As a personal trainer, I often get asked about workout plans that my clients can also do with their gym machines at home.
And the solutions are always different because it entirely depends on what kind of machines you have and what your current fitness level is.
But there are some basics that you can follow with most machines.
So, I spent a few days chatting with colleagues and friends in the fitness industry to come up with this guide on how to use home gym equipment for a great workout at home.
Quick Summary
- Gym machines for the home can often be used in the same way as commercial gym machines with just some minor changes to the machine setup.
- Doing cardio and strength training at home requires coming up with a good exercise plan that focuses on your goals.
- With a few simple exercises, you can have the flexibility of training when it suits you best in your busy work and family life.
How Should You Plan Using Home Gym Equipment?

You should plan to use home gym equipment around your personal goals and current fitness levels.
And when you tailor things to the machines and gear available, you can achieve as much as you would at a commercial gym.
Here are a few tips.
Set Your Personal Fitness Goals
You can’t start figuring out how to use home gym equipment without having a clear goal. For some people, that will be consistent weight loss, and for others, it will be toning and gaining muscle mass.
What you do in your workouts will be completely different in either case. For weight loss, you’ll aim to do a lot more cardio than lifting weights; and for bulking, it’s the exact opposite.
Create A Workout Plan
The next thing you need to do is define your home gym workout plan. Let’s say you want to lose weight over the next three months.
Your plan would then probably include 3-4 cardio sessions a week and 1-2 sessions for strength training.
How much weight you lift and your reps will also be influenced by your fitness goals. That means if you want to lose a few pounds, then reduce the loads and increase the reps.
Also Read: Best Home Workouts for Legs
Try Out the Machine Settings

If you’ve just set up new fitness machines at your home gym, then set the load settings to a minimum and test out the different setups.
This is especially important with a cable machine, where you can often adjust things in many different ways.
You then want to remember how to set up the weight machines for your workout plans so that you don’t waste a load of time between sets.
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Stick to Your Plan
Once you have a workout routine, I suggest that you stick with the plan and not get tempted by constantly changing things around.
By sticking with a plan for 2-3 months, you get a much better picture of whether it’s working for your fitness goals.
You can make adjustments to how much weight you set on the gym equipment, but only make changes to the plan if it’s not working for your fitness goals.
Planning for Strength Training

Here are some ideas for figuring out how to use home gym equipment for your strength training routine.
Warm-Up Routine
It still surprises me how many people jump onto the first piece of gym equipment straight out of the locker room.
Not only is that not a good starting position for an effective workout routine, but it can lead to unnecessary injuries [1].
Focus On Muscle Groups
By focusing on different muscle groups in your workouts, you create a much more even distribution of strength and muscle growth.
You’ll find it much easier to get consistent toning and bulking results by breaking things down by arms and chest, back and shoulders, legs, and core.
Each muscle group requires a different level of attention, and with designated days, you’ll be assigning time more effectively.
Upper Body Exercise Examples
Here are some sample exercises to do at home:
- Bench Press (3 sets of 8 reps): Set your hands up on the bar about shoulder-width apart and raise the barbell off the stand. Lower the bar down to your chest and then slowly return to the starting position.
- Seated Rows (3 sets of 8 reps): Set up a cable machine to above the seat height position and plant your feet shoulder-width apart in front of you. Slowly pull the handles to your chest while pushing your shoulder blades together and release back to the fully extended position.
- Deadlifts (3 sets of 8 reps): With your feet shoulder-width apart on the ground, step close to a barbell to grip it in front of your legs. With a straight back, slowly come to an upright position before lowering down again.
Lower Body Exercise Examples
Here are a few tips on using your gym equipment to strengthen your lower body.
- Squats (3 sets of 8 reps): Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart in the squat rack and raise the bar off the rack with your shoulders. Lower your body down as far as possible before pushing back up again.
- Leg Press (3 sets of 8 reps): Get into the leg press setup, where you're in a seated squatting position. Slowly straighten your legs and try to keep a slight flex at the top of the movement before lowering down again.
- Hamstring Curls (3 sets of 8 reps): Smith and cable machines often have a leg curl and extension seat where you lay down on a bench. Your legs should start fully extended, and you slowly pull your feet towards your buttocks before lowering down again.
Planning for Cardio Training

Cardiovascular health should be a priority for all athletes, but using cardio machines on a regular basis will particularly help with weight management.
Here are some tips to follow.
Warm-Up Routine
Every gym workout routine should start with a solid warm-up.
For a cardio session, this could include some jumping jacks and lunges to get your heart beating and activate muscles.
Pick the Ideal Workout
Some people love the treadmill, while others prefer spending time on an elliptical machine.
One thing that should influence your preference is the impact on joints, and for this, I would recommend a stationary bike and an elliptical machine.
Vary the Intensity Level
Once you have your preferred machine, it’s important to vary the intensity settings. Start at a steady pace and then set intervals at which you’ll aim to go for a higher intensity [2].
“When you work out at a sufficient intensity, your body grows stronger and you'll see changes in your weight, body fat percentage, endurance, and strength.”
- Tyra Tennyson Francis, MD at VeryWellFit.com
FAQs
Can You Build Muscle With a Home Gym Machine?
Yes, you can build muscles with a home gym machine. As long as you have a good exercise routine and stick with good form for each rep, you’ll be able to bulk up consistently.
Can You Lose Weight With a Home Gym?
Yes, you can lose weight with home gyms. For some people, it might even be easier because they can do some workouts when they have limited time due to work and family commitments.
Get the Right Plan for Your Home Workouts
With the right approach to planning your home workouts, you’ll be able to significantly increase your fitness level.
And you can do this with complete workout flexibility, as you can do your training whenever you have some time to spare.
If you need some help with finding flexible and affordable workout machines, then check out our research on the recommended compact home gym.
These offer a wide range of affordable options without taking up a huge amount of space.
References:
- https://www.nifs.org/blog/the-importance-of-a-warm-up-for-injury-prevention-and-workout-performance
- https://hqlo.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12955-017-0743-4
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