The best workout equipment for building a home gym

The gym isn’t for everybody. It’s expensive, crowded, and sometimes smelly. Even worse, you have to travel to get there — making it ten times harder just to convince yourself to go.

But, if you’re lucky enough to have the space, you have another option that doesn’t involve commuting vast distances only to exert yourself in front of strangers: Just bring the gym home to you. 

Yeah, it can cost you a pretty penny, but when you take into account how much gym membership fees add up over the years, buying your own workout equipment and decking out a home gym pays for itself in the long run. (This is all assuming you’ll use it frequently — that part will depend completely on you. Sorry, you can’t quite buy motivation.) Plus, not having to travel back home after an intense workout is just a beautiful thing. You can literally plop down onto the couch after you’re done. Maybe take a shower first, though.

SEE ALSO: The best workout equipment if you work from home

The tough part is making the choice. What fitness gear are you going to bring home first? A treadmill? An elliptical? A bench press? We don’t recommend buying all of them at once unless you have the cash to burn. You’ll have to be honest with yourself about which workouts you find yourself doing the most, and go from there. If you’re a runner, you want the treadmill. If you’re a cyclist, it’s Peloton for sure. Full-time yogi? You’re going to need a good mat for that. 

What home gym equipment do you need to buy?

As we said, it comes down to how active you are and what kind of workouts you prefer to do. Most people will want to have a little bit of everything so they can have the most comprehensive workout routine possible. Usually, that’ll include some sort of cardio machine, a set of weights, and an area for bodyweight exercises with a mat and some less bulky equipment (jump rope, resistance bands, etcetera). If you’ve got the room, you might have a few other weight-focused exercise machines, too. But, some people like to focus on just a few things, which is totally fine as well. If anything, that saves money. 

What you really want to avoid is buying a piece of equipment that you’re not going to use. For example, if you’re a marathon runner who spends most of their training doing cardio exercises, you’re probably not going to need a whole slew of free weights and bench press equipment — most of your muscle-building can be achieved with bodyweight workouts if your goal isn’t to bulk up. Some people will be the opposite, where most of their home gym equipment consists of weights, upon weights, upon weights, and maybe one cardio machine.

Your mileage may vary, but try your best to map out your workout habits, and buy your equipment according to those parameters.

Are home gym machines worth it?

If you have the space and the cash, sure. But the only machine we say you need is some sort of cardio machine, like a treadmill or elliptical. Weight machines and other equipment of the like are mostly just for convenience, and while that’s great in its own right, you can still get the same results by using free weights with good form. Don’t go crowding up your home gym for no reason — make sure there’s actual material value in it for you.

Elliptical or treadmill?

Either one will be a good purchase, and you’ll be able to get in great cardio workouts by using them, but there are a few key differences between the two that you’ll want to know before making your final decision. 

Ellipticals are going to be best for those who want to incorporate an upper-body workout into their cardio session, as well as keep their joints in great shape (ellipticals involve less impact compared to treadmills, where your feet slam on the belt continuously).

While treadmills are high-impact and are harder on your joints, they offer more control, opportunities to build leg strength, and it’s a faster way to burn calories. You can’t go wrong with either if you’re looking to improve your cardiac health — just buy the one that’s more in tune with your body and preferences.

How should you set up your equipment?

This, of course, will depend on what your dedicated home gym space looks like, but you’ll want to try not to just clump all of your equipment together in a corner. Working out is already tough enough, but working out while also feeling claustrophobic? Way worse. Section off areas with some space in between them for resting, stretching, and rehydrating — one area for cardio, one for weights, and another for miscellaneous equipment should do you fine. If you’ve got a lot of space, use it to its fullest — home gyms can have good feng shui, too.

Why is home gym equipment so expensive?

Your eyes might roll into the back of your head when you see some of these prices, but unfortunately, they are pretty standard for quality gym equipment. If you want something that will rival your local gym, you’re going to need to make it an investment. But don’t worry, as long as you use the equipment you buy consistently (and not just for gym selfies), they’ll eventually pay for themselves with all the money you’re saving by breaking up with your gym membership. 

There’s also low-budget options for workout equipment, but even those will cost you some serious cash, so we say go for quality first. Many brands offer payment plans for their equipment, too, so be sure to look into those if you’re not in the place to pay everything upfront.

Why are weights so hard to find right now?

Ever since quarantine began in 2020, home gym equipment has been hard to find in general — but free weights have been especially hard to get. Almost impossible, even. The reason for this is probably the same reason you’re here right now: A lot of people are stuck at home with no way to follow their pre-pandemic workout regimens, so they’re shifting over to getting their exercise in at home. Just be patient, things are popping in and out of stock all the time nowadays, so if something you want isn’t available, set a notification for when it’s back and scoop it up then. Also, make sure you’re checking multiple retailers — some may have more stock than others. 

Don’t worry, you’ll be able to get all the equipment you want soon enough. Just stay strong and motivated.

So, what’s the best home gym equipment?

Now, what you’ve all been waiting for: We picked out the best of the best in home gym equipment for every type of athlete — from weightlifters to former crew team members and just about everyone in between. So if you’re tired of sweating it out at your local gym, just stay home instead. 

Below are our top picks for the best home gym equipment for 2021.