Everything You Need to Start a Home Gym for Powerlifting

BAREBONES HOME GYM EQUIPMENT LISTBy Mat Woods

In the age of rampant social media usage, the appearance of “extra” home gym equipment always seems to appear in a lifter’s picture or uploaded lift video. By “extra” equipment, I’m referring to gym accessories such as bands, chains, specialty bars, etc. Depending on the home gym size, makeup, and the goals of the lifter, there is also the possibility of having other large pieces of equipment such as leg press, lat tower, glute-ham raise platform, bench rack, and so on.

Here’s the question: Is any of it necessary?

The short answer is no. However, depending on the goals of the lifter, some pieces may be more practical to have on hand than others. For example, a crossfit style lifter will not find a ton of practically with a powerlifting style bench rack. That same lifter might find med balls more beneficial than a lifter who follows a pure hypertrophy approach to training.

The original crew at Westside Barbell trained without any bands, chains, or specialty bars. The equipment that created the strength monsters of that gym is the same equipment listed below. What is necessary to make progress in the gym with limited space and limited budget? I know lifters can make progress without any equipment at all, but this list is based on “physical” equipment needed to outfit a home gym.

Here are my five items that are necessary to make the most progress in a home gym:

Disclaimer: This list is based on the starting of a conjugate method program, but all pieces would carry over to other programming methods or sports training other than powerlifting.

1. 7’ Olympic barbell – In my opinion, the purchase that should not be made quickly or lightly. A cheap and inefficient bar will give you the wrong results on the big lifts, usually ending with disappointment and a purchase of a superior bar. Find one that will handle WELL over the weight you will potentially lift. Some barbells are built specifically for deadlifts or squats, so choose one that will be able to be used on multiple lifts. Take the time to research and find the bar that will fit you and your individual goals. Depending on the barbell purchased, some plates might come with it but if not . . .

2. Olympic plate weights – Plate weights should be the easiest “physical” item to acquire as they are readily availabile at garage sales and online at Facebook Marketplace, Let Go and Craigslist.

Yes, you can buy plates new but the plates don’t have to be pretty or shiny, so I would suggest buying used to save money. Hardly any of my plates match and zero are new, but they all do the same thing regardless of look. (Besides, if it really bothers you, you can repaint them to make them your own.)

No need to acquire a thousand pounds of plates at first, just buy enough to challenge yourself during the training sessions and then build up from there as you get stronger.

3. Power Rack – The size and characteristics of this item will depend on the lifter’s goals and space availability. These can be outfitted to include band pegs, attachments, weight holders, and so on. I recommend a full power rack rather than the half rack, just due to the variations that can be performed using the pin settings.

4. Flat Bench – A cheap bench will leave you in a bind, no pun intended. For variety, the bench can be adjustable, but don’t get hung up on needing all the available adjustable angles. Some older powerlifting gyms will prop a flat bench up on a wood box to get the incline angle needed. Research the max weight on the bench and buy one that is going to last the test of time.

Number five is not a physical piece, and it’s completely free!

5. Ability to learn – Performing movements seen on social media or the Internet without learning the reason why they are being done is like trying to drive an Indy car because it looked “easy” online.

Stagnant training gives you stagnant results. The only way to keep making progress is to learn more than one way to train and to perfect the craft of training. What worked for you as a teenager with no responsibilities may not work while training in your late 30s or 40s along with providing for a family and holding down a full-time job. Read training logs, articles by reputable coaches/trainers, try new techniques, etc. to gain more knowledge. The most overlooked trait in some lifters is the ability to identify strengths and weaknesses. With more knowledge and exposure, you should be able to spot weaknesses in training and correct the inefficiencies much more accurately.

About the Author Mat Woods has been involved in the powerlifting and personal training industry for over 15 years. He has been a competitive powerlifter and personally trained clients of all backgrounds and abilities. You can follow his workouts and tips on Instagram at @ redbeard49.