for holding your plates on the bar! Simple but effective.
  • Bluetooth Speaker – This little guy has a lot of bang! I use it not only in my gym but outside in the backyard and when I go camping for dance parties with the kiddos.
  • Bluetooth Earbuds – Wireless earbuds or headphones are a must for me! If I don’t have good music my workouts are a lot less fun. These are just what I am using right now.

My Workout Equipment Wish List: