So you wanna build a home gym. Or maybe you already did.
Either way, chances are you’re overlooking some of these super, duper important home-gym essentials.
Yeah, yeah. You’ve got the power rack and the free weights.
But try adding a few of these garage gym accessories to your home gym to transform it that musty corner of your garage into a place you can’t freaking wait to spend more time in.
Free Weight Clips
This one seems obvious, but you’d be amazed how many people totally forget about weight clips.
And anyone who’s ever lifted before knows that there’s nothing more annoying — and frankly, dangerous — then free weights sliding back and forth (or all the way off) your barbell.
Yeah. Your home gym needs some weight clips.
I find squeezing the spring loaded ones to be a pain in the ass, so I’m a big fan of the quick release plastic weight lifting clips, but that’s just my preference.
You do you, just make sure you don’t forget the damn clips!
Home Gym Flooring
Before you start going nuts doing heavy deadlifts in your garage, take a look down at your feet.
Missing something?
Yep, that slippery, oil-staned surface is going to be a problem.
Do yourself a favor and get a really nice mat to put down on the floor of your home gym. It’ll give you much better footing, plus it will protect your floor if you end up dropping weights (or bouncing them).
You don’t want a massive crack running down the middle of your basement or garage floor, trust me!
A Large Home Gym Mirror
Can we just be honest with each other for a second and admit that we LOVE a good pump?
If you don’t like checking yourself out in the mirror between sets, you’re probably lying to yourself. (Gym selfies are another beast altogether, but a quick peak in the mirror never hurt anyone.)
That added motivation to keep pushing is exactly why you should invest in a giant mirror for your home gym.
They’re not cheap, but should pay huge dividends for your perseverance in the long run.
A Body Fat Scale
Working out is all about progress, but it’s a long game. Sometimes you can’t see that progress in the mirror yet. And if you’re just looking at weight, you may not see it on the scale, either.
That’s why every home gym needs a quality body fat scale. They aren’t nearly as accurate as some other (much more expensive) testing methods out there, but if you track your body fat percentage over time, you’ll get a good idea if you’re heading in the right direction.
The one I recommend is a pretty good deal and also syncs up with your Fitbit, Apple Health, and Google Fit.
A Wall Clock or Timer
Confession: I hate fiddling with the timer on my phone so gauge time between sets. I find it extremely awkward and clumsy. Sometimes I’ll peek at the clock on the home screen, but that’s not always so great because you can’t tell if it’s at the beginning or end of the current minute.
So my favorite way to track rest time? Looking up at the clock on the wall.
Getting just the right amount of rest can have a big impact on your gains, so don’t take it lightly.
So there you have it!
With just a few simple equipment upgrades, you can take your home gym from drab to fab. You may not have that fitness space overlooking the mountains, or the empty-finished basement just waiting to be filled with expensive equipment, but there’s no reason you can’t make the most of the space you do have.
Anything that helps you stick with the hard work you’ve put in so far will be well worth it.