Setting up My Home Gym

If you follow me on Instagram, you have probably seen my FREAKING AMAZING new home gym set-up! Obviously, not everyone needs/wants a set-up as elaborate as what I have...or maybe you want something more elaborate! A few people asked about where I got some of the components to my gym! I'm going to give a few links to where I got various items and how to get set up without breaking the bank.

When it comes to home gyms, if you have money to burn, the sky is the limit. You can spend a ton of money on a variety of equipment and really go to town. If you're reading this, I assume that is not your scenario! Thus, my first tip is to ask folks if they have any equipment they want to give away or sell for cheap! When I was looking for a squat rack, I jumped on Facebook and posted that I was looking for one, and I found a friend who had one to give away! So if you're looking for specific equipment, ask around. You never know who has gym equipment in their home that they want to get rid of. 
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Dumbbells

If you're just getting started with a home gym, dumbbells are were I would suggest you begin. They are versatile, you can often find good deals (current dumbbell shortage notwithstanding), and they'll last for a long time, so if you want to get rid of them later, you can. I acquired mine slowly over time. Those 3s, 5s, and 8s are probably older than my kids. The rest are more recent. I also have one kettlebell, and I encourage you to look for kettlebells or dumbbells, as a lot of dumbbell exercises can be done with a kettlebell instead. You can buy kettlebells as singles or pairs, and again, there is so much you can do with them! 

Since I got my dumbbells at different times, I don't have a pretty matched set, but I got some free from friends, bought the 20s from Facebook market, and had some previously. My Wreckbag is also back there. I was using that a bit at the start of the pandemic, but not as much currently. It's a great training tool if you're in the market for something like that!

Bench, Rack & Barbell/Plates

This bench is so amazing and it is a complete fluke that I snagged it. I found it at an auction from a gym that was going out of business. It is a Hammer Strength adjustable bench. Should you come across one and have the opportunity to get it, I love it. If not, there are a lot of options to take the place of a proper bench. I've used an aerobic step, my plyo box, or the floor for most things that need a bench. For bench press, the problem with the floor is you won't get full range-of-motion, but it works in a pinch.

My squat rack came free from a friend; I don't know a brand or anything on it. It isn't anything fancy, but it holds a bar, and that's all I need!

My barbell and plates came from York Barbell. They're located in York, PA, and we stopped in while we were (sort of) driving in the area. They were sold out of a lot of stuff, so I pretty much just got what I was able. It is a "women's bar" so it is a little shorter and lighter than a regular 45 lb bar. The plates are just standard iron, nothing fancy. When I bought them, they didn't have many options, and the guy working at the store thanked me so much for being nice about it. I was a bit surprised because that obviously means that people had been going in there and being turds because they were sold out on stuff. My friends. Please, be freaking nice to the people working in stores. It is not his fault that everybody suddenly decided to go buy barbells all at the same time. There is no need to be a dick to the guy in the shop.

Bands

I would add bands like this to my list near dumbbells for versatility. I know everybody wants booty bands, but you can do so much with these bad boys! I originally bought them several years ago to use for pullup assist, but now they do lat pull downs, seated rows, face pulls, and so much more! These came from WODFitters, and they are great, but you can get bands like this many places.

Heavybag

Okay, you may not think your gym needs a heavybag, but you're pretty much wrong. This is another item I got from the gym going out of business auction, and I love it! I've been working on some boxing in my training, and my kids also like working the bag a bit to get out some big feels (and who isn't having big feels at this point in the pandemic).

Flooring

Finally, the piece de resistance, the floor. This is a soft interlocking tile floor with two sides. One side is softer, and the other a little more firm. It is great for all my different workouts. If you've been in my classes, you may have heard me share my fear of slipping in my sweat on our regular tile floor. This just lays right on top of the tile, and it gives a great surface for floor work, and good traction for HIIT. The firm side is tough enough for the bench and rack to sit on. We got it at Home Depot.

If you have other questions or ideas on home gym setup, drop them in the comments!