Home gym equipment

Training at home is becoming increasingly affordable, given the number of weight training equipment options available on the market.

Working out at home will offer you comfort and save you time in your daily life. By designing your own home gym, you’ll be able to train at the times that suit you, without having to wait to use a machine, and with the equipment you truly need.

In this article, I will present the essential weight training equipment for home workouts: bench/dumbbells, multi-station, Smith machine, and, not forgetting, a cardio machine!

As a bonus, I’ll give you an example of a training session using this equipment.

The perfect combo for beginner home workouts: bench + dumbbells

If you only need the bare minimum or have limited space, here’s the essential equipment: a weight bench and a pair of dumbbells. With just this equipment, you can perform complete workouts (you’ll just need adjustable dumbbells, or dumbbells of varying weights…).

This solution is also ideal for athletes who don’t have a dedicated training room at home or in an apartment. For example, you can opt for a fully foldable weight bench that you can store under a bed, a sofa, or even in a closet once your workout is over.

Be aware that investing in home gym equipment for a compact setup doesn’t mean sacrificing quality! When it comes to dumbbells, depending on your needs, you can invest in a pair that seems like the right compromise for your various strength training exercises. For example, a 10 kg pair for lunges, rows, etc. It all depends on your fitness level.

Alternatively, the ultimate solution is to invest in a pair of adjustable dumbbells. You can find adjustable dumbbells on the market, ranging from 2 kg to 32 kg, for example, with just a flick of the wrist! By treating yourself to this luxury, you’ll be able to vary the weights during your home workouts while saving space in your home gym!

Cardio training equipment

In your home gym, it’s a good idea to have at least one cardio machine. A cardio session is always welcome to maintain your overall fitness, complement your strength training, or simply unwind after a busy day or a heavy meal! You can choose the cardio machine for your home gym that best suits your needs.

A treadmill is ideal for athletes looking to supplement their workouts with some cardio, but generally, you can run outdoors… So if you’re going to invest, I’d recommend equipping your home gym with an elliptical trainer or a rowing machine. These machines are perfect for building your physique while complementing your weight training sessions.

For me, the rowing machine is one of the most effective cardio and strength training equipment: it will tone your back muscles but also engage your leg muscles in the flexion: glutes, hamstrings, and calves, then the biceps and triceps in the arm flexion… Using the rowing machine at home allows you to strengthen your overall core strength, without putting stress on your joints.

The elliptical trainer, like the rowing machine, not only provides a cardiovascular workout but also helps tone your muscles. The pushing and pulling motion of the handles works the arms, shoulders, trapezius muscles, and pectoral muscles. And the pedaling motion engages the leg muscles: calves, quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes.

Multi-stations and Smith machines 

For athletes with a budget, it can be very interesting to opt for multi-stations or parallel pulleys, which allow complete workouts with only pulley equipment.

Here are 2 complete weight training machines that I can recommend for your home gym:  

The Cross-Trainer Station – Opposite Pulley

Composed of two weight columns (2 x 45 kg), the Cross-Trainer station above will allow you to perform countless pulling exercises: Bicep curls with a cable, Tricep extensions with a cable, Presses (shoulders), Lateral raises (shoulders), Cable squats… To work on these exercises, simply choose the pulling handles that meet your expectations.

In addition to pulley exercises, the Cross-Trainer has pull-up handles located at its top, allowing you to perform Pull-Ups or leg raises to work on your core strength.

In addition to its versatility, the pulley station is ideal for the home gym thanks to its compact dimensions. Indeed, once installed in your home gym, the Cross-Trainer will occupy the following space: width-155.4 x length-155.4 x height-205.1cm.

The 3-in-1 multi-station gym: Triplex ATX

The ATX multistation, known as “Triplex,” offers 3 training stations in 1. As you can see in the photo above, the ATX Triplex is equipped with a high and low pulley with free weights to perform all your pulling exercises, a weight bench with an optional support to accommodate a leg curl extension, an abdominal station or a preacher curl station, and then the third, independent lever arms to perfectly target the pectorals, for example.

Of course, the advantage of the multi-station is that it adapts to all body types thanks to its fully adjustable stations. The 3-in-1 weight training station will take up very little space in your home gym, requiring only 4 to 5 square meters.

While this weight training machine will represent a significant investment, it will offer you comfort and long-lasting workouts. Designed by the high-end German brand ATX, this training station provides excellent ergonomics and fluid movements.

Example of a training session

Warm-up: 10 minutes on an elliptical trainer at moderate intensity (gradually raising the body temperature)

Bodybuilding :

• Legs: 4 x 12 sets of dumbbell lunges (weight according to your level) or Leg Curl Extension
• Back : Dumbbell rows: 4 x 12 sets with dumbbells or Pulley chest press
• Arms : Concentration curl: 4 x 12 sets with dumbbells or Triceps extension with high pulley
• Chest : Bench press: 4 x 12 sets with dumbbells or Cable flyes

Cardio :

• Interval Rowing : 3 sets of 3 to 5 minutes, row at a steady, moderate pace – 1 minute rest between each set

Finish your session with 10 minutes of moderate or medium intensity cardio to optimize fat burning and thermogenesis produced during your weight training session and promote your recovery.