The Best Gym Equipment for Building the Ultimate Home Set-Up

, hit your fat stores and feel healthier with minimal kit and, crucially, minimal space.

?

It's a head-scratcher, that's for sure. Don't sweat it though, as we're on hand to help you separate necessity from luxury, alongside our recommendations on where to spend your hard-earned cash.

. Let's go.

Free Weights

Dumbbells

) and consider your mission for exercise equipment a roaring success.

before getting your pump on.

There's three main things worth considering when shopping for dumbbells: space, material and shape. If you've got the space and budget for a full rack of dumbbells, then go for it. For most people, though, an adjustable dumbbell will be the more appropriate option. The only downside of adjustable models is that it takes a little extra time to switch between weights.

Like kettlebells, if you're working out in a space where you want to keep noise to a minimum or you're worried about damaging your flooring, opt for a dumbbell with a soft coating, like rubber. The same can be said if you plan to perform ballistic movements, where your body would benefit from a softer material.

, as unlike circular options, they won't move about.

Kettlebells

, they're the ultimate fat-burning, muscle-building tool.

, or you buy an entire set, you should choose a weight that allows you to perform the most exercises. As our fitness editor Andrew Tracey puts it: 'You want something light enough to perform smaller, single-joint movements but heavy enough to provide a stronger stimulus on exercises like swings, squats, and deadlifts.'

When it comes to kitting out your home gym, it's also worth considering the material of the equipment. Think about the space you have to work with. If you're in a flat or your workout space isn't on the ground floor, or you're worried about scratching your flooring, a softer weight might be more appropriate.

The material of the weight you choose will also depend on your training. As Tracey explains: 'Ballistic movements like cleans and snatches, when you're learning the movements, will beat up your wrists and your collarbone as you're moving the kettlebell down.' To avoid this, consider buying a kettlebell with a soft coating.

Cardio Machines

are one of the most convenient and low-impact ways to stay fit, especially if poor weather or injuries are stopping you from getting your daily dose of outdoor exercise. But they're not your only option for at-home cardio gains.

round-ups, all tried, tested and recommended by our fitness experts.

Resistance Bands

is still vastly under-rated by the average person, despite being a low-cost and high-impact piece of kit. Let's change that, shall we?

Not only is resistance band training cost-effective and great for adding variety to your workouts, but it keeps your muscles under constant tension throughout the full range of motion, without momentum, helping to improve the quality of your reps, train smaller muscle groups, and improve your form.

There's a few different types of resistance bands to choose between. Tube resistance bands often come with handles and door attachments, making them a great option for hypertrophy training. Flat resistance bands, on the other hand, are ideal for strength and mobility work, while mini resistance bands are best suited to lower-body warm-ups and strengthening work.

, which includes 20 exercises you can do anywhere.

Benches, Bars and Racks

Weight Benches

and so much more, investing in a good quality bench will undoubtedly level up your set-up.

There's a few different styles of weight benches available to buy. If your budget allows, we'd recommend investing in an adjustable bench, like the ones you find in commercial gyms, as they can be adjusted to an incline or decline, allowing you to target different muscle groups.

, shoulder presses and more.

Pull-up Bars

that predominantly use the muscles in your back, shoulders, core and your biceps. Pull-ups are also scalable: simply attach a weight to a weight belt or put on a weighted vest to up the difficulty.

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Conditioning Kit

Consider the following conditioning kit as optional extras that aren't essential but nice to have anyway. Each has its own benefits, which are listed below.