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Fitness

How to set up your home gym

Home gyms offer ultimate flexibility and privacy.

You can work out when and how you want to. Whether that’s at the crack of dawn before work or an 11pm treadmill session with ’90s classics blaring. It’s your call.

The ideal fit out of your home gym will depend on a range of factors, including your fitness goals, available space and budget. Our handy home gym guide includes a range of options to suit different needs.

We recommend that most people undertake some form of resistance training, given the heavily researched and widely published health benefits. For this reason, resistance equipment features in many of our suggestions.

The heart of your gym

For most people, there will be one or two key pieces of equipment that will be pivotal to many of their workouts. For example, if your goal is to increase your strength, then your key equipment would probably include a power/squat rack and some weights (barbells, dumbbells, etc).

Power racks: the ultimate home gym centrepiece

For most home gyms, we highly recommend a power rack (sometimes called a squat rack). Power racks offer a huge variety of exercise options and can also dramatically increase the safety of your home workouts (more on that shortly).

Our top choice for high quality and value for money are the racks offered by Iron Edge. The Assault Rack Pro with Storage pictured below is our favourite option. Make sure you use our exclusive discount code (IE-616) for 5% off the purchase price!

Assault Rack Pro with Storage from Iron Edge

If space is an issue, you could look at short or half-sized racks or standalone squat stands.

Multi-functional

With a huge range of attachments on the market, power racks can be used for a staggering variety of exercises. This is particularly true when cable and pulley systems can be added to the rack.

Pull-ups, chin-ups, dips, bench presses, squats, land mine presses, lat pulldowns, rows, cable curls, cable crossovers, etc. The list goes on and on.

Safety is paramount

Safety is particularly important for home gyms, as you’re probably working out with no one else around.

For example, if you’re going to be bench pressing in your home gym, then we highly recommend that you have spotting/safety arms, bars or straps; as you typically won’t have someone there as a ‘spotter’. A spotter is someone that stands directly behind the barbell, helping you with the lift-off from the rack and with re-racking the barbell at the completion of your set. The spotter should also be staying alert throughout your set to keep you safe, ready to grab the barbell if you lose your grip or reach failure before the barbell has been re-racked.

Whether you have a spotter or not, we always recommend the use of spotting arms, bars or straps, as they’ll do a much better job at keeping you safe. Unfortunately, despite their best efforts, people often won’t catch the bar in time if you lose your grip or they might be unable to lift a heavily-weighted barbell back to racking position if you reach failure before completing your set. Steel safety bars that are set at the right height will always catch the barbell before it crushes your ribs or neck.

One of the many benefits of using a power rack is the safety offered by the bars, arms or straps. Simply move your bench into the rack and you can bench press safely with spotter bars ready to catch the bar if you lose your grip or reach failure before re-racking the weight. If you’re performing a weighted squat, then you can simply adjust the safety bars, arms or straps to the correct height and they’re ready to take the bar if you have to dump it part way through a set.

Resistance training equipment

Further to the essential power rack, there are some other staple items that every home gym should include.

Bench

You can opt for a flat (fixed) bench or for an adjustable bench.

If you have limited space, as most of us do, then we recommend going with a high quality adjustable bench, as it will give you a greater range of exercise options.

Fully adjustable benches often include the abbreviation ‘FID’ in their product name, which stands for ‘flat, incline and decline’. This indicates that the bench can be adjusted to all of those positions. However, most commercial quality adjustable benches offer flat and incline positions only. This allows for construction of a much stronger base that will support a higher weight capacity.

We highly recommend the Iron Edge Adjustable Bench (pictured below), which meets International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) specifications and is built like a tank. Remember to use our exclusive discount code (IE-616) for 5% off.

Iron Edge Adjustable Bench

If you prefer a flat (fixed) bench, then the Iron Edge Utility Bench (pictured below) is rock solid and offers great value for money.

Iron Edge Utility Bench

‘Olympic’ or ‘Standard’?

There are two options when it comes to weight plates, barbells and other free weight equipment: ‘Olympic’ or ‘Standard’. This simply relates to the size (diameter) of the weight plate holes and the weight plate sleeves on barbells, dumbbells, etc.

Olympic sized weight plates have holes to accommodate 50mm sleeves, whereas Standard sized weight plates have holes to accommodate 25mm sleeves. The weight plates have centre holes slightly larger than the sleeve diameter, for example Standard weight plates typically feature a 28mm centre hole (although they can be as large as 30mm on some weight plates).

The naming is somewhat deceptive, as ‘Standard’ sized equipment isn’t the industry standard.

The Olympic option is actually the industry standard, both for competitions and for commercial gym facilities. Confusing right?!

Standard equipment is often cheaper and so can be a popular choice for people with a limited budget.

A lot of equipment is only offered in Olympic sizing; and this is particularly common when it comes to the best quality equipment. If you start out with Standard sized weight plates and bars, then it can be frustrating when you look to expand your selection of equipment, as many items simply aren’t available in Standard sizing.

Although it will cost a little more, we highly recommend going with Olympic sizing, as you’ll always be able to get the equipment that you want.

As a final precautionary note on sizing, some discount stores offer weight sets (e.g. adjustable dumbbells) with unique sizing that’s smaller in diameter than both Standard and Olympic options. We recommend you avoid these sets, as they’re not compatible with conventional weight plates (i.e. Standard or Olympic). They’re also typically very poor quality.

Dumbbells

Dumbbells offer a huge variety of exercise options.

You can opt for a set of adjustable dumbbells, which is cheaper, but more time consuming (i.e. you will often be changing the weight plates for different exercises); or you can opt for fixed dumbbells at various weights, which is more expensive and will require more space, but is far more convenient.

For fixed dumbbells, we recommend investing in a good quality rack to keep the dumbbells neatly and safely stored away. We also recommend going for hex shaped dumbbells rather than the round-ended dumbbells, as the hex shape gives a flat, stable surface for exercises such as renegade rows.

We highly recommend the Hex Head Dumbbells from Iron Edge (pictured below), which feature straight handles for increased comfort over the older style ‘barrel’ handles.

Hex Head Dumbbells from Iron Edge

Barbells

A good quality barbell is essential for many fundamental exercises, such as the bench press and barbell squats.

We highly recommend barbells from Iron Edge.

The Iron Edge 20kg Black Hard Chrome Barbell pictured below is a fantastic option for top quality at an affordable price. Remember to use our exclusive discount code (IE-616) for 5% off.

20kg Hard Chrome Barbell (Bearing) from Iron Edge

Specialty bars

In addition to the standard barbell, there are also numerous specialty bars.

There are two specialty bars in particular that we believe will benefit most home gym users. Both of these specialty bars offer neutral grip exercise options, which can be more comfortable for many people, particularly those with shoulder issues.

Hex barbell

The hex barbell, sometimes called a trap bar, can be used for a range of exercises, including: shrugs; deadlifts; squats; and farmer’s walks (if you get an open-sided hex bar).

We use and highly recommend the Chrome Trap Bar from Iron Edge (pictured below).

Chrome Trap Bar from Iron Edge

Swiss barbell

The swiss barbell, sometimes called a ‘football bar’ or ‘multi grip bar’, typically offers a number of neutral grip handles; allowing the user to choose an appropriate grip placement (e.g. narrow or wide). Many also include angled or ‘hybrid’ grip options, such as the Swiss Bar from Iron Edge (pictured below).

Swiss Bar from Iron Edge

The swiss barbell is a terrific option for the bench press, but can also be used for other exercises, such as bent-over rows or bicep curls.

Weight plates

There are numerous weight plate options on offer.

We recommend getting either rubber coated or bumper weight plates, as this will greatly reduce the noise of banging plates and also help to protect your equipment, for example if you accidentally bump your weight plates on the rack posts when re-racking your barbell.

Bumper weight plates are designed to withstand the impacts of being dropped. For example, if the barbell is dropped rather than lowered after performing a deadlift. Bumper plates tend to be the most expensive option, but they’re also made to last. Bumper plates are thicker than other options, which can reduce the number of plates that you can fit on the sleeves. If you’re going to be dropping your weights, then in the interests of preserving your flooring and equipment, you’ll also want gym flooring tiles or even a dedicated weightlifting platform.

Rubber coated weight plates are a great option at a lower price point. They’re not designed to be dropped repeatedly, but they will tolerate a bit of rough treatment. The rubber coating deadens the noise of banging plates, and also helps to protect your equipment and flooring.

Cast iron weight plates have an old school aesthetic that appeals to many people. They also tend to be thinner and so allow for maximum weight plate loading for heavier lifts. Cast iron plates are incredibly durable, but can be on the expensive side for the higher quality brands. It’s also important to note that they don’t offer any noise deadening or protection against bumps.

Storage

Keeping your equipment safely stowed away reduces the risk of injury from accidents, such as tripping over a barbell laying on the floor.

Dumbbell and kettlebell storage

For dumbbell storage, you can opt for a tower or a rack. We prefer racks, like the Modular Racking from Iron Edge (pictured below), but towers can be a good option for smaller spaces.

Modular storage is a great way to go, as it gives you the ability to store a whole range of equipment, such as: kettlebells, dumbbells, medicine balls, weight plates, and more. You can also customise the storage rack(s) to suit your equipment and available space.

Iron Edge Modular Racking

Weight plate storage

If you invest in a power rack, it may come with pins/pegs for weight plate storage. For many setups this will work perfectly, but for some spaces this isn’t the most convenient arrangement (e.g. if there’s limited space on one or both sides of the power rack.

For ultimate flexibility, we absolutely love the low profile ‘toaster rack’ from Iron Edge (pictured below). This rack makes it super easy to grab and stow weight plates. It fits plenty of plates, but has a really small footprint, making it ideal for smaller spaces. Remember to use our exclusive discount code (IE-616) for 5% off.

Toaster Rack from Iron Edge

Toaster style racks are best suited to bumper weight plates or rubber coated weight plates. They’re less suitable for cast iron or other uncoated metal plates, because repeated contact between the hard weight plates and the rack may cause the surface coating to chip off over time.

For smaller spaces, weight plate stands may also be a convenient way to store your plates safely.

Barbell storage

Barbell storage can be free standing, rack-mounted or wall-mounted. Bars are usually stored vertically, but some wall racks offer a horizontal storage option, often called ‘gun racks‘.

We highly recommend the rock-solid Vertical Barbell Rack from Iron Edge (pictured below), which offers storage for nine barbells.

Vertical Barbell Rack from Iron Edge

Flooring tiles

If you’re going to be using free weights, then it’s sensible to buy some gym flooring tiles.

Gym flooring tiles are typically sold in 1 metre by 1 metre squares. They can also be cut to suit your specific layout.

We recommend the gym flooring tiles from Iron Edge for their high quality and longevity.

Body weight (calisthenics)

You may be thinking “why would I need any equipment for body weight workouts?”

While it’s true that you can do a lot with no equipment at all, there are some items that will dramatically increase the range of exercise options and the effectiveness of your workouts.

Gymnastic Rings

Gymnastic rings are versatile, cheap and portable. You can do a whole range of exercises with rings, such as: pull-ups; chin-ups; dips; and inverted rows.

We recommend the 28mm Wooden Power Rings from Iron Edge (pictured below).

28mm Wooden Power Rings from Iron Edge

Plyometrics box or squat box

A plyometrics box (sometimes called a squat box) can be used for a range of exercises, such as step-ups, dips and elevated push-ups for increased challenge (i.e. performing the exercise with your feet elevated on the box). Of course you can also do plyometrics exercises, such as box jumps.

The top three options for cardio equipment

Cardio (aerobic exercise) will feature in many workout programs. Of course you can jog, run, cycle or swim outside, but sometimes the weather is miserable and indoors is far more pleasant!

Cardio equipment is also handy if you’ve only got a short amount of time. A high intensity session on a stationary bike can have you feeling toasted in 5 minutes.

Skipping rope

Skipping is a fantastic cardio exercise!

A skipping rope is cheap, portable and takes up very little space. Every home gym should have one.

We highly recommend the Elite Skipping Rope (Speed Rope) from Iron Edge (pictured below).

Elite Skipping Rope (Speed Rope) from Iron Edge

Stationary bike

Stationary bikes (sometimes called exercise bikes) are fantastic for cardio workouts or warmups.

The Xebex Air Bike from Iron Edge (pictured below) is terrific value for money. Remember to use our exclusive discount code (IE-616) for 5% off.

Xebex Air Bike from Iron Edge

Treadmill

We love the Xebex Treadmill from Iron Edge (pictured below). It runs on your energy alone – zero electricity!

Xebex Treadmill from Iron Edge
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