The home gym has never been in so much high demand.
And why?
All because of a virus that has caused a sudden culture change that’s becoming the norm.
Gyms are shut down due to the coronavirus, but a few have started reopening. If your local gym has opened its doors again, you may cringe at the thought of sharing a machine with strangers.
Honestly…
Not everyone digs the idea of going to a gym after the day’s stress. (if you still commute to work or not).
But the cost is usually the deal-breaker whenever the topic of starting a home gym comes up.
No worries. In a bit, I’ll show you ways to get cheap fitness equipment and some essential paraphernalia you need to set up a home gym. Seriously, you can get buffed from home with only three pieces of equipment in your garage and not break the bank getting them.
And I’m not talking about setting up a cheap home gym that includes things like resistance bands, jump ropes, and light dumbbells – not like they are worthless or anything.
The thing is, most folks want to build muscle and get that dream body from the home. So I’ll show you how to set up a traditional gym in your home on a tight budget.
But let’s get buying affordable equipment sorted first.
Buying Thrift Or Used Pieces
Perhaps the best way to buy quality cheap gym equipment is to buy them used or at a garage sale.
The first thing that comes to mind when you hear this is Craiglist, and that’s fine. Craigslist is one of the best platforms to find local deals in your neighborhood, but there many other options. I, for one, don’t like the design and lack of innovation on their site, but it doesn’t matter much here.
A more modern and user-friendly platform is Facebook Marketplace. It’s a Facebook affiliate, so you may even find a mutual connection with a dealer on the site. This gives you a higher chance of sealing a good deal. You can also try other sites like LetGo, Offer Up.
But my favorite is the Rogue Boneyard Bars. Rogue allows you to buy any of their elite barbells at a reduced price due to cosmetic damages, not structural damage. And most times, you would hardly notice any defects other than inconsistent knurling or scratches.
DIY Option
This option is obviously more suited for a handyman. If you don’t shy away from putting parts together, you can build a lot of gym accessories at dirt cheap prices. It could help you save 2-3x the price you’d have bought the item new.
Now, this doesn’t mean you have to make intense stuff like forging a bumper plate or power rack all by yourself. But you can easily make a power rack or barbell hanger with just a hammer in hand and the right construction materials.
You can do this by just watching YouTube videos.
Buying New
Another option is to buy new equipment from trusted cheap brands and maybe affordable options from the top brands, like Rogue.
That’s a no brainer. Else, you would’ve stocked up your garage with pricey Eleiko equipment, and you wouldn’t have bothered reading this article.
While shopping for new gym equipment, try as much as possible to get multipurpose ones. This can save you the cost and space of buying multiple items.
Now, let me show you new equipment you can purchase on a budget to enjoy a full-body workout in your garage, living room, wherever.
Power Rack
If you’ll be able to get the best power rack in the market, that’d really be a great investment!!
This is arguably the most important piece of equipment in a home gym. If you agree with me, there’s hardly anyone building muscle with weights who don’t squat or bench. If you don’t, you should know better – at least, never miss leg day.
The point is that a power rack, half rack, or even a squat stand would help you perform these movements and more.
Besides, a squat stand would be a preferable option if you have limited ceiling space in your house.
A power rack can be used for other exercises other weightlifting, such as pull-ups, dips, resistant band workouts, and so on. But you may have to purchase attachments to unlock some of these features.
But the best part is that there are lots of affordable power racks on the market, and it’s not a chance to go cheap on a purchase. If you do, you’d most likely end up with a shaky rack or one made with flimsy materials.
Barbell
Without a doubt, a barbell is a must-have in any home gym. With a quality bar, you can perform basically any workout that has to do with weights.
Like the power rack, you don’t want to skimp when buying a barbell. Cheap barbells would bend easily or feel brittle on the palms, and you don’t want to be worried about that when you’re lifting heavy weights. Then, you’d have to spend on buying a quality barbell in the end, so it’s better to invest in one from the onset.
I’ll recommend the Rogue 2.0 Bar if you want a barbell that offers the best quality at an affordable price range. In fact, for its price, you’d be hard-pressed to find any worthy competition for its value.
Bumper Plates
It’s safe to say your home gym would be incomplete without bumper plates. And you can choose between iron plates or rubber-coated plates. Iron plates are cheaper, but make a lot of noise and may not be friendly on your type of floor for movements like the deadlift.
A reasonable price to buy weight plates is at around $.0.50 per pound, but that’s only when you’re shopping for iron plates. Bumpers or urethane plates would cost you way more. But they are typically quieter, more aesthetically pleasing, and usable on multiple platforms.
Bumper plates would set you back the most out of all the equipment I’ve recommended. And the cost varies with how heavy you want to lift since plates are priced per pound. For instance, if you lift heavy, you’ll need a lot more weight plates in your home gym.
The good thing is, bumper plates are readily available as used items. It won’t be hard to find a guy looking to dispose of a set of coated plates at a ridiculous price if they’ve been collecting dust in his garage for years.
Bench
Another important gym equipment you must have is a bench. Fortunately, there’s a lot of budget-friendly benches that can complete your new budget bodybuilding hub.
Takeaway
Coupled with a power rack, barbell, and a set of bumper plates, you’ll most likely have all you need to build that body you dream about in the comfort of your home.
Try to look for the adjustable ones that would allow you to perform inclined presses as well. You’ll need all the intensity you can get. And of course, it should be sturdy and comfortable.
