Building a home gym, or working out from home in 2023?
If there is one thing we gained from the pandemic, it’s time. We learned to be more efficient. Both working from home and working out from home grew in popularity. Some people returned to commercial gyms, and if you’re reading this blog you might want to stick to the home gym option.
In this blog we will break down some of the ways you can maximise your training without the variety of machines and equipment available in a commercial gym. The truth is, you can make a highly effective workout routine with very little.
We’re going to break this down so you can find what will suit you nice and quickly, scroll down to find options for Beginner Work outs/ Weightlifting, Intermediate/Advanced Weightlifting, Functional & Plyometric training (for better sports performance, higher jumps & faster sprints) and finally some cardiovascular equipment, if you have the space and the budget.
BEGINNER WEIGHT LIFTING / GYM
First up, the newbies. If you’re not particularly experienced in working out or weight lifting, but want to start in 2023, we have everything you need to get started.
Resistance bands:
Resistance bands are a staple for most gym goers, whether it is for warming up and mobility, or for adding more tension or resistance to your exercises. Our elastic resistance bands are a lightweight, robust and durable product.
Unlike dumbbells, elastic bands give you variable, gradual resistance. This lets you work on your strength, speed and power while reducing the stress you place on your joints.
The bands can be used in a variety of ways for both upper & lower body exercises, for example:
Each colour corresponds to a level of resistance:
Green: 15 kg / Yellow: 25 kg / Orange: 35 kg / Red: 45 kg / Black: 60 kg
If you use the band for strengthening, start with a lower resistance and then gradually increase it. However, if you are using it to assist you during exercises such as pull-ups, a more resistant Training Band is best for beginners.
Glute bands:
Our glute bands are a thick looped resistance band for extreme durability. They are wide with a fabric cover for enhanced comfort during your lower body workouts. Glute bands can be an effective tool in your workouts. Exercises using glute bands offer additional tension which helps to isolate and target, and activate, the glute muscles.
Shop Glute Bands here
Light dumb bell pair:
Our essential dumbbells are the perfect ally for strengthening your body and are available in 6 weights to suit your needs, from 500 g to 5 kg in this model. And the best part? We’ve included a poster with exercises included to help you get started.
We recommend starting light and progressing when you can perform 8-10 reps without major difficulty, reducing the weight if you cannot perform the repetitions. You should be able to complete your reps but be tired at the end.
Shop all dumbbells from 0.5kg to 20kg
Kettlebells:
A kettlebell can be a dynamic addition to your home workouts. You can complete a full workout with only a kettlebell if that was all you had. Kettlebell exercises combine muscle strengthening and cardio training and our kettlebells are cast iron (like traditional commercial kettlebells, only we have added an ultra-durable rubber base, to protect floors against knocks or scratches, making them perfect for home use.
Shop all Kettlebells
WEIGHT LIFTING (INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED)
If you are a more advanced or experienced gym-goer who wants to level-up your home work out space, we have picked out some of our favourites to give you some inspiration.
Adjustable Dumbbell kit
If you think you will need a better variety of dumbbells, an adjustable dumbbell kit is a fantastic option.
This affordable 20kg adjustable dumbbell kit gives you the freedom to adapt from 2kg to 18kg on a single dumbbell.
The kit is 20kg in total, and is definitely an affordable addition to your home workout kit at just €59.
Weight Bench
This reinforced bench was designed with 7 different degrees of adjustment from incline to decline. If you are looking to elevate your workout by adding in additional inclines and targeting different muscles while doing so.
Shop Weight Bench now
Squat Rack
If you have some more space in your designated home workout spot, maybe in a garage or spare room? You can make the most of having additional space with a squat rack. Paired with the weight bench and some weights you could have a varied dynamic workout just like one in a commercial gym. The rack allows you to easily store your weights and bar and also doubles up as a chin up / pull up bar.
Shop the Squat Rack now
FUNCTIONAL & PLYOMETRIC TRAINING
If you’re looking to take your sports performance to new heights in 2023, functional training and plyometrics will help. An effective functional training programme will help you to run faster and jump higher to name a few examples, all while reducing the risk of injury and improving your performance.
We have a range of products that can help build and elevate your functional training routine in 2023.
Plyobox:
Plyometrics is an excellent training format, helping you build strength while increasing speed and power. There are many plyometric exercises that you can do without equipment like burpees, although disliked by many, they target a range of muscle groups simultaneously while promoting a triple extension of the lower limbs which can help promote explosive strength for higher jumps.
For those looking to elevate plyometric training, a plyobox is a great addition to your kit! There is a wide range of upper and lower body exercises that you can do with a plyobox, from box step ups and box jumps to tricep dips to name a few.
Our plyobox offers 3 possible progressions with 3 possible heights of 40cm, 50cm & 60cm.
Shop Plyometrics box now
Medicine ball:
A Medicine ball is a nice addition to your home gym. It is compact and small, but can be used widely for a range of functional and plyometric exercises. Which help to promote explosive strength in both upper and lower body muscles.
Medicine ball slams are an excellent form of upper body plyometric training designed to enhance all-around power and strength, for example.
We have a range of medicine balls to suit your needs, with weighted medicine balls from 900grams up to 5kg to allow you to progress with time.
Battle ropes
Our final spotlight when it comes to functional training equipment goes to the battle ropes. An impressive exercise once mastered and an excellent piece of equipment, particularly for targeting your core stability amongst full body strength, balance and power.
Battle rope exercises are exceptionally beneficial as the ropes create forces and tension from angles that are harder to achieve with basic weight training, they confuse and surprise your muscles into making new gains.
Shop Battle Ropes online now
Skipping rope
Jumping rope is often overlooked in training programmes, but it is yet another simple and effective exercise. A full-body cardiovascular workout that also has been proven to be even more effective than jogging! According to a study, 10 minutes of rope jumping is equal to 30 minutes of jogging for improved cardiovascular efficiency. It can also be utilised as a very efficient warm up before a workout!
Ease into skipping with 2-3 minute intervals, increasing the duration and intensity (or speed) as you progress.
Shop Skipping Ropes online now
We hope this blog has given you some information and inspiration for your home workout space, whether you're just begining, or expanding and advancing your fitness journey. If you have liked any of these recommendation you will find plenty more online at Decathlon.ie or in store at Decathlon Baile Munna.
