Home fitness has become ever so popular, and it seems like the thrown-up home gyms during the pandemic are sticking around. Beyond that, people aren't just putting together make-shift gyms, but wanting to upgrade their spaces into high-quality functional training spaces. However, you likely have a relatively small space to work with, for example, transforming a spare room or garage. So, you might want to know, 'How to build a compact home gym with minimal equipment?' 

Start with the Essentials: Must-Have Home Gym Equipment

First off, the more versatile the kit, the better. This will utilise less space and be more cost-effective. Resistance bands and adjustable dumbbells are key pieces of equipment to incorporate into your gym that can be used for various exercises. Resistance bands are also great for warm-ups and to regress (make easier) or progress exercise intensity. Adjustable dumbbells, especially, allow you to perform multiple exercises and progressively overload to maximise strength and muscle size. You will also save space; our adjustable dumbbell/barbell kits come in compact boxes that make storing easy and efficient. Additionally, these come in multiple weight ranges, from 20Kg, 30 kg, and 50Kg.

A bench will level up your training programme. You can perform body-weight exercises, e.g., tricep dips, glute bridges (parallel to the bench with your upper back/shoulders on the bench with your feet flat on the floor), leg raises (lying vertically on the bench, raising your legs into the air) etc. Additionally, adjustable benches work perfectly with other staple pieces such as dumbbells and barbells, in particular the Exersci Foldable Bench with Dip Bars. This allows you to perform strength training exercises e.g., shoulder press, incline press, bench press and dumbbell flys.

Pull-up bars are a great compact addition. The wall-mounted pull-up bars are a great space saver, keeping out of the way and your space clutter-free. These are great for upper body and core exercises. Additionally, these can be used with additional equipment such as resistance bands to make the exercise easier or, conversely, used with a weighted vest to add more resistance.

Yoga training is growing in popularity. This is because research identifies that yoga improves health-related outcomes equal to or in some cases greater than general exercise. Therefore, if performing yoga, a yoga mat is essential. A workout mat / yoga mat can also be used during general mobility work, providing cushioning on hard surfaces. 

Summary of the essential home gym equipment for limited space:

• Adjustable Dumbbells
• Resistance Bands
• Adjustable Bench
• Pull-up bar
• Yoga mat/workout mat

For more information on equipment that you should prioritise, check out our previous blog on 'Gym Equipment You Should Buy First: A Beginner's Guide'.

Designing the Space

Each home gym is unique in the space available. Meaning the way you design your gym and the equipment you buy can also be unique to meet your needs and desires. This can include space-saving items such as storage racks and purchasing multi-functional items. Or it can be incorporating mirrors and the correct flooring to add to the professional look. 

Gym equipment storage is the most recommended consideration to make the most out of your space. Storage (e.g., dumbbell storage) will aid you in keeping your equipment organised and your space clutter-free. Additionally, this will improve the safety of your home gym space, limiting the risk of trips.

Multi-functional items, such as some of the equipment named above (i.e., Adjustable dumbbells, resistance bands and workout bench) will help maximise the versatility of your gym programme without taking up too much space. This also includes equipment such as power racks, especially power racks with a cable system, such as our EX2 and EX3 racks. These provide you with a space to complete compound lifts such as squatting and bench press, but also provide pull-up stations and a cable system to perform lat pull-down and seated row. 

Lastly, adding mirrors and rubber flooring to your home gym will add a professional look to your space, but also help optimise lifting technique and protect your equipment and flooring. By using mirrors, you are able to see your lifts at different angles in order to assess your lifting technique and ensure correct posture whilst exercising. This is extremely beneficial to improve safety and maximise your lifting programme.

Training Smarter, Not Harder: Minimal Home Gym Equipment, Maximum Results

You can gain full body strength and hypertrophy from just minimal equipment. This means purchasing versatile pieces is essential. And, as said before, you should also think about how equipment can work with each other. For example, purchasing dumbbells and a bench can work together to unlock multiple strength training exercises. For instance, to target the chest and shoulders, you can now perform the bench press, incline press, shoulder press and flys. You can also perform more controlled bicep and tricep exercises, such as incline dumbbell curls (increasing the range under tension), preacher curls and skull crushes. Furthermore, you can perform exercises that engage back muscles, such as bench rows, bent over rows, lat pullovers and reverse flys.

This one example of a bench and dumbbells being used together provides an additional 11 exercises. So your imagination should run wild to maximise the result from minimal equipment.

Further, when having minimal equipment or a small space, it is important to choose your training mode correctly to optimise your results. High intensity interval training, circuits and mobility sessions are great modalities that can use minimal equipment in small spaces. These types of training modes typically hit the full body. If you choose to participate in general training, it is important to remember the importance of progressive overload. This refers to a training principle whereby the intensity/stress of the exercise is gradually increased over time. This method is used throughout athletic training programmes and throughout research that investigates different training methods. This principle is key to optimising strength and hypertrophy gains and should be prioritised in your training programme. You can increase exercise intensity by increasing the weight you are lifting, increasing the time under tension (making the movement slower), or increasing the number of reps you complete. 

Conclusion

Firstly, you should prioritise the essential equipment. This includes functional and versatile pieces, such as adjustable dumbbells, resistance bands, adjustable benches, pull-up bars and yoga mats. When designing your home gym space, you should consider storage racks to keep your space clutter-free and safe. You also should contemplate purchasing multi-functional equipment to maximise the exercises you can do with minimal equipment. Further, you should think about what training modality best suits your fitness goals, with the equipment you have available. 

So, if you want compact and affordable gym gear, Exersci is a great place to start. We provide high-quality and affordable pieces for you to start your home gym journey. Explore our space-saving collections on our website at Exersci.co.uk.

For more information on the starting pieces for your home gym, check out our previous blog 'Gym Equipment You Should Buy First: A Beginner's Guide'