Going to a commercial gym involves a typical scenario – getting up in the morning, throwing on a gym outfit, gathering many other accessories, driving to the gym, working out, and driving back home. Now, it is a no-brainer that this entire process costs significant overhead time and money. Furthermore, you often have to wait for another guy to spare a piece of equipment so that you may start your set. Needless to say, the gym membership fee could also seem quite burdensome.

Now, compare the whole scenario above with exercising at your home, which essentially involves establishing a home gym. Your daily fitness regimen will be pretty different from that of folks engaged in a gym membership rat race. All you have to do is to put on the clothes you are comfortable in and head to your personal fitness training space, which could be a room or garage. You can work out for as long as you want and at whatever time you want.

Convinced with the idea of building a home gym to make your fitness goals more accessible and routine more efficient? Let’s discuss what it takes to work on this wonderful idea.

Building a Home Gym on a Budget – Things to Keep in Mind

Building a home is undoubtedly expensive if you are obsessed with the folks trying to install every piece of equipment in their garage. Remember, a fully-decked out gym is not what you want to achieve your bodybuilding or fitness needs. Going all out with an obsession to get your home gym space stuffed with several gears could leave you with a huge bill to pay. And you never know if you do not ever get to touch most of these gears in the future.

Fortunately, building a home gym that costs you as low as under $1,500 is possible. Remember, all you need is a set of a few pieces of equipment you truly need to continue with your fitness routine. Here is a list of items you may be interested in buying to build your home gym:

• Olympic barbell
• Squat rack
• Weight plates (bumper or iron, depending on your preferences)
• Flat bench

While there are hundreds of items that complete your home gym, starting with the most fundamental pieces only is a wiser approach. Selecting the gear you need the most is recommended since you do not want to break your bank. Of course, you can add more pieces of equipment to your home gym once you are ready for an upgrade.

Down below, we will discuss the products that are most vital when building a home gym.

Olympic Barbell

An Olympic barbell is a must-have piece of equipment for your garage/home gym. We suggest an Olympic barbell instead of any other bar because the Olympic bar is composed of the finest quality materials.

Remember, the term ‘Olympic’ associated with this kind of barbell doesn’t mean that this bar is only for Olympic lifts. The most fundamental difference between an Olympic barbell and other types of bars is the sleeve size.

A typical Olympic barbell comes with a 2-inch diameter sleeve. This diameter size is only for the sleeve portion in an Olympic barbell. On the other hand, a standard barbell comes with sleeves of the same diameter as the entire bar.

Now, one of the most crucial things to consider when buying a barbell is to see what type of lifter you are. Although you wouldn't select a barbell other than an Olympic version, it is worth looking into other barbell types that seem to suit your weight lifting requirements.

Having that said, even if you perform powerlifting, there is no compulsion to use a powerlifting barbell only. You can perform your power lifts easily with an Olympic barbell. And since you are building a home gym on a budget, investing in an Olympic barbell is the smartest choice.

Squat Rack

Also referred to as a squat stand, a squat rack is a simple yet highly preferred piece of gym equipment you want to bring into your home gym area. This rack looks pretty simple, yet it is highly customizable as it allows the addition of some amazing accessories such as standard and flat J-Cups.

Another feature of most squat racks is a pull-up bar running across the width of the rack. You can also choose between a fat or skinny bar, depending on your preferences. Sometimes, both these options are available with a squat rack.

Now, let’s discuss some most prominent benefits of a squat rack.

• One of the most significant advantages of a squat rack is that it supports a variety of workouts. If you are a CrossFit enthusiast, you may want to use this rack due to the ease of re-racking.
• Although a squat rack is easily adjustable in a small space or room, it comes with a wider base. Moreover, this rack comes with extra bars, meaning that you will have additional support for your fitness training. On top of that, this rack lets you deal with some seriously heavy loads.
• Another advantage of purchasing a squat rack is its relatively smaller price tag. Although a squat bar supports various exercises, it consists of fewer pieces. That essentially means there will be less bulk to pay for.
• Finally, a squat rack comes with a much higher weight limit than other stands and racks. That said, be sure to choose a rack that offers a weight limit of no less than 1,000 pounds.

Weight Plates

There are too many types of weight plates available, so you want to be sure that you are choosing the right kind. Generally, weight plates fall into two categories: Olympic and standard. While standard weight plates do pretty well with an accommodative setup, you do not want to have these for your home gym, especially when you have Olympic barbells. Standard plates feature a one-inch hole that fits over a one-inch diameter bar sleeve only. However, since you have incorporated an Olympic barbell with a 2-inch diameter sleeve, you have to choose Olympic weight plates.

After choosing between Olympic and standard weight plates, now is the time to determine whether you want traditional weight plates or bumper plates. Traditional plates are usually iron plates that come with or without rubber coating. On the other hand, bumper plates consist of an iron core with a thick rubber padding to generate a dead bounce when dropped on the floor. These plates are ideal for CrossFit exercises that involve more than usual dropping of the weight after a set.

Iron plates are ideal if you do not plan on committing to a fitness regimen that involves letting the weight come down from an overhead height. On the other hand, bumper plates do pretty well if you are concerned about the safety of your floor and walls. You will also find bumper plates a viable option if you currently perform regular workouts but are planning to start CrossFit exercises.

Weight Bench

A weight bench is one of the most essential pieces of equipment to buy when it comes to building a home gym. With the help of this bench, you can perform your weightlifting exercises while lying on your back or in the seating. These benches are also helpful for exercises that do not require weight liftings, such as decline push-ups, dips, and step-ups.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind when choosing a weight bench for your home/garage gym.

• You undoubtedly want to buy the most expensive weight bench, but the best way here is to be realistic. First off, you will have to set a budget for a weight bench. Make sure that what you purchase can meet your needs nicely. Moreover, it is crucial to choose a bench capable of enduring your workout regimen for years to come.
• Your weightlifting goals will help you determine the type of weight bench you should use. For instance, a commercial bench will be your best choice if you want to lift as much weight as possible.

Where to Buy Home Gym Equipment?

Setting up a home gym is no easy feat due to too many options available and cost constraints. However, looking for home gym packages can help you choose a set of equipment you truly need. One of the most trusted sources to buy your home gym equipment is ISF (I Sell Fitness).

ISF is an online store that strives to offer the highest-quality gym equipment at a discounted price. While all items we sell are commercial grade, discounted prices make these items quite an attraction for home gym owners.

Most specifically, our home gym packages meet the requirements of people looking to set up a fitness corner in their homes. One of these packages is the Home Gym Package, consisting of a 72" Rack, Barbell, Bumper Plates, and a weight bench. This entire package is available for only $1,261.43. The items included in this package help you achieve your professional training goals at home.