I’m not shredded or yolked and the last fitness class I took was in high school. But I find myself talking about my home gym setup a lot so here’s what I use, why I use them, and what I recommend.
FYI these are all affiliate links so help ya boi out and use them if you’re going to buy these products anyway
Sand Bag – the peanut butter
This is the centerpiece of my home gym – sandbags (particularly military duffle bag style) are one of the most versatile pieces of equipment I’ve ever used. The only thing that surpasses it are cable machines, but those are out of my price range and not mobile enough for my ruitine.
- INEXPENSIVE – $150 bag, $10 of sand and you can have a weight adjustable (0 – 150lbs) home gym. Seriously. Not that you have to use this for every workout, but having the option is valuable.
- Versatile workouts – you can do legs, shoulders, back, arms, chest; almost any muscle group. And these babies are the king of modified deadlifts.
- Doesn’t damage your floors – surprisingly important. Being able to work out in your kitchen as easily as your living room is a big deal. Being able to take my sandbag from my home gym area to my office space is a gamechanger for me – I may not get a full workout in but standing up and moving some weight around is a big deal when I need a mental break or to get the blood flowing. Not having to buy stall matts is a big deal.
- Mobile – put this in the back of your car and you have a full gym when you’re on vacation without having 150lb’s of hard steel rolling around in your trunk.
Resistance Bands – the jelly
Any exercise that can’t be done with the sandbag can be done with resistance bands. In particular I prefer bands for push workouts and modifying calisthenics – pulls ups, push ups, fly’s, & shoulders.
You can make exercises harder or easier – weighted push ups or assisted pull ups can be a big deal.
- CTRL C -> CTRL V
- INEXPENSIVE – for $30 you get a home gym. Better value than the sandbag! They can’t be used for weighted exercise but put them together and… you see where this is going, right?
- Versatile – calisthenics and modifying workouts. You can get a lot out of these!
- Doesn’t damage your body – bands promote low weight and natural movements. The perfect recipe for healthy joints and consistent workouts!
- Mobile – so small you could put them in your sandbag and boom – you have a rounded out mobile gym!
INTEY Pull up Assist Band Exercise Resistance Bands for Workout Body Stretch Powerlifting Set of 4
Jump Rope
You can get your cardio any way you want – this is how I get mine. Honestly I’m not here to sell jump rope – as a matter of fact I think it’s terrible on paper. I just like it ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
- CHEAP – Blah blah blah $10 cardio. Not the most sturdy piece but it holds up relatively well.
- DOES damage your body – It messes up your legs/knees and that sucks.
- Mobile – Put it in your sandbag and boom – cardio along for the ride!
Epitomie Fitness Sonic Boom M2 High Speed Jump Rope
Power Cage / Pull up bar
I have an RML-3 ROGUE MONSTER LITE R-3 but I don’t expect most people to go that far. As a matter of fact, even though I love my power cage, I do not recommend that anybody buys them unless you’re going to devote a loooot of space and $ to your home gym. To get real use out of a power cage you probably have to buy stall matts, a barbell, weight plates, a bench, and more.
Personally the most impactful part of the power cage has been the pull up bar. And you can get one for way less than $800.
I recommend you go for those cheap doorway pullup bars – they get the job done and cost a tenth of the price. Pullups are incredibly impactful and should be a part of everybody’s routine – I really like The Bioneer’s take on why everybody should be able to do a pullup. “In a life or death situation, would you be able to pull yourself up to safety?” (video here)
Stall Matts
FYI – I BOUGHT $50 STALL MATTS FROM TRACTOR SUPPLY CO. AND I RECCOMEND YOU DO TOO.
These things stink, take up a decent amount of space, and are heavy. But damn, are they worth it. Even if for just having a space designated to get sh*t done these things provide a spot for doing any and all work on the floor (from yoga to pushups having a firm floor with just a little give makes putting your hands or back on the ground a much nicer experience) or using plates and dumbbells’ (once again, don’t damage your floors. It cost way more to replace floors than buy good rubber matts).
On paper this is the least necessary piece of equipment on the list BUT to me they are worth the niceties they provide. I recommend you get some if you have space and use heavy weights or do a decent amount of calisthenics/yoga.
I can’t even link the amazon stall matt links in good faith – just don’t do it. Go get some solid 1 inch thick matts from a farmer supply store. Do NOT get those sh*tty, thin, way too soft, foam matts and prolong your suffering.