Home gyms are becoming more popular day by day, especially due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. They provide a convenient and private space that can be designed and customized to completely meet your unique fitness goals.

Home gyms can also provide a safer alternative than exercising outdoors, as inclement weather can provide dangerous hazards such as poor air quality, dangerously high and low temperatures, slippery surfaces, and more.

You may even be interested in setting up a personal workspace for your friends and family to share with you and enjoy. However, if you’re setting up a home-gym environment for the first time it can be difficult to know where to get started.

At Akfit, we specialize in all things fitness! Located in Sudbury, Ontario, we offer a wide selection of fitness equipment; home and commercial gym design; and we provide advice for achieving fitness goals within their budget. 

With this, we often get asked about essential gym equipment for a home gym. 

This article will explore essential gym equipment ideas for your home gym, meeting a variety of fitness goals. 

In this article…..

1.     Laying Out Your Home Gym
2.     Essential Strength Equipment for Your Home Gym
3.     Essential Cardio Equipment for Your Home Gym
4.     Important Factors to Consider
5.     Purchasing Your Gym Equipment at Akfit

Laying Out Your Home Gym

So you have decided to create a home gym!  It is natural to start thinking about the fitness equipment you would like to implement into your space. 

But not so fast! First, step back and assess your space. Where in your home will the gym be located? 

Garages and basements are very common areas for home gyms. If you intend on designing your home gym on an upper level in your home, you may want to reconsider. Flooring on the upper levels of a home may not be able to withstand the weight of heavy machines or the impact of dropping heavy weights.

Further, do you have the appropriate space available to accommodate all of your desired equipment? 

To ensure that you have available space, it is a good idea to measure the room that you intend on transforming into a home gym. Not only should you measure the floor space, but you should also take note of the ceiling height, especially if you are a powerlifter or an Olympic weightlifter.

Another important element to consider is the type of floor that you have in your space. A home gym should have flooring that can absorb the impact of heavy weights and movement. If your space currently has concrete or hardwood flooring, we highly recommend checking out our gym flooring options at Akfit. 

Perhaps you’re a cardio enthusiast who wants to invest in a heavy-duty treadmill or elliptical. In this case, you will also want to ensure that your floor is levelled so the exercise equipment can remain stable. 

You may also want to invest in a mat for your home gym to protect your floor and the cardio equipment.

Check out our article on design and layout tips for your home gym to help you get started. If you prefer to speak directly to a representative, you can always contact us or book a virtual meeting with our fitness experts to discuss your home gym layout and design concerns.

Essential Strength Training Equipment for Your Home Gym 

1. Dumbbells

Dumbbells are a very common piece of home gym fitness equipment. They’re portable, easy to store, and you can easily purchase a set that fits your fitness goals and budget. Additionally, you can engage in a wide variety of fitness exercises with dumbbells, especially when paired with an exercise bench. 

The average cost of dumbbells industry-wide is anywhere from $1.50 to $4 a pound. For more information on the cost of dumbbells, check out our article about the factors that affect the price of dumbbells.

If you invest in a larger set of dumbbells, you’ll also want to consider weight storage. At Akfit, we sell a variety of racks to store dumbbells in a safe and organized fashion.

2. Weight Plates

If you are into powerlifting or Olympic weight lifting, you’ll want to invest in weight plates. Owning a variety of weight plates is ideal because they will allow you to progress in your fitness goals rather than be stuck to just a single pair of a certain weight.

Steel weight plates cost anywhere from $1.75 to $4 industry-wide, however the price is subject to the type of material the plate is made of, the overall quality, and other factors. If you are interested in learning more about the cost of steel plates, we recommend checking out our cost of a steel weight plate article.

If you choose to invest in a library of weight plates, Akfit also sells a variety of storage options so you can safely organize your plates.

3. Barbells

To accompany your weight plates, you will want a high quality barbell that is built to last. Barbells are an important piece of strength equipment because of the variety of exercises you can do with them, especially when combined with a bench.

When you are purchasing your barbell however, you’ll want to consider what type of knurling you want, the weight of the bar, the type of coating, and how much spin or whip you want. At Akfit, we offer a large inventory of bars and collars that are suited for a variety of weight lifting needs.

4. A Low Squat Rack

If you are invested in strength training and want a piece of equipment that allows you to perform a variety of strength training exercises without the use of a spotter, a squat rack is an essential piece of equipment.

With this, you will want to consider the vertical space of your home gym when choosing a squat rack. Typically, home gyms have a lower ceiling than most commercial gyms. In turn, a low squat rack is typically ideal for a home gym setup.

You’ll also want to consider the weight capacity of your rack, your budget, and any safety requirements. It is highly recommended that you invest in home gym flooring as protecting your floors and your equipment is essential. You can check out our review of the Torque Low Squat Rack 3.0 which is built specifically for home gyms. Or check out the rest of our squat rack selection here.

5. A Workout Bench

A good workout bench is integral for many strength training exercises. This is because workout benches provide a stable surface to perform a variety of exercises. The bench press is a common style of strength training, and a quality bench is required to safely perform this movement.

Many benches are adjustable too, which allows you to target different regions of a specific muscle group. A good weight bench serves as a base to improve your physique by building muscle and burning fat.

Check out our selection of benches here.

Essential Cardio Equipment for Your Home Gym

Although cardio equipment can be expensive and take up a lot of space, it is a great addition to any home gym. After all, most types of cardio equipment have evolved into heavy duty machinery that not only provides cardiovascular exercise but also acts as a remarkable source of data.

Below are three essential pieces of cardio equipment to choose from!

1. Treadmills

The most common type of cardio equipment is the treadmill. Treadmills provide the opportunity to safely walk, jog, or run inside while not having to subject yourself to the unpredictability of the great outdoors.

However, when purchasing your treadmill it’s important to properly maintain your equipment, be aware of the problems that may arise, consider the amount of space your treadmill will require, and understand how to safely use it.

As you search for the perfect treadmill, you may consider one of the Top 5 Selling Treadmills at Akfit for your home gym.

If space is a problem, you may want to invest in a folding treadmill. Thankfully, at Akfit we sell a few differentfolding treadmills that would fit well in a home gym.

2. Ellipticals

Maybe a treadmill isn’t right for you, and you want to consider purchasing an elliptical instead. An elliptical machine provides another opportunity to exercise safely indoors while working on your cardio goals.

Ellipticals provide low-impact cardio workouts that are easier on joints. If you are recovering from an injury but still want to engage in a form of cardio exercise, an elliptical could be the right choice for you.

We encourage checking out our treadmill vs elliptical comparison article if you want to invest in a heavy duty cardio machine, but just aren’t quite sure which is right for you.

Similar to treadmills, you’ll want to ensure you have the space to fit your elliptical into your personal workout environment. You’ll also want to be educated on the problems that you could potentially encounter with an elliptical and how to safely use and maintain your equipment.

Check out our selection of ellipticals here.

3. Stationary Exercise Bikes

If you find that the average price of an elliptical or a treadmill is a bit too much, but you are still looking for a quality style of fitness equipment that can provide a high-intensity workout, then maybe a stationary exercise bike fits your needs.

Exercise bikes are a fantastic source of cardiovascular exercise that provide many similar benefits as treadmills and ellipticals.

Exercise bikes, such as an upright bike, spin bike, and air bikes, take up less space than an elliptical or a treadmill. However, these different types of exercise bikes have unique benefits and are built for different uses.

At Akfit, we sell a variety ofstationary exercise bikes that are suited for different needs and cardio goals.

Other Factors to Consider When Setting Up a Home Gym

Remember, when you are setting up your home gym for the first time, you’ll want to consider more than just your space and the equipment you want to install.

Make sure to also consider the following:

• Create a detailed budget when planning your home gym package.
• While staying within your budget,don’t settle for cheap equipment; You’ll want to invest in durable equipment that will last. We recommend checking out our affordable home gym equipment article if you are still not quite sure what to invest in.
• Prioritize which type of training meets your needs the most.
• If you are working out alone, consider products that enhance your safety such as a heart rate monitor or a rack to replace a spotter.
• Always ask for help when installing heavy-duty equipment.
• You may want to invest in additional workout accessories such as a yoga mat, an exercise ball, or tension bands. 

Purchasing Your Home Gym Equipment at Akfit

Whether you’re a regular at strength training or a cardio enthusiast, we at Akfit have a variety of quality fitness equipment built to last and provide you with the return on investment you are looking for.

If you are interested in going forward with setting up a home gym, we encourage you to reach out to us. We will work with you closely and help provide all the necessary information and tools  to set up a personal fitness environment that will work for you and your budget.

You can visit us in-store at our Sudbury location, or if you reside outside of northern Ontario, you can book a virtual meeting with us. Our fitness experts will help you put together a home gym package that you will get the most out of.