Hi there.
Let me tell you right off the bat, that the standard plan of “let’s go to the gym, workout hard and get ripped” is just terrible.
And there’s only one reason for that.
Time. It has to be done consistently over a long period of time.
And anyone who’s really tried to work on their fitness has experienced that fundamental truth. Maybe you’ve given the gym a good go in the past, perhaps even really tried your best, but chances are it never quite worked out as you hoped.
Well, it seems to me that you’re ready to be let in on a little secret about that.
If you’re interested in really investing in maximizing the chance that you really will make the gains that you you want, you’ll need to ensure that you won’t stop.
And guess what? The very act of physically going to the gym in the first place is so easy to cop out of.
So, here’s the follow-on from that secret. Secret number two:
Out of all the things that you could possibly do, building your own home gym space is the single best investment in yourself that you can make.
Why? Because it completely eliminates procrastination and excuses.
You know, only the single biggest killers of progress in anyone’s foray into fitness. These are the enemies of your progress. They will sabotage your attempts no matter how much you try to motivate yourself. Let me be clear: It’s not your fault if you can’t overcome them with sheer force of will.
So, it’s time to get smart about it.
The solution? Well, it boils down to this:
Without the early wins that a home gym guarantees you, that commitment you’re entertaining in your head to making massive gains in strength, size and agility is nothing but a pipe dream.
Win early, have physically no excuse (by virtue of your home gym being right there), and the results will come.
So, here’s the master list of just the best exercise machines and equipment that we’ve recommended here on Daily Climbing.
These will be the key pieces – the foundation – of your home gym, and which one you choose to start with as your center piece will depend upon what kind of gains you’re looking for.
All-in-One Exercise Stations
For a strong, athletic body built through bodyweight exercises and calisthenics, there’s no better space saving option for your home gym than a power tower.
Likewise, for building pure strength and size with resistance training, using barbells for lifting and pulleys for the rest, a power cage is simply a must for training solo in your home gym. Here’s the key thing: The safety bars act like a spotter, so if you hit failure on a bench press, you don’t crush your chest.
Rowing Machines
The main attraction to rowing machines, of course, is their unparalleled ability to easily and consistently work the lats (and for men, create that ever sought after upper body v-shape) even if your form is terrible.
Barbell or dumbell bent over rows use an awkward position that for most people feels wrong no matter what you do until you have a lot more experience. Rowing machines unmistakably just feel right no matter what you do. That’s the difference.
Besides, rowing machines work far more muscle groups than just your lats alone, since they also exercise the muscles that extend and support your legs. Here’s the most popular ones we recommend:
And here’s some more roundups we did for those with limited spaces or who are new to fitness:
- The Best Rowing Machine for Beginners
- The Best Compact Rowing Machine
- The Best Rowing Machine for Apartments
Exercise Bikes
Cardio, cardio and more cardio. And legs. That’s what you’re getting here.
Air bikes are a game changer though. The harder you push, the greater the resistance. That means you can have a variable-resistance workout controlled by you that requires no settings and no button pushes. Pretty neat.
Vibration Plates & Machines (Ideal for Yoga)
These machines stimulate your stabilizing muscles at a much higher rate than what normally happens during exercise, forcing them to work to steady themselves.
As you can imagine, this makes them an ideal platform to supercharge your yoga routine.
Low Impact Resistance-Based Exercise
A cost effective and space saving full-body workout station. The accessibility and sheer ease of use of these machines for such a wide variety of individuals at all levels of ability is the reason for their enduring popularity. These machines can go as vigorous, or as light, as you like.
Low Impact Exercise Machines For Older Folk
Low impact is the number one requirement in an exercise regime for older folk, which does really limit the range of what machines you can use.
However, that doesn’t matter, because either a vertical climber or, even better, an elliptical is all you need to stay fit without having to worry about overdoing it or damaging your joints.