7 Home Gym Essentials You Need to Have (In-Depth Guide)

There are only a few essentials that you’ll need in your home gym to get it up and running with a solid at-home fitness routine.

With as little as a yoga mat, a few resistance bands, a jump rope, and some enthusiasm to get fit, you should have plenty to work with.

Start with a few basics, and then look at adding machines that are compact enough but still provide a wide range of functions.

Our team has tested dozens of the top compact home gyms.

And that’s why I have developed training session plans that require just a few pieces of equipment.

As you get used to weight loss and strength training at home, you can always add more items later.

Let me show you where to start.

This is another inexpensive piece of home gym equipment. Now, you can do push-ups directly on your exercise mat.

But once you gain more strength with your home gym workout plan, these simple bars will increase your range of motion.

And according to a study in the National Library of Medicine, you’ll increase hypertrophy with a better range of motion, which means you can improve how fast you build up new muscle tissue [2].

I also find that doing push-ups on bars doesn’t cause as much strain on my wrists, and I have had a few clients with carpal tunnel issues who simply can’t do these exercises without the bars.

Workout Bench

The next thing you want to consider before building a home gym is a good workout bench. It doesn’t have to be adjustable, and it will open up a load of more workouts that you can do to strengthen your upper body.

Don’t try to save money by choosing the cheapest weight bench you can find.

You need one with high-quality steel and a weight capacity for you and the weights you’ll lift.

And you also need to check for rubber coating on the bottom to ensure that the bench won’t slip or slide with you on it.

I like the workout bench because of the variety of exercises it unlocks. I can do everything from bench presses to dumbbell rows.

You can start with an inexpensive jump rope for less than $20, but avoid the cheapest ones you can find in a toy store.

The great thing about jumping rope is that it’s a cheap way to do cardio without having to go for a run or cycle.

Maybe even consider a weighted jump rope or a speed rope if you’ve gained enough coordination. Speed ropes allow you to gain a lot more control over how fast you swing the rope. And that can allow you to create a pretty tough cardio workout.

Adjustable Dumbbells

This is one piece of equipment that can be of great value and be a lot easier to store at home.

See, a full set of dumbbell pairs can cost you over $600 dollars, and you’ll need to find somewhere to set them up.

With adjustable dumbbells, you can achieve a range from as low as 5 pounds to over 50 pounds. And they don’t take up much space, so you can store them in a closet and avoid tripping over them.

Just try and avoid those that require removable pins to set the weight. I find they can be difficult to set up properly.

Pull-ups are probably the most effective bodyweight exercises for the upper body, as you’ll be targeting your arms, shoulders, and upper back.

And according to another study in the National Library of Medicine, doing compound exercises can have great effects on muscle growth [3].

I started with a pull-up bar that simply attaches to a door frame, and this allowed me to get a full range of motions.

But once you get stronger, I would suggest expanding your home gym equipment to a free-standing one.

Alternatively, you could wait until you’re ready to invest in a multi-gym, and I’ll get to those types of recommendations now.

“For healthy athletes who are trying to get the most out of a training program, compound exercises are generally recommended.”

- Tara Laferrara, CPT at Verywellfit.com

A squat rack is a pretty basic piece of equipment. It essentially allows you to set up your barbell with weights at different heights.

You’ll also see it advertised as a power rack, and it’s essentially a steel frame with support pins to rest a barbell on.

Out of all the more advanced home gym equipment, I find weight racks for squats the most helpful.

Being able to safely do squats and bench presses without a spotter to help you out if you can’t complete a rep is an important safety consideration.

For me, a squat rack is more than just a piece of equipment; it's a safety tool that has allowed me to push my limits without the need for a spotter.

Related: Full Rack vs Half Rack

Multi-Gym Station

This can be a huge step up in home gym workout equipment, but you’ll need to be prepared to transport your home gym equipment and spend over a thousand dollars for a great quality setup.

They will typically include a power rack and cable pulley system, as well as a bench to set up a whole host of different exercises.

From safely doing squats to leg extensions and cable flies, you’ll be able to do pretty much everything you do at the gym.

Rep Fitness is a good brand to look at, but I’ll have some resources for you shortly.

If you enjoy running and want more options to do cardio on a wet day, then a treadmill could be a great investment for a garage gym. I would suggest you avoid the most basic models, as they will have limited functions.

The one I use at home has Bluetooth connectivity, and it integrates with different fitness apps to record each run.

However, it’s one piece of cardio equipment that will take up the most amount of space.

And if you don’t plan on using it regularly, then it might not be the best use of your available space.

While treadmill is a staple in home gyms due to its convenience and accessibility, it can feel monotonous to some.

People also often forget to properly maintain and regularly lubricate this home gym equipment.

This is why Josh Petrawski, CEO of Sports and Fitness Exchange, advises people to consider their fitness goals, space availability, and preferences to decide if a treadmill aligns with their needs.

Rowing Machine

Rowing machines are a great investment for people to do cardio on exercise equipment that has a low impact on joints.

Because you’re sitting on a moveable seat and you’re not constantly impacting your ankle, knee, and hip joints like with running, it can be a lot easier to get some extended cardio time into your workout plans.

It’s also a great full-body workout as it will strain your legs, core, shoulder, back, and arm muscles.

You also have to make sure to clean your home gym equipment after use to prevent bacteria build-up.

And the final one of my recommended cardio machines is a stationary bike.

If you do a lot of cycling, then you can buy small attachment stands.

But if you have a designated workout space at home, then having a proper exercise bike can be a great way for more diverse cardio sessions.

The one I own allows me to adjust the intensity at different intervals, so I can even use it as part of a high-intensity interval training session.