Barbells and Weights for Home Gym
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Getting weights and bars are critical pieces of equipment to build out your home gym. Figuring out what you need, and how much you need are your starting points in the process.
If you are seriously considering building out your home gym, then you are going to want to make sure that you have actual weights. While body weight workouts are a lot of fun, and you can actually build out a lot of strength with them, it is not the same feeling as actually moving a weighted bar. My workouts consist of both weights and bodyweight exercises in order to complement each other.
Once you’ve figured out how your home gym is going to be set up, you’ll want to start getting your equipment. Once you’ve decided on a power rack, you need to figure out what weights you’ll be using with it. The process here is pretty straightforward, but it will be dependent on each person and budget.
How many barbells should I get?
For people that plan to lift weights on a regular basis, I recommend that you purchase two bars for lifting. This will allow you to keep one bar inside of your rack, and the other on the outside. You won’t have to constantly pull it in and out, and you can keep the bars semi-loaded (weights left on) whenever you need.
For a while, I only had one bar, and it was a real pain moving the bars from the inside to the outside of the rack throughout a workout, and I had to remove all of the weight to do so effectively. Additionally, by having a couple of bars, you can do supersets of different exercises that both require a bar.
If you’re not going to be lifting weights on a regular basis as part of your routine, then a single bar should suffice. For example, you may just be doing squats to complement your running on a day or two a week, or some other exercise. If your goal isn’t weightlifting, your routines aren’t heavily focused on having a bar, then a single bar should suffice.
What type of barbell should I get?
I always recommend a standard weight bar as your starting point. These are generally called Olympic Barbells or Weightlifting Barbells. You’ll know it’s the right barbell as they’re 45 pounds in weight. Anything less than that, and you’re looking at the wrong thing. These are standard barbells that you’ll find in a local gym. One thing to note when looking at barbells is that not all of them are made equal. This article isn’t going into all of the details of deciding on the quality of the barbell, but make sure it has a sufficient weight load for how much you plan to lift. Most people won’t have an issue with this, but please make sure you know what the limits are.
For beginner lifters, or those that can’t do some of their lifts with a 45 pound bar, you’ll need to look at a training barbell. These look similar to a standard barbell, but weigh much less 15-30 pounds. I can’t speak as much to these bars as I’ve never looked to buy one, and they’ve always frustrated me when at a regular gym as I think I’ve found a free bar, only to find it’s not the right weight. These barbells are going to hold less weight, but that’s fine as you’ll move up to a standard barbell once your lifts are progressed enough to do so.
How much weight do I need?
Once you’ve figured out your barbell situation, you also need to make sure you have weight to go with your barbells. The first question you’ll want to figure out is how much weight you really need. This depends on how much weight you can lift, and how much you want to load and unload your bars (if you have more than one bar). Regardless of how much you currently lift, I’d recommend that you have at least two 45 pound plates, two 25 pound plates, two 10 pound plates, and four 5 pound plates. I wouldn’t go with anything less than that as you can get to basically every other weight limit with those plates.
From there, I’d start building up your numbers depending on what you need, or use the most. I have four 45 pound plates, but I actually wish I had two more (I'll get them at some point). This allows me to keep my squat bar loaded all the time, and I don’t have to remove those plates from it. I really like 35 pound plates, and 25 pound plates as well, so I have 4 of each of those. 5 and 10 pound plates are great, and you can stack the plates on your bar.
Ultimately, you need to figure out how much weight you’re using, and how often you want and need to take weight on and off your bars.
Where should I buy my weightlifting equipment?
You’ve figured out what you need, now you need to figure out where you’re getting that equipment from. The most obvious answer would be to buy the equipment new from sporting goods stores (not many of those around) or from Amazon or Walmart. Previously, these places would have a decent deal on a full set that included a bar, and then several plates. If you can find a good deal, then a new set is a great option.
However, a more economical option is generally to look at the used marketplace. Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, or other local websites that allow people to sell used goods. You can often find excellent deals on used equipment. You’ll have to keep an eye out on all of these places, but people will have often bought equipment that they either no longer use, or must sell as they no longer have room for it (goodbye to a sweet basement gym when you finish your basement, for example). Whatever the reason is, you’ll get a great deal.
The downside to used equipment is that you won’t necessarily know the quality of the items you're buying. This is especially true of the barbell - the weights are less critical. Make sure you can inspect and lift the barbell before you pay for it. You don’t want a bar that has a crack in it, or to buy a training bar when you think you’re getting a standard barbell. Having a bar snap is not something you want to experience.
All of my weight and barbells in my home gym have come off of the used marketplace. I paid less than a hundred dollars for all of it, and it probably would have cost at least three hundred dollars if bought new through sales (four hundred to five hundred if bought at regular price).
Conclusion
Buying barbells and weights are a critical step in building out your home gym. Take the time to figure out what you need, and make sure you buy quality equipment. Your future gains will depend on it.
