How to Make a Badass Home Gym on a Budget
Nero tries to join in on the home workouts sometimes.
If you're reading this, I know you're wondering how to make a badass home gym on a budget.
Home gyms, although not the same as regular gyms - which tend to have a more motivating environment to train in and great equipment (sometimes) - still come with many perks.
Such as:
Not having to share equipment.
Not having to wait for equipment.
You can be assured your equipment is more hygienic.
You don't have to make long journeys to and from the gym.
You can blast your music through your speakers.
If you have gym intimidation, then that instantly vanishes too.
To name a few.
They're also especially great when the days get darker, shorter and colder, and your motivation dwindles, or if you have other commitments that lead you to have little time on your hands.
Why? Because you can work out right there and then, saving you abundant time.
I know this as I've been training in my home gym for a while now, around five months.
In order of priority, I will suggest which equipment to invest in for your own home gym - whilst on a budget.
Although one thing I want to clarify before starting is that the equipment listed can generally be purchased reasonably in most countries.
If something on this list doesn't fit the 'on a budget' part of the title because it's super expensive in your part of the world, then apologies - it is what it is.
Making the perfect 'budget' list covering every country would be impossible. So again, this is generally speaking.
Let's start.
Necessary
Adjustable Dumbbells/Barbell
Before looking into other equipment, I want you to invest in some adjustable dumbbells - or better yet, adjustable dumbbells that can also turn into a barbell or come with a barbell.
How much total weight, you ask? Good question.
You should invest in as much as possible.
"Wtf? Are you sure? Surely 10kg will be enough?"
I speak from experience and a recurring pattern I've witnessed repeatedly; often, many women (it's always in the earlier days) put a limit on themselves and how much weight they can lift. I've always found this interesting, and I have a few theories as to why this may be the case, but we'll save that for another article.
Here's the thing, if you're a woman reading this - you 100% have the potential to get stronger beyond your imagination. I've also witnessed it happen countless times, especially at Kairos Online.
I want you to invest a minimum of 30kg in weight - ideally 40 kilograms. Although if you have a budget for more than 40kg, go for it.
The more weight you can access, the more space there is for long-term progression.
I've also seen adjustable dumbbells go for solid prices post-lockdowns worldwide, e.g. around £100 in the U.K. and slightly less in Portugal, Romania and Spain. See what you can find.
Long and Short Resistance Bands
There will be little to say in this section aside from investing in both long and short-resistance bands is a great idea.
Not only because they're easily one of the cheapest items on the list, but they'll also open up so many doors for more potential exercises you can do.
Other great bonuses are:
Resistance bands can make exercises with dumbbells and barbells more challenging, e.g. adding a resistance band to your deadlifts will make the weight feel heavier.
This is an especially great idea if you're limited in how much weight you can access at home.
They're easy to pack and take with you if you ever travel.
Bench (Adjustable is Preferable)
Not having a bench won't make or break your workouts, but it'll certainly add to their quality.
Because if you can get a bench, that opens the door to movements like the Bulgarian split squat, single arm dumbbell row, and incline dumbbell chest press - to name a few.
These are all great compound movements you'd do well to implement into your resistance training plan.
Progressively overload the above exercises for six months straight, and you won't recognise yourself.
Pull Up Bar
One of my favourite bits of equipment, although if you're close to maxing out your budget - then I'd suggest only investing in a pull-up bar if you can either:
Are close to being able to do a chin-up
Although if you feel you're still far from doing one but want to work towards it, you could also add resistance banded chin-ups, eccentric chin-ups and/or dead hangs as part of your routine.
Having the resistance band support your body weight as you do a chin-up is an excellent way to progress to the classic body weight variation.
If you don't tick any of the above boxes now, there's certainly no reason why you can't invest in one down the line. Make it a long-term goal of yours.
For the time being, you should continue strengthening the muscles involved in the chin-up by doing exercises such as dumbbell rows, barbell rows, and dumbbell pullovers, as well as a few ab and bicep exercises.
Cardio Equipment
Investing in cardio equipment for your home gym, such as a treadmill or stationary bike (which tend to be two of the more popular ones), is a great idea.
Not for fat loss, because you shouldn't exercise for fat loss - but to keep your cardiovascular health in check.
Especially when the days get darker, colder and shorter when going to do cardio outside or at the gym starts feeling like a struggle.
Other great suggestions for cardio equipment could be a cross runner or rower, or if you're really on a budget, a jump rope could also work! Regardless of whatever you're tempted to choose, ensure it's something you'll enjoy doing long-term.
Pro tip:
If you're surprised at the fact I said you shouldn't exercise for fat loss, I'll tell you why in two sentences:
1. Exercising for fat loss is a great way to build a negative relationship with exercise.
2. The main driver of fat loss is a calorie deficit, a.k.a your nutrition.
Yoga Mat
Or any other mat that'll allow you to lay/sit on it whilst on the floor comfortably. Doing exercises on the slippery, cold floor isn't the one. Trust me, I know - the surface I have by my home gym is marble.
Have you ever tried doing a plank on a cold marble floor whilst it's freezing? Exactly.
Getting a yoga mat for no more than a few quid into your budget (or bucks $) could go a long way.
It's also great for doing warm-up and mobility exercises too!
Honourable Mentions
Now we've established more of the necessary equipment; the following section will be a few more suggestions that would also be a great addition, depending on how much budget you have left.
Are they necessary? Certainly not.
Although it would add to the quality of your home gym, no doubt.
Like the previous section, this is my opinion and is also in order of priority.
Multi-Gym Machine
First and foremost, a multi-gym machine can be a great addition.
Why? Because it'll be something different to all the free-weight exercises you'd otherwise be constantly doing. Most I've encountered tend to have a chest press, pec fly, quadricep extension, lat pulldown, and one or two other random features.
The downside with these is that quality ones can be super expensive.
Although I've seen decent ones in southern European countries going for around €350, considering it'd be a one-time investment, it may be worth it.
Better yet, if you share your home gym with your partner and/or other family members, you could split the cost.
Worth consideration.
Squat Rack
As someone who doesn't own a squat rack, I can tell you now - I miss having access to one.
The barbell chest press, the barbell back squat, and the overhead barbell press are just a few exercises that having a squat rack would give you the ability to do. Plus, they're all great ones to get strong at.
Again, is it necessary? Definitely not.
Because there are other exercises out there that you can still do to continue getting stronger, but if you've got the spare change and space for one, then do it.
I know I will be at some point.
Kettlebells
Don't get me wrong, kettlebells are great - I love them, and I have a few. But the only reason I've left them last is that other free weights have already been mentioned on this list, e.g., the dumbbells.
If I had to pick between one of the two due to a budget limit, I'd pick the adjustable dumbbells.
Plus, getting them both wouldn't make the most sense if you max out your budget. Although on the other hand, if you know where to find some for a low price, definitely get them in.
It's nice to mix things up sometimes, and you can do a lot with them that you can't do with dumbbells or a barbell, e.g. Turkish get-ups and kettlebell swings.
To Summarise - That's About it
Of course, you don't have to buy every single bit of equipment. Still, investing in at least 4 of the 6 I recommended in the 'mandatory' section will help you go a long way.
Otherwise, I hope you enjoyed the read and somehow inspired you.
Let me know if you have any questions on the back of this by emailing me at leo@kairos.online
In the meantime, why don't you download a free workout plan I've made for you - it could be perfect to go with your home gym. Click here to access it.
Speak soon,
Leo
P.S. If you found this article helpful, then please share it with your friends and family :)