I am going to list your most essential gym items in the order that they should be purchased. If you are looking to build a home gym for the first time or just want to improve your workout space, here are the first pieces of equipment that you should consider buying.
A Squat Rack Or Gym Rig
If you want your home gym to be a LEGIT, high quality space… getting a squat rack or home gym rigs online will probably be the biggest investment that will last you a lifetime. This is an invaluable piece of gym equipment that should be the first thing that anyone considers when starting to build a home gym.
A Quality Barbell
This is another essential piece of equipment because you cannot really maximize your weight training without it. You should consider investing in a quality barbell to avoid it corroding, cracking, or bending. A high quality barbell will last you a lifetime, giving you strength and fitness gains for your whole life. You just need to use it ;-).
A Set Of Weight Plates
To finish out the top 3 pieces of essential gym equipment, you are going to need a set of bumper plates. These items all complement each other and can be the only equipment you need if you have limited space or are really into heavy lifting. You just need to decide how many plates you need, what types of plates you want. Getting bumper plates over metal plates is a must if you want to do any Olympic lifting, and knowing how much you can lift for your squats and deadlifts will guide your choices.
Resistance Bands
If a rack, rig, or barbell is out of your budget… resistance bands are the quickest, cheapest, and easiest way to start getting good workouts at home. Sometimes you will need to get creative, but with the right bands, you will be amazed at how great a workout you can get!
Adjustable Bench
A weight bench is a great piece of equipment for your home gym because it will allow you to easily do most pressing movements with barbells and dumbbells. There are also plenty of different exercises that are only possible with the use of a weight bench such as the bench press or chest supported dumbbell rows.
Dumbbells
Dumbbells could also be one of the first things you purchase because they do not take up much space and will allow you to do a massive amount of muscle gaining movements. Any great home gym will include a few essential sizes of rubber hex dumbbells, and could be perfect if you live in an apartment.
Dumbbells are also great because you can use one or two at a time to create a vast amount of exercise options. Checkout The Get Better Project for a dumbbell only program that we write.
One Kettlebell
You can purchase a range of different kettlebells but all you really need is one (or maybe two). The main benefit is the simplicity of kettlebell training and the number of different movements you can perform with a single bell is impressive. If you are deciding to purchase one kettlebell then I would recommend around 35-70 lbs for men and 25-53 lbs for women.
Conclusion
The equipment that you buy for your own home gym will vary depending on if you live in a house or apartment, and also the kind of space that you have to work with.
In most cases you can do more than you think with far less than you think. If you have any questions feel free to reach out!
