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2022-03-11 10:00:31 By : Mr. Darren Liu

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Last fall, after failing to get up early enough to walk to the gym, I decided to build one of my own. That might sound like an extreme reaction to oversleeping. But I had been scrolling past all manner of exercise equipment for some time on Instagram, so the seed was planted months prior. I was going to build my own home gym.

The Tempo Studio is an all-in-one workout machine that can be the foundation of a complete home gym. ... [+]

I happened to have the space to make a dedicated room in the backyard; I cornered off an area of the garden, researched how to build an insulated garden room, ordered the materials and built a slightly wonky home gym. Then it was just a matter of stocking it with gear. My equipment inventory is still growing, but I have exercised more consistently in the last three months than at any other time in my life. Building my own home gym was the right decision, and it has taught me a lot about what you need (and how much it costs).

While your home gym will probably be in a spare room or the basement—not a corner of your garden like me—the benefits are clear. You can play your own music, you don’t have to talk to anyone and it’s hard to beat the commute. Even better, you don’t need to spend a fortune (but you can if you want to). There are a lot of workout equipment options to choose from, so it’s not hard to find a set of equipment that works for any room and budget. Ready to invest in your own home gym? I’ve assembled best options for a basic gym, an “all-in-one” high-tech gym and a premium gym. The best part? If you like, you can even mix and match components to make the home gym of your dreams.

For an all-in-one, compact workout solution that can occupy just part of a room and yet give you nearly all the exercise options you could want, consider a smart fitness mirror like the Tempo Studio. Throw in a mat and a fitness watch, and it’s a pretty complete solution for $4,394.

The Tempo Studio is a “fitness mirror” that is a really interesting take on the home gym concept. Most devices like this one focus on cardio workouts and weight classes. But the problem with this kind of remote workout is that you can’t tell if your form is correct or not, and that increases the risk of injury. But the Tempo Studio uses sensors and AI to monitor and correct your form—a feature that reviewers have praised.  

The device looks like the TARS robot from the movie Interstellar, but there is a method to its imposing stature. The big 42-inch HD touch screen means you see your human trainers at virtually life-size. And the cabinet underneath holds a variety of included weights (the bars hang on the back). The Pro version of the Tempo includes weight plates, barbells, dumbbells, a folding bench, squat rack and more. 

It also has built-in 60-watt speakers, Bluetooth, and a heart-rate monitor (if you prefer, you can also connect an Apple Watch). It is a complete system so you don’t have to worry about living with other gym equipment, weights, and so on—if you want, this single machine can do it all. But you’ll want to make sure you have space for it, because you need at least six feet in front of the screen so the sensors can see and track your exercise. For more details, you can read about the Tempo Studio in our roundup of the best fitness mirrors (where it was awarded the best overall model).

These days, a fitness tracker is essential for monitoring your fitness journey. The Tempo Studio has an Apple Watch integration that lets you pause and resume workouts as well as track your vitals and record workout data, so you might want to choose a model like the Apple Watch Series 7 (assuming you have an iPhone, of course). For all the details on why you might want an Apple Watch, be sure to read our full review of the Apple Watch Series 7.

Have some spare cash and want the kind of home gym that your neighbors will want to try out for themselves? This premium home gym starts with a Tempo Studio and smart watch—just like the all-in-one option above—but throws in a rower, exercise bike and punching bag. No muscle group on your body will be safe from this setup, though the price will be a cool $8,269.

Everything we already said about the Tempo still applies—it’s a formidable all-in-one workout machine with real instructors and the ability to count reps and correct your form. To save a little cash for the other exercise gear in this premium roundup, though, we’ve scaled back from the Tempo Studio Pro (found in the all-in-one collection above) to the Tempo Studio Plus. The Plus is a 9-piece package that is missing just a few elements, like storage for the weight plates and a kettlebell set. For all the details, you can read what we had to say about the Tempo Studio in our roundup of the best fitness mirrors (where it was awarded the prize of best overall).

While the Tempo might be the centerpiece of your gym, you can complement it with some cardio-focused equipment like the Hydrow rowing machine. Rowing is an effective full-body workout and the Hydrow leans into this with some particularly smart technology. It features live and on-demand rowing classes led by professionals (including rowers from the U.S National Rowing team). You can monitor your progress with leaderboards and data breakdowns. 

Hydrow’s appeal is in its electromagnetic drag mechanism, offers a rowing experience that many users feel is closer to working out on real water than many other rowers. You also get a the 22-inch HD screen, a quiet resistance mechanism and the option to row in different locations. Like the Tempo, the price of the monthly membership is close to $40 per month, so remember that like the Tempo, it’s an ongoing investment.

The Tread—Peloton's now virtually iconic treadmill—is one of the best reviewed and most coveted models around. While relatively common now, Peloton pioneered the concept of delivering workout classes to a large display on workout equipment via an ongoing subscription. And the Tread is relatively compact, as treadmills go, measuring 68 x 33 inches, with a generous 59 inches of running space. It can take you up to 12.5 mph and a fairly steep grade of 12.5%. Be aware that there have been several incidents involving the Tread (there was a recall in 2021), so it’s important to keep children and pets a safe distance away when it’s in use.

This inflatable Outshock punching bag is simple but effective. If you want to practice your striking skills or just get an extra cardio workout away from the Peleton or Hydrow, a well-built punching bag is a good option. The stable base means it will stay in place and it can be deflated and easily stored when you’re not using it.

You’ll want to track your progress with a fitness tracker, and if you don’t happen to be a member of the Apple family, your best bet just might be the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4. This powerful and full-featured watch is chock full of fitness and health tracking features. And while the Tempo doesn't support Samsung watches, no worries—you can use Tempo’s included heart-rate monitor with the Tempo, while the Galaxy Watch 4 can record all sorts of workouts, including things like bicep curls and squats.

Don’t want top spend a few grand on a fitness mirror? We get that. It’s a superb pierce of home gym equipment, but a budget-minded approach to building a home gym is to get a value-priced treadmill for cardio and an assortment of weights and other accessories for weight training, yoga and other exercises. Total cost for this gym: $1,024

If the Peloton Tread is too rich for your blood, the $600 ProForm Treadmill is a good alternative. Like the Peloton it has dedicated classes through the iFit app (sold separately), but there is no dedicated big interactive screen. Although you can attach your own, which might be useful for those who want to customize their equipment. There is a 5-inch display for stat tracking and controls for adjusting your speed and incline. The ProForm will also adjust the speed and incline based on your pulse to reach your ideal heart rate zone. Throw in proprietary cushioning technology, a built-in cooling fan and the fact it can be folded away, the ProForm is a good all-rounder treadmill.

With the advent of affordable adjustable weights, there’s no need to litter your floor with an assortment of weights from 2.5 pounds to 50 pounds—just get one set and dial in the amount of weight you want to pull off the floor. This CAP Barbell set is rugged and durable—just what you need in your home gym—and you can select weights in 5 pound increment with the easy-to-turn dial. You can spend a lot more on adjustable weights, but unless being able to choose weights in tiny increments is super important to you, you don’t need to.

For many people, their massage gun is one of their most prized home gym essentials. One important reason? They can help with delayed onset muscle soreness, otherwise known as DOMS. That’s a normal side effect of training. The NHS in the UK recommends massage as a treatment for DOMS, and this Recoverfun Plus—despite the goofy name—is more than capable of doing the job. The Recoverfun Plus has long battery life, powerful impact (necessary for deeper massages), up to 47 revolutions per second and several attachment heads for reaching different areas.

A gym ball is an essential, and Adidas’ $10 inflatable is a no-brainer. You can complete a number of core and stability exercises with a gym ball, which is helped by the anti-slip material on this product. It also features slow deflation so it doesn’t pop in your face if torn. Because it’s inflatable, it can be easily stored away when not in use. 

One of the hardest muscle groups to work at home is often your back, especially if you don’t get specialized equipment for appropriate exercises. A pull up bar solves that problem. You can buy a full pull-up rack that can be disassembled, or you can get a smaller door attachment device like the Iron Age pull up bar. This hooks on to both sides of the door frame for extra stability, it requires no assembly and it sits slightly higher than the door frame itself, which is good for tall users. There are several grip points, too, so you can work different muscle groups. You will get a lot of use out of a pull up bar if you’re creative enough with your exercise routine. Just make sure your frame can handle it and you have something cushioning below you to protect your knees if you suddenly fall.

There are a lot of yoga mats to choose from, but it’s worth investing in a premium one because cheaper options don't stay in place, or they're too thin. The Heathyoga mat won’t slide around on your floor thanks to a patented non-slip system, and it is a generous 6 mm thick for comfort. It also features etched-on markings for where your arms and legs should go if you decide to actually use it for yoga.