Home Gym Essentials.

One thing I have realized in the short time the coronavirus has been an issue is the effect it is having on the strength training and fitness industry. With more and more gyms and training centers shutting down temporarily, more people are looking for a way to get their training done at home.

My basement gym circa 2007!

One of my clients in my online coaching program, currently living in NY, got to the gym Monday morning for his squat training session only to find the place empty and closed sign in the window. He just placed an order with Rogue for some gear for the basement.

After leaving work the other night (fortunately I am still able to keep the doors of my private training center open) I passed by Dicks Sporting Goods and saw three SUVs out front with people loading treadmills and other gear into them. I also heard from a reliable source that Peloton sales are doing very well.

I've always thought having some basic equipment at home was a good idea in the event that you can't get to the gym.

For around $1,000 you can get set up with enough basic equipment that will provide you with everything you need to not only weather the coronavirus storm, but allow you to permanently cancel that gym membership.

Here is a list I put together of gym equipment I found with a 10 minute Amazon search that will more than handle anything you will be able to throw at it. There is no need to pay top dollar for the big name manufacturers like Rogue, unless of course you want to. Don't get me wrong, all the equipment I have in my gym is from Westside Barbell, Elite Fitness Systems, Rogue Fitness, Legend Fitness and Promaxima MFG, but my gym is my full time business. I have to have durable equipment that can take a beating from some damn strong lifters and athletes. But for those of us who aren't training for the World's Strongest Man contest, the equipment I found on Amazon will more than suffice for a solid basement or garage gym.

Keep in mind, this was just a quick 10 minute search on Amazon, you can likely find even better deals searching places like Facebook Market Place, Craigslist, and consignment shops in your area.

The Essentials: $665-$970

Power Rack: $275-$500

The power rack is the cornerstone of any good strength program. Make sure to get one that has a pull-up bar and if you are lucky a dip attachment. I found many models that have these options that were all rated to 1,000 lbs or more. Power racks allow you to do squats, bench presses, rack presses and deadlifts, military presses, rows, pull ups, dips, arm work, and more. In addition they have spotter pins to ensure your safety when training alone.

Olympic Bar and Weight Set: $240

A barbell and weight set is a must have as this is what you will be lifting. I found a decent set with standard 7' barbell and plates that allow for up to 300 lbs. As you get stronger you will need to add pairs of 45 lb plates to accommodate your strength gains, and currently I have found most used plates to run about $0.75 per pound. Look on places like Facebook marketplace, Craigslist and consignment shops and you will likely find even better deals on weights. All you need to make up every possible increment of 5 lbs is a pair each of 2.5 lbs, 10 lbs, 25 lbs, 45lbs, and 2 pairs of 5 lbs plates. Again, as you get stronger you will just need to keep adding pairs of 45 lbs to accommodate for your progress.

Flat or Adjustable Bench: $100-$180

The adjustable will give you more options but plan to spend between $100 and $180 depending on which you choose.

Horse Stall Mats: $50

Horse stall mats will be needed for flooring. This will allow you to do deadlifts and protect the garage or basement floor in the event of dropped weights. You should be able to find two 4' wide x 6' long x 1/2" thick mats for around $25 each.

The extras: $164-$267

Kettlebells: $48-$116

Kettlebells are a great addition, particularly to add some conditioning exercises that are great for circuit training as well as strengthening generally weak areas like the low back, shoulders and grip. I found a 16kg kettlebell for $48 and a 24kg for $68.

Dragging Sled: $70-$100

Sleds are great for conditioning work and with an upper body strap will allow you to do any upper body or lower body strength exercise that can be performed with dumbbells or cables all while providing cardiovascular conditioning.

Loadable Dumbbell Handles: $36

A pair of loadable dumbbell handles will greatly increase the variety of your training. For $36 you can get a pair that will hold the same plates you will use on the Olympic bar as the collars are the same size. You will likely want to add multiple 2.5, 5 and 10 pound plates to give you more options for the dumbbells, but spending around $0.75 per pound or less is far better than shelling out $1,000 or more for a full dumbbell rack!

Jump Rope: $10-$15

An old school conditioning tool that provides and incredible bang for the buck. Jumping rope is a great way to train the cardiovascular system and build coordination simultaneously. There is a reason they are a staple in a boxer's training program.

There you have it, for $829 to $1237 you can have all the equipment you need to wait out the coronavirus quarantine and when the dust settles you will probable be loving the home gym so much you won't go back to the big box gym ever!

If you have any questions about setting up a home gym or are interested in any of my program design or consultation programs to help you set up a home-based training plan, email me at scott@eptsgym.com.

Stay Strong AND Healthy!
-Scott