A really good workout is possible in a lot of places—at home, outdoors, or at the gym. We all have our preferences and use what works best for us. But many people underestimate working out at home, assuming that a well-equipped home gym requires a ton of equipment.
This blog post lays out a simple and effective home gym setup for under 400 EUR. With the setup described here, you can do 90% of all bodyweight exercises.
Pull-Up Bar: One piece of gear, endless possibilities. Cost: around 200 EUR
The most important piece of equipment for your own gym is a pull-up bar. Whether it's for pull-ups, intense strength training, a quick workout, or just a simple exercise in between: once it's installed, a pull-up bar is always ready to go and can be used 24/7.
The best option is a fully welded, ceiling-mounted pull-up bar with parallel grips. Ceiling-mounted for maximum clearance underneath, and fully welded so you can do a whole bunch of different exercises.
Our D4 Pull-Up Bar, for example, offers all of that—a real high-end product from our company. You can mount it with standard screws, or with our stainless steel hanger bolts.
The D4 Pull-Up Bar currently costs 189 EUR, and the hanger bolts are 17 EUR.
Suspension Trainer: the perfect addition to a pull-up bar. Cost: around 148 EUR
Combined with a suspension trainer, your pull-up bar becomes a true all-rounder. You can train your entire body with it.
This combination allows for both simple and difficult exercises. For example, you can put your feet in the straps and do push-ups with maximum intensity.
Ideally, the suspension trainer has two anchor points. This allows it to be stably attached to a fully welded pull-up bar. The bar itself or the support struts are suitable for attachment.
The rapideSling G, for example, has two anchor points—it's a strap-based suspension trainer. The cost for this suspension trainer is 148 EUR.
Fitness Mat: a good surface for any workout. Cost: around 40 EUR
Finally, you'll need a good mat for doing classic push-ups or sit-ups, for example. Many back exercises or static exercises are also possible on a fitness mat.
A fitness mat primarily provides a better surface, but it also improves slip resistance. Last but not least, you can rest on a fitness mat between training phases.
An ideal fitness mat is roughly your height and a little wider than you are. If you're 5' 11" (180 cm) tall and have an average build, a 71" x 27.5" (180 x 70 cm) fitness mat would fit you well. An ideal fitness mat is not too thick and not too thin. For exercises done lying down or sitting, a thickness of 0.4" - 0.8" (10 - 20 mm) is recommended.
A good fitness mat can be had for 40 EUR and up.
Conclusion
A few pieces of fitness equipment are more than enough to train effectively. For example, with a pull-up bar, a suspension trainer, and a fitness mat, you can do about 80% of all bodyweight exercises. To make sure your motivation for training doesn't fall short, access to the equipment should be very easy. And what's better in that regard than your own home gym, for less than 400 EUR?
At the following link, you'll find the equipment described here for your own home gym setup, for a total price of 396 EUR.
Here's also a table that lists the equipment. It might be useful if you want to change out equipment or add more.
PS: The setup shown can also include more equipment, as seen in the following picture.
