Inexpensive Home Gym and Workout Essentials

December 1, 2009 on 9:53 am | In Strength Training, Synergy Pictures, Unreal Strength Building | 18 Comments

First off, thanks for all the insight on working out, equipment, and so on. My question deals solely with homemade equipment. I am looking at putting together my own homemade gym, and wanted to know what you thought/feel are the essential pieces to have . . . i.e. sandbag, bulgarian, ropes, sleds, so on. I can’t always get to the gym (sometimes for a few weeks on end), and want to know I have a solid foundation to work with around my house.

Thanks! – K.B. – Middletown, Ohio
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K.B., I have received this question a lot!  Your homemade gym, equipment, and workout is going to be based on your training goals.   Fighters would have more punching bags and people looking to shed a few lbs might have more sleds.

However, I’m not going to leave you hanging!  I’ll call this my “Economy Gym.”

Economy Gym Essentials

1.  Power Rack and Bench - I’ll start right off with the big ticket item…but not everyone needs it.   If you want to squat, bench, pull up, dip, etc – there is no more versitle tool than a simple power rack.

Here’s my best deal: I have a nice power rack ($100 on craigslist) and a very sturdy adjustable bench ($110 on ebay).  Those have been awesome and I had to put some research in to find it.

thickrropetwists 300x225 Inexpensive Home Gym and Workout Essentials

Quick and Realistic: This is a homegym, and some people might hate me for this, but get yourself a  cheap power rack from NY Barbell or TDS.  If you aren’t going to be a professional powerlifter and need something to supplement your workout, this is the way to go.

I know, I know, this an important item and spend the big bucks blah blah blah.  I still think for a home gym, for your own personal use, just get something that will hold up.

2.  Two Go To Odd Objects - I’ll be putting out a MASSIVE Odd Object Encyclopedia (I’m thinking about just giving it away even though I have a good 20 hrs of work into it….details soon).

jakeafter 300x225 Inexpensive Home Gym and Workout Essentials

Choose two that you like and start there.  Sandbags are cheap (military duffel bag full of whatever), and so are car tires (free).  I’d start there.  Total cost about $10.

3.  Used Weight Set - If you are just looking for some general fitness, you can skip the rack and the weight set simply because they are the higher ticket items.

atlasstones 300x225 Inexpensive Home Gym and Workout Essentials

Some cheap used weights and a bar end!

However, if you want some effective strength training, don’t leave them out.  My best deal was 300 lbs and a bar for $40 on craigslist.  Chances are you will be paying around $100.

4.  Homemade Thick Grip Dumbbell – Buy a 12-16 in pipe (I believe the measurement to be 1 inch and 7/8) and two hose clamps.  Measure in equal distance on both ends and screw on the hose clamps.

Homemade thick dumbbell, done.  Load it up with your olympic plates from craigslist.

Again, what you choose will depend on own personal goals.

Now as a few bonus items, a little treat, I would pick up 40 ft of 2 inch manilla or nylon rope off of McMaster Carr, a homemade Bulgarian Training Bag, and a sledge hammer. 

WHAT ARE GYM “ESSENTIALS?”

(or what bonus items do you love!) Post up your thoughts in the comments!

- Joe Hashey, CSCS -

PS.  HINT:  To get the Odd Object Encyclopedia, you have to be subscribed to the free newsletter!

newsletterbonus banner Inexpensive Home Gym and Workout Essentials

 

18 Comments »

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  1. Hey Joe,

    Your short list of equipment would do the trick. The only two things that I would possibly add for future purchases would be hand grippers and some resistance bands.

    I enjoy your site and emails. Keep up the good work and good luck.

    Comment by steven — December 1, 2009 #

  2. I totally agree that if there was one piece of equipment every garage gym should have its a power Rack. Unless of course you don’t have room like me, So then I would recommend a good welder.

    In my case my dad, who made a bunch of stuff for me such as a boxed steel frame the width of my garage (single car width), which I hang my various boxing equipment (heavy bag, maize ball, floor to ceiling ball), a pull up bar, 2 foldaway dip bars and racks hanging off for weight discs.

    He also made me some 18″ db’s a dumbbell rack, an isometric bar and some pushup handles.

    I find it hard to find a good site in the UK such as craigslist that you use, so if anyone on here knows of any I am in the market for some iron :-)

    Also have an old army kit bag as a sandbag, a sleadgehammer with tyre, kettlebells and med balls. Can’t seem to keep the shopping list down as I keep adding to it. Next is a foldaway bench and thick rope. God I love training!

    Comment by DeanCoulson — December 1, 2009 #

  3. Couldn’t agree more with the list. The power rack statement is very true. I’m ready for my conditioning manual. Get to work Joe!

    Comment by JR — December 1, 2009 #

  4. JR,

    Ha, Im working on it! I was trying to hook everyone up with something extra – I wrote the manual and instead of taking photos of everything…

    ….I bought an HDD camcorder and video’d a session with each of the movements so I could give that away, and take photos out of it.

    …Nothing but trouble with converting the video format (.mts) to an editable format, and another hassle getting video out of it.

    Getting killed by technical difficulties.

    Still plowing through it though JR. My goal is to have the manual 100% complete in 3 weeks and then work on the video.

    Joe

    Comment by Admin: Joe Hashey, CSCS — December 1, 2009 #

  5. Dean, welding or knowing a welder is an awesome thing to have! The possibilities become limitless!

    One of my younger brothers is taking a welding course for his job – working a bunch of projects for me!

    Joe

    Comment by Admin: Joe Hashey, CSCS — December 1, 2009 #

  6. Steven,

    Thanks for the comment! Good call on the additions. There is a ton of stuff I would add, but a lot of it is just my own interest in certain equipment!

    Back in the day it was just a bench / squat rack in our basement. That was it!

    Joe

    Comment by Admin: Joe Hashey, CSCS — December 1, 2009 #

  7. I would have to say nice additions would be bands (cheap thru Elite) in order to increase difficulty on exercises, a big tire for flipping and box jumps (which you can pick up free) and a Hugarian core blaster(20 bucks @ Home Depot). The only thing with the core blaster is you have to pick up standard plates, but chances are you can find them dirt cheap or even free on Craigslist.

    Comment by Bryan — December 1, 2009 #

  8. Power rack / cage (preferably with built on chinup bar). Oly bar. 500 lbs of Oly plates. Bench (preferably adjustable). It may not be an essential, but I sure do love my glute-ham raise! But it was a little pricey to get new… I think in the US they are more reasonable.

    Comment by Josh — December 1, 2009 #

  9. Joe

    Awesome, once you have or know a welder, the only limit is your own mind, get creative :-)

    Dean

    Comment by DeanCoulson — December 1, 2009 #

  10. Josh – good call on the GHR, they are still pricey here. I’d reccommend just making the floor variation like on the Homemade Strength DVD. Just as hard, if not harder, than the real thing – but more important it is cheaper and takes up very little space.

    Otherwise just stick your feet under a bench.

    But like you said, I am partial to having a real one!

    Joe

    Comment by Admin: Joe Hashey, CSCS — December 1, 2009 #

  11. Agreed Dean – any suggestions on things I should get welded up?

    Joe

    Comment by Admin: Joe Hashey, CSCS — December 1, 2009 #

  12. Hey Joe – just wanted to toss one quick thing out there (watched my buddy piece together his gym bit by bit) re picking up used weights…

    Once you get your first set of weights, just be ‘wary’ of what you look for on CL or ebay or the like. Sure, getting 300 lbs sets is cool and all, and if it’s cheap as all hell, go for it, but if it’s for home use, you might be better off waiting around until you find specific plates, or even getting 45s at a used sporting good store (Play It Again Sports! or the like). Once you have a complete set, 45s are likely all you’re gonna need/want anyway…nobody needs 5+ sets of 2.5 pounders lying around…LOL.

    Great info man!

    Wiggy
    MMA Training | MMA Workouts | Cardio Workouts | Workout Plans

    Comment by Matt "Wiggy" Wiggins — December 3, 2009 #

  13. Always appreciate the info…if you can’t get or in my case fit a rack in your home gym, a trap bar and some DB’s can offer a good start…I also think straps/rings to do some bw work work well with a rafter mounted chin bar!!
    JC

    Comment by JC — December 3, 2009 #

  14. JC – good call on the rings if you cant get a rack in there. Im glad you are using the space to the max!

    Joe

    Comment by Admin: Joe Hashey, CSCS — December 3, 2009 #

  15. Great list! I’d also like to say hi to everyone, as I just stumbled on this site. I’ve kept NY Barbell in business over there years building my home gym and basically live in the power rack. The latest endeavor is to build more on the strongman circuit. Right now I have two stones (irregular out of the ground type, not atlas), steel log, drag sled, and I’m furiously cruising Craigs list for a ncie big tire to flip! Once again, great site. Joe, I’d love to stop down to train sometime. I’m <2 hours away.

    Comment by Brian — December 12, 2009 #

  16. Brian,

    Thanks for the shout out about the site and the greetings to everyone!

    Where are you that is 2 hours away?

    I know some places around here to get tires. Craigslist doenst usually have them. Call any tire place and ask who carries tractor or front loader tires in town. They should tell you – call them up and get yourself a returned tire!

    Joe

    Comment by Admin: Joe Hashey, CSCS — December 12, 2009 #

  17. About 40 minutes NW of corning. You could take RT. 17 almost to my doorstep. Thx for the tip on finding a tire. To most people I have a really strange x-mas list! :)

    Comment by Brian — December 12, 2009 #

  18. Brian,

    Shoot me an email coachhashey (at) synergy-athletics (dot) com . We will set up something!

    Joe

    Comment by Admin: Joe Hashey, CSCS — December 12, 2009 #

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