Home Gym Equipment

Whimzeee
Whimzeee Posts: 152 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
If you had an extra room - say 400 or 500 sq feet - to make into a home gym, what equipment would you put into it?

Replies

  • Bikini_Beast
    Bikini_Beast Posts: 33
    Squat Rack w/Tower, Bench w/leg ext and free weights.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    If given a generous budget:

    Squat rack
    Bench with incline/decline capability
    Olympic bar & weights
    Rack of dumbbells from 5-100 lbs. in 5 lb. increments
    Pull up / chin up bar
    Some kind of cardio machine (bicycle, treadmill, stairclimber, etc.)
    Mat for stretching/floor exercises


    If given a tight budget:

    Bench with incline/decline capability
    Adjustable dumbbells
    Pull up / chin up bar
    jump rope (if cardio machine was out of budget)
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    I have a lot less space than that but I have an elliptical, a stationary bike and a treadmill crammed in my space along with storage for my road bike. I have another area for weights with a Wii & DVD player set up. It would be nice to have it all in one spot though.
  • pinkpearlz
    pinkpearlz Posts: 4
    I just got a Total Gym and it is AHHmazing! My 8 and 13 year old boys are even able to use it and they were actually fighting over it. It will work every muscle in your body with the right exercises. I'm tellin ya, get rid of everything else because this is all you need. And it folds up so you don't need the extra space all the time.
  • Whimzeee
    Whimzeee Posts: 152 Member
    Bumping -
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    a squat rack or a power cage with 400 lbs of weights. i'd prefer the power cage so i can get the pull up chin up attachment for it.

    a bench to be able to do bench press in the cage.

    heavy bag in the corner

    box for box jumps

    kettle bells
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    What I have now - power rack, oly bar, plates, bumpers, dumbbells, bench, treadmill.
  • Tat2dDom0105
    Tat2dDom0105 Posts: 661
    dumbbell rack
    flat bench
    more plates than what i have now
    my treadmill
    Wavemaster XXL
    kettlebells
  • fakeplastictree
    fakeplastictree Posts: 836 Member
    Bump
  • robin52077
    robin52077 Posts: 4,383 Member
    My current weight room =

    Squat stands with barbell,
    bench with it's own barbell,
    third barbell on the floor for deads, rows, OHP, complexes, etc.
    treadmill
    trampoline
    stability ball
    power tower (pull up bar, dip station, situps, pushups)
    adjustable dumbells
    kettlebell
    mat
    music!
  • Soloflyergirl2
    Soloflyergirl2 Posts: 127 Member
    If you have no budget: Use soup cans for light weights.. When you can do 12 reps without effort, increase your weights.
    Use a jump rope outside for aerobics.
    Buy the stretchy type of rubber bands you stand on and stretchhhhhhh.
    Walk outside..... walk around the block 4 times , if you have to .. All of this is free, and saving me 60 dollars a month at the health club. It's a start.... just do it.... Watch the tv show... Sit and Be Fit... and sitting in a chair, she will work you out...
  • Graypanther
    Graypanther Posts: 2
    Do you have a budget?
    whats the size of the room? 20X20 room?
    Its going to depend on your goals.
  • Wuggums
    Wuggums Posts: 339 Member
    My current 600 square foot home gym:

    8' x 15' Endless Pool
    Elliptical
    Treadmill
    Recumbent Bike
    Rack w/ Olympic Bar, plates and dumbells
    Bowflex Ultimate 2
    50" Plasma TV / DVD player and lots of fitness DVDs
  • rachmass1
    rachmass1 Posts: 470 Member
    My current 600 square foot home gym:

    8' x 15' Endless Pool
    Elliptical
    Treadmill
    Recumbent Bike
    Rack w/ Olympic Bar, plates and dumbells
    Bowflex Ultimate 2
    50" Plasma TV / DVD player and lots of fitness DVDs

    Ooh, I want that! Sans the bike that is
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,040 Member
    I just got a Total Gym and it is AHHmazing! My 8 and 13 year old boys are even able to use it and they were actually fighting over it. It will work every muscle in your body with the right exercises. I'm tellin ya, get rid of everything else because this is all you need. And it folds up so you don't need the extra space all the time.
    Well for beginners it is, but for veteran lifters, it would be inadequate.


    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • My0WNinspiration
    My0WNinspiration Posts: 1,146 Member
    I have squat rack, bench, weight plates, dumbbells and punching bag w/ stand
  • cowgirlashlee
    cowgirlashlee Posts: 301 Member
    Stationary Bike (I love mine and use it daily)
    Free Weights Set (instead of just the 2.5 and 5lb weights I have)
    Elliptical
    Treadmill
    Bowflex
    Rack w/Olympic Bar and plates (seems to be fairly common, and I am getting more into strength training as well, so it would be really nice)
    TV/DVD combo with fitness DVDs
    Plenty of mats
  • neverstray
    neverstray Posts: 3,845 Member
    I would want a squat rack, bench that incline/declines, Olympic barbells and plates, and a full rack of dumb bells. That's it for the major investments. I already have other stuff like a jump box, medicine balls, pull up bar, and things like that.
  • Ejourneys
    Ejourneys Posts: 1,603 Member
    I've already got, scattered in several rooms:
    1. Various free weights (straight bar, EZ-bar, plates, dumbbells) and soft weights, plus weightlifting gloves
    2. Weight bench
    3. Mini-trampoline
    4. Magne-Trainer mini-bike
    5. Wind trainer for a regular bicycle
    6. NordicTrack WalkFit -- the foot-powered kind, like this one:
    nordic_track_walk_fit_10_imperial_10868331.jpg
    7. Pull-up bar
    8. Yoga mat and cushion
    9. Exercise ball

    I used to have and LOVED my Gravity Edge, which looked like this:
    47223330_gl_large_thumb.jpg
    It was an ingenious design that used your own body weight as resistance. Terrific product for what it did.

    Given the space and budget, I'd want to add:
    1. Enough free weights to have a full set.
    2. Squat rack
    3. Power rack
    4. Medicine balls
    5. Balance board
    6. Endless pool
    7. A mirrored wall for checking my form
    8. Motorized treadmill.
    9. A great sound system
    10. Room to dance! :D
  • rachmass1
    rachmass1 Posts: 470 Member
    I have the following (all of which I love)

    -Precor elliptical (they rock)
    -treadmill (my desk is on top of it - what better way to work?)
    -Functional trainer (don't use it as well as I should)
    -10 pound medicine ball
    -battle ropes

    I would love to add a set of dumbells from 8 pounds up to 25, maybe higher
    -Great bench that I can reach the ground with (shortie)
    -maybe a bowflex or some type of weight machine although I know free weights are better
    -If I could afford a pool that would be high up there on my list as I swim a lot in the summer, but hate pools
  • smantha32
    smantha32 Posts: 6,990 Member
    weight bench with free weights and leg extension attachment.
    elliptical
    treadmill
    bowflex tread climber maybe
    roman chair
  • deminimis
    deminimis Posts: 47 Member
    I believe the most bang for the buck is a combo pull up, dip, leg lift station. A quality new unit will set you back approx $400. That will go a long, long way in building upper body strength. If unable to do full ("Marine") pull ups and/or dips, then Rubberbantz(s) help you do the exercises and progress (eventually you won't need the Rubberbantz). If you get so fit that your own body weight ain't cutting it, then you can add a dip belt and dangle plates from the belt. For legs, then a jump rope if your knees can take the punishment or an elliptical (or whatever). With just that simple equipment, you can get a heck of a workout and, most likely, as fit as you could ever want.

    Of course, I didn't follow my own advice and ended up with a complete commercial universal (Paramount) gym (with pull up, dip and roman chair, of course), assorted benches, attachments, bars and plates, and, finally, a commercial Precor elliptical. In reality, the Precor and a pull up/dip combo is all I really need.

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