Frederick Jace
You’ve decided to build a home gym, but you’re restricted with a budget, so where do you start? Before anything else, this is a common question. Don’t worry, you don’t need to win the lottery just to afford a gym. If you’re on a budget, it’s a case of prioritising…but don’t give up the dream just because of money.
Benefits of a Home Gym
If you’re still on the edge and can’t make up your mind, perhaps the biggest benefit of a home gym is that you can work out whenever you want. After a long day of work, sometimes you would rather do anything else than go to the gym. With home and commercial gym equipment in your home, you’re more likely to do a workout. You don’t need to go back outside after a stressful day, you’re in the comfort of your own home, and it doesn’t take as much time.
Additionally, it’s convenient for those times where you only have an hour to exercise before going out for dinner or to work. Also, you can invite friends over for workouts, exercise 24/7, and access all machines and equipment without having to wait (you know the pain of walking over to the dumbbell stand only to find that all the ones you use are missing!).
There’s also no need to feel self-conscious when you’re on your own (and you can watch the latest Netflix series while working out!). Even after all this, home gym equipment is more affordable than ever before, so it’s easy to get started.
What to Buy First?
You’re on a budget, so where should you start? Here are some of your options:
Barbells and Weight Plates
When building a home gym, one of the best places to start is with barbells and weight plates. Why? Because they offer flexibility and versatility. If you’re on a budget, you don’t just want to buy a treadmill. If you do, you’re stuck with this one exercise until you can afford more. What’s more, you can walk and run without a treadmill.
With a barbell, you can work your shoulders, chest, biceps, triceps, back, and legs. You only have one piece of equipment, yet you have a whole rotation of workouts to get you through the week. Buy a running machine and you’re doing the same thing every single day.
Rowing or Cycling Machine
If you’re more interested in cardio, cycling and rowing machines are good places to start. There’s nothing wrong with running machines, but they’re luxury additions to a home gym rather than priorities. As mentioned earlier, you can put on some comfortable shoes and go for a walk or run around the local area if you want to run. While on a budget, buy equipment that offers exercise that you can’t do alone.
As an example, rowing works the shoulders, upper back, and lower back. What’s more, you’ll feel it in the glutes, abs, quads, calves, pecs, triceps, biceps, and more. On the other hand, for those without a bicycle, cycling machines are great for cardio and legs.
Conclusion
With one of these as the starting point, you can do more in your home gym and reduce your reliance on your real gym. Over time, you can then keep adding to your home gym based on what you’re missing. If you decide that your workout plan needs a kettlebell, you can make this the next priority.
Bear in mind that brilliant companies now offer custom home gym advice and equipment, so feel free to research this niche for help!
