Most of us got started in our love for strength training at our local gyms. Here, we could find all the equipment we needed for physical fitness and mental release. The lengthy commutes and wait times for machines were tolerable because the gym was our sanctuary.
With 25% of gyms permanently shutting down in 2020, fitness lovers everywhere knew we had to figure out an alternative solution to keep ourselves healthy and strong. While bodyweight exercises are great, they just don’t hit as hard.
During lockdowns, the demand for home gym equipment skyrocketed by 170%! And soon, many realized the joys of working out from home with their home gym set-ups.
Thing is, not everyone has a spare room or a garage to transform into an efficient work-out space. There are things like space and budget to take into consideration. Thankfully, you’re in good hands.
Here at Better Body HQ, we’re fitness lovers just like you. We want to take the stress out of building your perfect home gym.
Read on to see your options for your very own private home gym - for every fitness level, every space size, and every budget.
LEVEL 1: Home Gym for Small Apartments
Entry Level: Beginner
Budget: Low
Space: Small
If you’re new to working out and you have a limited space and budget, you have some excellent space saving options to step up your fitness routine. This is the perfect set-up for small one bedroom apartments with limited space.
The Better Body Starter Adjustable Dumbbells replaces up to 5 pairs of dumbbells, giving you weights of 25 lbs each. The E-Z Adjust Weight System makes adding or subtracting weights a breeze, for the most efficient work-outs. The Starter Set is only 14.6” long, 7.9” wide and 6.6” high - making it super easy to store out of sight when you’re finished your workouts!
Resistance bands are the perfect supplement for when you’re ready to ramp up the intensity of your workouts. The Better Body Booty Bands are perfect for increasing the difficulty of your adjustable dumbbell leg work-outs, while the regular resistance bands will offer a substitute to cable machine exercises.
Of course, we can’t forget an Exercise Mat where you can lay down your weights, do your warm-ups, work-outs, and stretches!
If you’d like to get the Starter Dumbbells and the Exercise Mat, and you have space to store a foldable work-out bench, you can save with the Starter Home Gym Bundle. Everything included in this entry level home gym can easily be stored out of sight. And if you don’t want to get the foldable work-out bench, no worries - simply use a dining chair as an alternative.
Recommended Products:
Better Body Starter Adjustable Dumbbells
Starter Home Gym Bundle | 5lbs - 25lbs
Resistance Bands up to 100lbs Resistance
LEVEL 2: Home Gym for Medium Sized Apartments
Entry Level: Beginner - Intermediate
Budget: Medium
Space: Small - Medium
This set-up is great for those already making gains in their work-out routine and wanting to take it to the next level in their small to medium sized spaces.
You don’t need a full dumbbell rack for a challenging set of weights! The Better Body Twist Adjustable Dumbbells offer 6 weight increments of 4.5, 9, 18, 27, 35 and 44 lbs each, which you can quickly shift with a twist using the E-Z Adjust Weight System. It’s also available in a 70 lbs set, if you need a greater challenge.
Our Adjustable Dumbbells are always space saving and can easily be stored under your bed or in the closet, out of sight. However, if you have a little bit of extra space and desire a more convenient set-up, you can store them proudly on the Twist Dumbbell Rack for easy access and optimal aesthetics.
You can choose between the Gym Floor Mats or Exercise Mat to protect your floors and your downstairs neighbours’ ears. Get the Twists and a Foldable Exercise Bench in a Bundle and save on your home gym.
We can’t forget the Resistance Bands and Booty Bands for this set-up either.
Recommended Products:
Better Body Twist Adjustable Dumbbell Bundle | 5 - 44 lbs & Bench
Gym Floor Mats or Exercise Mat
Resistance Bands up to 100lbs Resistance
LEVEL 3: Home Gyms for Apartments with a Den
Entry Level: Intermediate - Advanced
Budget: Medium
Space: Medium - Large
If you have a bigger space and you can devote an area to a more permanent home gym set up, you won’t need to worry about storing your equipment out of sight… but you want that option if you need to claim back extra space. In that case, this set-up may be right for you!
We’re mentioning our favourite Twist Adjustable Dumbbells once more for this set-up. They are one of our Best Sellers for a reason! With its easy to use mechanism and sleek design, the Twist Adjustable Dumbbells elevate every home gym.
Cardio isn’t most strength training lovers’ favourite activity but with the Better Body Foldable Treadmill you can get those HIIT sprints in from your very own home. The Better Body Adjustable Weighted Vest will make your Treadmill work-outs even more challenging. You have the option to keep your treadmill out or folded up for storage when not in use.
Recommended Products:
Holiday Gym Bundle: 70lbs Twist Adjustable Dumbbells + Rack + Bench + Nutrition Plan
Better Body 70 lbs Twist Adjustable Dumbbells
Better Body Foldable Treadmill
Better Body Adjustable Weighted Vest
LEVEL 4: The Luxurious Basement Gym
Entry Level: Intermediate - Advanced
Budget: High
Space: Large
If you have a large space like a spare room, basement or a garage that you can convert into a full time home gym, this one’s for you.
Having the space means you don’t need to trim down to one pair of adjustable dumbbells. For your luxurious basement gym, we can recommend the Rubber Hex Dumbbell Set and Rack (5-50lbs), premium dumbbells designed for optimal size and balance. Made from all natural rubber, these dumbbells are robust and durable enough to be dropped on the Heavy Duty Rubber Floor Tiles after your most difficult set.
The one thing most people miss about the gym is of course….the Squat Rack. Get fully equipped with the Better Body Power Bundle with Squat Rack. It comes with the Better Body Barbell, Collars, a full set of Machined Weights, Adjustable Heavy Duty Exercise Bench and of course - the Squat Rack - everything you need to build your power.
For those who want to include cardio in their regular routine, we recommend both the Air Bike and the Battle Rope as excellent tools to build your heart health while working out your whole body.
Recommended Products:
Rubber Hex Dumbbell Set 5-50lbs
Better Body Power Bundle with Squat Rack
Start Your Home Gym Today
We understand the allure that visiting a gym will always have. Showing up to the gym is showing up to a space filled with accountability partners. With every visit, you signal to those around you that you are there and you are putting in the work for yourself. There’s a ton of specialized equipment, and it’s inspiring to get in the zone.
We can’t romanticize it completely though, as gym life has its own sets of annoyances - like long commutes or getting stuck in traffic, waiting too long to use a squat rack, people who dawdle on their phones between sets on machines, and even simple hygiene. Sometimes these annoyances add up and take us away from our work-out.
That’s why we can all benefit from a home gym set-up, whether it’s with minimal and space saving equipment for a tiny apartment, a garage with all the bells and whistles, and every size in between.
We understand that building a home gym is an investment - that's why we partnered up with Affirm to ensure you can start building your gym today while sticking to your budget.
We hope this blog inspires you to build your very own home gym. And if it does, make sure to tag us in your posts and stories via @betterbodyequipment on Instagram.
