Best Equipment for Your HOME Gym
If you’re reading this in Fall 2020, then congratulations - stores are finally restocking their equipment inventories! But which pieces of equipment should you buy?
As always, let’s begin with a few principles.
Principles when Buying Exercise Equipment
Versatility: Can this item be used to train multiple muscle groups?
Ease of Transportation: Can I easily take this item onto an airplane?
Filling the Gaps: Can this item be used on muscle groups which are difficult to train with bodyweight? (ex. The muscles of your back).
First Purchase
For your initial purchase, begin with a set of Resistance Bands.
This is a relatively cheap purchase, and it checks each of the aforementioned boxes:
Versatility: To train your legs, just step on them & perform Squats or Romanian Deadlifts. To train your lats, just hook them around a doorknob & perform rows. To train your biceps, just lay down with them hooked around your feet & perform curls. Et cetera.
Ease of Transportation: Slip them into your suitcase!
Filling the Gaps: You don’t need equipment to perform push-ups & squats. But many struggle to train their lats & traps without equipment. Insert resistance bands. Problem solved.
Second Purchase
For your 2nd purchase, opt for a set of dumbbells in the 10-20lb range.
While this purchase fails the Ease of Transportation principle, it does check the other boxes:
Versatility: You can squat. You can press. You can row. You can hinge. Et Cetera.
Filling the Gaps: Similar to the resistance bands, you can leverage your dumbbells to perform all types of rows & target the Lats, Traps, and Rear Delts with ease.
Conclusion & Bonus
Remember, we want equipment which is versatile, easy to transport, and fills the gaps of bodyweight training.
As an added bonus, below are various movements that YOU can perform with resistance bands and/or dumbbells. Our only ask - share this article with two people who will find it useful. Enjoy!
Legs:
Chest:
Back:
Shoulders: