If you are thinking of doing bodyweight workouts then some of the things you may think of are the clothing you’ll wear, when you’ll train and which workouts you are going to be doing. Among these, you may also think of where you will be working out. Should you go for the gym, try and workout outside or setup things at home. Each choice has its pros and cons and choosing to mix things up can also be solution depending on where you live and how much time you have available to work out. Some prefer to have more privacy at home and if there’s space, many people opt for setting up a (small) gym at home. There can be many reasons for doing this beyond the added privacy such as cost, and time. Let’s take a closer look at this.
A Home Gym?
Going to the gym definitely has it plus points – you have all the equipment you could ever need, there’s support from the staff and you can always interact with others and get some good tips here and there. However, commenting can sometimes become a hassle. Plus, some people may live in cities where the weather may change from one day to the other which can potentially crash your gym plans. An alternative to all this of course is to just set up your very own gym at home. Obviously, if you don’t have much space then it will be a bit difficult to do, but if there’s some empty room you have in your apartment or house then it might be something to consider. Once it’s up and ready to go, you can forget commuting. Also, if you feel like working out whenever then you don’t have to do much planning. It can be as simple as coming home and cooking dinner. This flexibility can be worth gold for people who are very busy and may not have the time to go to a park or gym just to get a good day’s worth of a workout.
Some things to keep in mind when setting up your home gym is to consider what you’ll want to do as this will affect the tools, equipment and room you may need, not to mention the overall costs. If you are getting expensive equipment, it may be an idea to get some professionals in to make the installations and setup for you as means to make sure that the equipment is correctly set up for safety purposes. We would not want you to have an accident mid-way your exercise because some was loose or even worse, not installed correctly. Getting the pros to help out may also save you some time if you have not done something like this before.
Now, let’s take a closer look at the various equipment you should consider having in your very own home gym.
Equipment
In the following section we will discuss 12 bodyweight workout equipment and how they help you achieve things in your home gym.
#1 Pull-up bar
Having a pull-up bar is essential for doing bodyweight workouts. Doing pull-up exercises can be a core part of your bodyweight workout plan, which means that you will need very good and reliable equipment to use. As such, it is highly recommended to get this equipment from the start. Pull-up bars can come in different models for indoor as well as outdoor use. For example, you can choose between models for walls, ceilings, doors as well as trees outside. Additionally, you can also try out a mobile pull-up and dip bar or choose a bar that is designed for walls. Our pull-ups bars are designed with flexibility in mind in order to meet any requirement and workout preference. Moreover, installing them is very straight forward which makes it possible for anyone to do it themselves.
#2 Dip bar
If you are intending to work on your arms and doing dips, then a dip bar is a must. Dip bars help you to perform dips, which strengthen your arm muscles. Most dip bars don’t take up much space either, making them an easy decision. Our very own Pull-up and Dip Bar comes with a lot of flexibility, which can suit many different workout styles and requirements. So if you are looking for dip bar for your home gym, look no further.
#3 Gym rings
Gymnastic rings are typically two rings made of wood or another material such as steel that are held by strong rope. Regardless of the case, making use of gym rings will certainly improve your bodyweight workouts. One of the reasons for using them is to do conditioning exercises and they allow you various gymnastic ring exercises for all muscles. Gym ring workouts are very demanding and require a lot of strength and control. As such, working out using gymnastic rings will give you much better endurance and upper-body strength. Gymnastic rings are usually installed in the ceiling or on a bar (that has sufficient height). Making sure they are properly installed is key for your own safety.
#4 Parallettes
Parallettes or also known as parallette bars, are small tools that are used for mimicking parallel bars you can find in most gyms. There are a myriad of parallettes exercises you can do using paralettes such as push-ups and L-sits. Parallettes shouldn’t take up much space in your home gym and can be a great choice if you want to diversify your bodyweight workout in terms of exercises.
#5 Weight vest & dip belt
A weight vest and dip belt are a must have if you want to take your bodyweight workouts to a next level later on. If you are just starting out then you may not get these right away, but if you have been working out already and are setting things up at home then make sure you have these available. A weighted vest, similar to a dip belt adds adjustable) weight to your body which makes bodyweight excises such as pull-ups much more challenging. When using these, make sure you do not overdo it and start by adding a little bit of weight, working out and letting your body adjust little by little. It can most certainly help you avoid a major injury, especially if you are feeling like the Hulk at some point! Do you want to know all the benefits of weighted pull-ups? Then check out our article with the top 10 benefits of weighted pull-ups.
#6 Resistance bands
Resistance bands are quite common in most gyms today. They come in different colours that are usually coded for the different tension levels. There are many resistance bands exercises with only the bodyweight you can do using resistance bands. As such, we recommend getting a small set which should give you some range in workout difficulty.
#7 Gymnastic mat
Gymnastic mats can be one of the things that may not cross your mind right away when setting up your home gym. However, having one at in your gym can certainly support your bodyweight workouts while adding some style to your home gym. Gymnastic mats are very helpful for doing exercises where you may fall down or lose your balance. Mats are much recommended for your personal safety, especially when trying out new exercises. Things may go wrong and injuring yourself is not what you may have been looking forward to. Gymnastic mats are usually made out of foam, which helps to break your fall if something should happen.
#8 Push-up bars
Push-up bars are equipment made specifically for doing push-ups. These bars are small and can help you to do push-ups as they can take the pain (from your hands and wrists) out of the exercise. Doing push-ups will improve your upper body endurance
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#9 Jumping rope
Getting a jumping rope can be essential for warming up before starting with your bodyweight training workout. A good jumping rope is one of quality that does not break after some weeks of usage. We recommend getting jumping ropes that have handles as it makes them easier to use.
#10 Sling trainer
A sling trainer is used for suspension training exercises that utilize your body’s own weight to build strength and resistance. Sling trainers are very strong bands that can be set up in your gym to work on your upper body. Combining a sling trainer with a gymnastic mat is ideal as the exercises can be concern for your safety. In fact, correct usage of a sling trainer is key as you may fall down very quickly if things go wrong so make sure you always take necessary precautions before working out. Overall, if you are serious about bodyweight workouts, then having a sling trainer is a great decision.
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#11 Grip enhancer like grip pads & chalk
Grip enhancers can be very helpful if you are starting out with bodyweight exercises. Some bodyweight workout equipment such as gymnastic rings may require you to have a solid grip and appropriate grip strength in order to work out (safely). As such, building grip strength can be a good first step. Doing so with grip enhances such as grip pads and resistance hand-grips are good options for improving grip strength. You also opt to have some liquid chalk in your home gym as it helps improve your grip.
#12 Kettlebell
A Kettlebell is an iron or steel ball with a handle attached to it for performing exercises that improve your strength. Kettlebells can also be used for weightlifting and are therefore a must-have workout equipment. Note that kettlebells come in different weights and sizes, thus make sure you choose weight that’s appropriate for you.
Setting up a home gym can be a big decision. Having a gym where you live certainly has it perks. Therefore, make sure you get the right equipment you need to set things up and start working out. A recurring theme we have touched upon when making use of bodyweight workout equipment is safety. Making use of a gymnastic mat can be a big safeguard in case things go wrong or if you are trying out a new exercise. We very much emphasize to always take precautions when possible and make sure you are informed of the equipment are using. This helps you avoid unnecessary injuries.
Whichever your home gym setup may be, if you are unsure about which equipment to get then we recommend getting started with these 12 equipment that should give you a wide range of options in terms of bodyweight workout exercises. The main thing you may want to keep in mind is to have some kind of bodyweight workout plan that highlights what you will be working on and how (so which exercises). This helps you make a decision in terms of which equipment to get first, and which not to. However, if you are just looking for doing general bodyweight workouts, then the equipment we have discussed should suffice to get your brand new gym going. Remember to have some music playlists ready to really get in the zone and get good workouts!
Are you looking for the perfect Calisthenics equipment to start out? We at Pullup & Dip offer you various high-quality Calisthenics equipment. Go check it out now!
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