You don’t get to the gym regularly or at all? You don’t like going to the gym for personal reasons, but you want to exercise regularly? You have little available space in your apartment where you can exercise and that’s why you gave up on your home gym? Where there’s a will, there’s always a way. I’ve seen people who look like fitness models with minimal exercise equipment, and I’ve also seen people who go to the gym regularly, but it doesn’t show. People often want to have a home gym, either for the purpose of regular training or occasional workouts when they can’t get to the gym, but they give up because they don’t think they have enough space in their apartment or house. Many people think that you have to have a garage or at least an entire room for a home gym, but many examples show us that this is not true. Sometimes all it takes is a little organization and imagination to get a quality workout at home. We bring you few suggestions on how to set up a home gym in a small space to motivate you to think about your own.
1. Study room – lots of equipment that is easy to store
If you have a study in your apartment where no one sleeps, then you have real luxury and great potential for a home gym. If the room is at least 10 m², you will have plenty of equipment, and you will still have room for other furniture in the study, such as a sofa and a desk. The equipment suggestion that we will give you will allow you to work all muscle groups with serious loads.
Exercise equipment:
Foldable Squat Rack: Choose a section of the wall and install a collapsible squat cage that will allow you to do squats, pull-ups, tricep dips, shoulders and other exercises that require a cage as a place to store an Olympic barbell. The advantage of this cage is that, when you don’t need it, you just fold it against the wall and it will take up only 10 cm of depth. You can also drill a hole in this section of the wall for a plate rack.
Olympic Barbell: As we mentioned above, the squat rack comes with an Olympic barbell as the main tool that easily stores vertically and doesn’t take up much space, and allows for a wide range of exercises such as squats, deadlifts, rows, bench presses, biceps and triceps curls.
Weight Bench: This piece of equipment is a must-have accessory if you have a squat rack because it allows you to perform chest presses and one-arm rows. We have brought you the exercises that you can do with dumbbells and a bench in another article. As for the type of bench, inclined or flat, it depends on you and whether you practice inclined bench presses. If you have more space and the bench does not bother you, you do not need a folding weight bench. Otherwise, we can recommend our foldable MightyRock weight bench as a solution for you. When it comes to incline benches, make sure that they are of good quality because the lower quality ones are not really suitable for heavy loads due to the many joints they are made of.
Set of bumper weights: Along with the Olympic bar, you can get a good set of 100 kg bumper weights, which protect the floor and the bar from cracking with its rubber coating. Take 2×5, 2×10, 2×15 and 2×20 kg so you can easily adjust the weight increments when exercising.
Floor protection: Although bumper weights protect the floor from impacts, it’s a good idea to get two rubber mats to place on when deadlifting to protect the floor and reduce noise.
Dumbbell set: Of course, nothing without dumbbells, which are a must-have for every home gym. Get a set of at least 4 pairs of dumbbells to cover as many exercises as possible.
Dumbbell rack: To keep the dumbbells out of the way on the floor, we recommend getting a dumbbell rack, either wall-mounted or in the form of a stand.
Here, with just these few props that, when put away, do not take up much space, you will get a complete home gym.
2. Bedroom – Convert Your Space Into a Functional Home Gym
If you don’t have an extra study room in your apartment for a home gym, we suggest you set one up in your bedroom. Now, depending on the size of your bedroom, you’ll need to adjust the size of your equipment and workout equipment.
If you have a spacious, uncluttered bedroom with a free corner that doesn’t have a dresser, then you’re in luck because this can become your workout nook where you can escape in the middle of the day without anyone bothering you while you work out. Depending on what kind of exerciser you are and what type of workout you prefer, we can suggest the following equipment options:
Multi gym machine: This type of device enables various types of exercises in one device. You can do lat pull-down, vertical chest presses, cable biceps curls and leg extensions on it. The biggest drawback of such devices, no matter how good they are, is that you cannot perform any exercise in the best range in which you should. When designing a device that covers all exercises, a lot of compromises have to be made and often each exercise lacks the details that are essential to maximally stress the muscles and progress. However, it is good for those who just want to “drive” their muscles a little at each exercise in order to maintain some kind of form, and even sometimes make a little progress. When you buy these devices, buy high-quality ones, which means expensive ones.
Home gym set – bench, dumbbells and pull-up rack: If you don’t have any free space in your bedroom or it’s quite small, we suggest getting a foldable exercise equipment like our MightyRock exercise bench or something similar and a set of dumbbells that suits you. They can be single-arm fixed dumbbells or interchangeable. We also suggest getting a rack with a pull-up bar or drilling the structure into the wall. This way, you’ll be able to do pull-ups without taking up a lot of space. You can store the foldable bench under your bed or on the wall like our MightyRock exercise bench. As for the pull-up rack, it’s a pretty handy solution if you don’t want to drill holes in the wall. It’s lightweight and easy to move if it bothers you. You can store the dumbbells on a rack or dumbbell rack where they won’t get in the way. With this set, you can work all muscle groups effectively, from legs with Bulgarian squats to chest with bench presses.
3. Living Room – Discreet and Convenient Home Gym Setups
If you have a free corner in your living room, somewhere near the wall, you can store your exercise equipment there and exercise. You can use the wall to hang the equipment, if your family members allow it, or you can store the equipment under the sofa or in a corner of the living room. In this room, it is important that the equipment does not aesthetically detract from the space and that it is easy to put away, because this room is the most dynamic in the entire apartment.
Foldable rack plus equipment – a bold move: If you dare, have enough wall space and believe that you will exercise regularly, we suggest getting a folding rack like the one in the study, only white, or buying black and painting it white. The white color will be much less noticeable on the wall and will not stand out too much. You can store an Olympic bar vertically next to the rack on a wall bracket or rack, as well as bumper weights. If you have enough space, a regular flat or incline bench will suffice. However, if you don’t want your bench to be on the floor all the time, get a folding one and hang it on the wall. You can arrange the dumbbells on a small dumbbell rack and place it near the rack so that they are within reach.
Hidden home gym set: If you want your exercise equipment to be out of sight in your living room, then you need to get a compact set. Get equipment that can be folded and is multifunctional. If you have dumbbells, and you also want to do deadlifts, biceps and triceps curls, and bent-over rows, check out our dumbbell to barbell converter. With this device, you can do a lot of exercises that give a better effect than those done with dumbbells alone. Check out our offer of Home gym sets, maybe you like one. Elastic bands are also a good option if space is a luxury for you because they can activate your muscles well. However, keep in mind that nothing can replace standard weights and gravity. You can hide all this equipment in a closet, under a sofa or in a corner and set it up in a moment when you need it for exercise.
Additional Accessories to Boost Your Home Gym Setup
To complete your home gym, you will definitely need a few more accessories that make exercising easier:
Yoga mat: This popular mat is made of soft material and is good for planks and sit-ups, and is also not bad for stretching.
TRX straps or similar (round handles): If you have space for a hook in the wall, you have the option of using TRX exercise straps. You can do rowing, pull-ups and similar exercises with your own weight. Do not use the ones that hang from the door because they are quite unstable.
Sliding exercise discs: A very good accessory that makes it easier for you to slide your heels or hands during exercises such as “mountain climber”, pull-ups with the back of the neck, etc.
Cardio Equipment: Options for Limited Space
If you are a big cardio fan and want to have a treadmill, stationary bike or rowing machine at home, here is our personal opinion:
When it comes to running, there is no better option than running in the fresh air. No treadmill can replace that. Many people say that they enjoy running or riding a stationary bike at home and watching a game or a movie. However, I don’t think they are taking advantage of one of the important components of cardio training, besides strengthening the cardiovascular system, which is strengthening the psyche and relaxing the mind. When we run and are alone with ourselves, it acts as a mental exercise. When we run at a fast pace, we fight with ourselves not to give up and strengthen our spirit, and when we do light cardio, we free our brain from irrelevant information and think only about the ones we have focused on, whether it is solving a problem or relaxing. So, if you are thinking about getting a treadmill, move it away from the television! As for small folding treadmills, keep in mind that they are fragile and short, so you can’t take long strides when walking or running.
A rowing machine is one of the most challenging machines to master because the movement of rowing with your legs is not innate and requires training. However, once you master it, this machine will help you take your cardiovascular system to the next level. Rowing requires strong coordination of movements and uses a lot of energy. Therefore, we advise, if you have the space for it, to get a Concept 2 ergometer, because it is the best ergometer in the world and the one on which most rowers train.
Final Thoughts
A small space doesn’t have to limit your fitness goals. With smart organization and compact equipment, you can create a home gym that suits your lifestyle. Whether it’s a dedicated home office gym, a bedroom setup, or a discreet living room solution, there’s always a way to stay fit at home.
If you need foldable, space-saving gym equipment, check out our MightyRock collection for practical home gym solutions!
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