Find out what criteria barbells and dumbbells need to be in order for such sports equipment to fit perfectly into your home environment. Not everyone can visit fitness centers, but they want to exercise. The reasons for making this decision can vary and do not necessarily have to do with finance. Often people simply do not have enough free time, because the gym is not always located near the house. Do not forget about young mothers who decided to put themselves in order after the birth of a baby, but cannot leave him.
In such a situation, there may be one option for the development of events - to organize a gym at home. Do not think that a large amount of money will have to be spent to solve the task at hand. By and large, you only need a barbell and dumbbells. If space permits, then it is worth getting a horizontal bar and racks for the bar. It is quite possible to do without various newfangled simulators. Let's talk about how to choose a barbell and dumbbells for your home. This is a fairly popular question to be answered.
How to choose the right barbell for your home?
This sports equipment can be safely called the main one when talking about strength training. It is used not only for gaining muscle mass, but also for improving muscle definition and increasing endurance. Considering all of the above, you should take a responsible approach to this issue. Today we are talking about how to choose a barbell and dumbbells for the home. You will probably be surprised that we pay special attention to the very first sports equipment. This fact is easily explained by the fact that it is the barbell that will allow you to progress in the first place.
Let's first determine the characteristics of this sports equipment, on which its types depend:
- Vulture - straight, EZ-shaped and W-shaped.
- Landing diameter - 25, 30 and 50 millimeters.
- Castle construction - sleeve, screw and spring.
- Disc type - with grip holes, rubberized, chrome plated, etc.
The booms can also be classified by length, which can range from 1.5 to 1.9 meters. Note that necks differ in material. You can find rubberized or metal fingerboards in the store. The second type has a high indicator of wear resistance, but training with it should be carried out with gloves. Otherwise, calluses will appear on the palms. If this may not be a big problem for a guy, then the girls will definitely not like this plot development.
The most common are straight bars and can be used to perform most power movements. The use of EZ-bars and W-bars allows for more comfortable hand position and also reduces the risk of injury. They are most commonly used for bicep curls, French presses, and a few isolated movements. At home, it is quite possible to get by with a straight bar.
With regard to the bore, select the barbell according to the task at hand. If you plan to connect your life with professional sports in the future, then you should give preference to a neck with a landing diameter of 50 millimeters. Workouts at home in order to improve shape and health can be carried out with barbells of 25 or 30 millimeters.
The reliability of the disk mounting depends on the locks. The simplest is the screw system. However, during assembly and disassembly of the sports equipment, you have to turn the nut along the entire length of the free end of the neck. The most convenient is the spring system.
If you want to know how to choose a barbell and dumbbells for home, then you need to remember some of the nuances. If the area of the apartment does not allow the use of a bar with a length of 1.5 meters, then it is worth using a barbell with a length of 1–1.5 meters. Also pay attention to the pancakes. If you train on the floor without additional protection, then it is better to use rubberized ones. Otherwise, there is a high risk of damage to the floor covering. So you have the information you need to choose the right barbell. All that remains is to visit the store and purchase a sports equipment.
How to choose the right dumbbells for your home?
Dumbbells are an excellent sports equipment that allows you to work out various muscle groups with high quality. Even if you purchased a barbell, you should not give up dumbbells. You have to choose from two types - collapsible and solid. Already from the name it becomes clear that at home, collapsible dumbbells are the best choice. With their help, it is much easier to progress the load. Recall that this is one of the most important principles of bodybuilding, without which it is impossible to progress.
Like barbells, dumbbells differ in materials and can be cast iron, vinyl, steel, rubberized, etc. We recommend that you pay attention to a sports equipment with a rubber coating. Similar to the barbell, at home it is enough to use dumbbells with a straight bar. In addition, there are also curved ones. You should try on the dimensions of a sports equipment according to your hand. An important nuance when answering the question of how to choose a barbell and dumbbells for the home is the lock. We already said in the previous section that it is best to use a spring or screw lock system.
Depending on the tasks set, you must choose the weight of the sports equipment. If you decide to purchase collapsible dumbbells, you can increase your working weights at any time. However, it should be remembered that insufficient initial load will not bring the desired result. If the dumbbells are too heavy, then you can harm the body. Sometimes men overestimate their strengths, and girls tend to underestimate them. Here are the recommended starting weights based on the gender of the athlete:
- Women - 2-4 kilos.
- Men - 5-10 kilos.
Gradually, you have to increase the working weights, but it is worth starting with the above. To determine the ideal starting weight for a sports equipment, you have to perform 20 repetitions of the desired exercise. The intensity of work should be medium. It is necessary to increase the working weight when, after completing the required number of repetitions, you still have strength. If the last couple of repetitions are difficult, then it is too early to progress the load.
How to equip your home gym?
If you do not have the opportunity to organize a good training hall at home, then it is quite enough to purchase two sports equipment, which we talked about above. However, if you have free space and financial resources, you can equip an excellent hall. You don't need as many machines as in a fitness center. Many of them are completely useless for fitness enthusiasts.
If you want to pump up, then focus on basic exercises. They will allow you to progress, as they use a large number of muscles in the work. As a result, the body's anabolic response will be strong. Most machines are designed for single-joint exercises and are used by professional athletes.
Home hall decoration
Psychologists say that it is more difficult for a person to find motivation to work out at home. We will not confirm or deny this statement. I just want to note that if there is a desire to improve your physique and health, then there will be no problems. However, you should think about creating a comfortable environment for training. Appropriate design can cheer you up and increase motivation.
Of course, it is practically impossible to equip a gym in an apartment. If you decide to build a house, then you can pre-allocate a place for the future hall. As a floor covering, it is worth giving preference to tapping based on polyurethane, for example, Urepol 110 or Pol 205 PU. They fit perfectly on any type of substrate. The average cost of such a coating is about 1,880 rubles per square meter.
For wall decoration, you can choose painted plaster. If the budget is not limited, the option with cork veneer is possible. Do not forget to make one wall completely mirrored. This will not only visually increase the size of the room, but will allow you to control the exercise technique. We suggest using drywall for the ceiling.
Sport equipment
We've already covered how to choose a home barbell and dumbbells. However, to ensure maximum comfort, you should purchase a few more types of sports equipment. To do squats or bench presses, you need barbell racks or a power rack. There are many different types of this sports equipment. If your work is related to metal, then you can do them yourself. However, it is quite possible to pick up an inexpensive and high-quality rack in the store.
Another useful tool is a horizontal bench. It is desirable that she be able to adjust the angle of inclination. For a better workout of some muscles, this will be extremely useful. Standard benches have the following dimensions:
- Width - 30 centimeters.
- Height - 43 centimeters.
- Length - 1.2 meters.
We recommend purchasing a bench of these dimensions. Other benches are available for sale, but they may be inconvenient to use. We also recommend taking care of the platform, which will prevent damage to the floor covering. It is not worth buying, as you can easily make it yourself. To do this, you need plywood sheets.
So we come to the choice of simulators. Basically, you only need one that can provide aerobic activity. It can be an exercise bike, treadmill, ellipsoid. Visit a store and find the type of exercise machine that will fit in your premises and is appropriate for the price. Most often, people choose a treadmill or an ellipsoid. The latter simulator is considered safer, since the joints are not subjected to shock loads during exercise. However, its cost will be higher.
If you decided to buy a treadmill, then give preference to a simulator with a wide belt, the width of which is at least 40 centimeters and the length is at least 1.2 meters. You will feel comfortable exercising on such equipment. Also, pay attention to the fact that treadmills can be equipped with an electric or mechanical drive. Modern simulators are equipped with mini computers that can make your workout more comfortable. They already contain programs with which you can solve this or that problem. That's all the sports equipment you might need to do quality workouts.
To effectively choose a barbell for your home, you need to understand the types of bar. The following video will help you with this:
And in the following story, useful information about the optimal set of dumbbells for the home: