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One of the best (and most daunting) aspects of starting your fitness journey is purchasing gym equipment for beginners. Your mind reels with questions like “What will I need?” and “Which machines won’t break my budget?”
Investing in proper gym equipment can benefit your fitness goals, depending on the types of exercises and training you intend to do. Whether you’d like to build beastly strength or shed some weight with heart-pumping cardio, selecting the right pieces of equipment can greatly help you achieve your goals.
Read on to learn more about the best workout gear to build strength and get those gains.
Using the right gym equipment is essential for beginners. It can help reduce the risk of injury and build your confidence when you’re new to the gym. Proper gear supports posture, enhances strength building, and ensures muscle groups are targeted effectively.
Investing in quality equipment may help you develop consistency. You can save time by increasing your exercise efficiency and may see results faster than with bodyweight exercises.
If you’re feeling nervous about using big machines and would rather work your way up until you’re confident enough. Numerous pieces of equipment can still give you a good workout due to being easily accessible and versatile — perfect for beginner gym-goers.
Metal kettlebells offer a great way to incorporate strength and functional training into your workout routine and can do wonders for your core muscles. Starting with lighter weights builds proper form and will help you safely progress to heavier weights and more advanced movements.
Some common kettlebell exercises include:
Farmers walk: Using two kettlebells in each hand, place them by your sides. Brace your core and engage your back and leg muscles, then begin walking in small, controlled steps.
Goblet Squat: A goblet squat can be performed with a kettlebell held close to your chest and elbows tucked in. Push your hips back, bend your knees and keep your chest upright as you lower yourself into a squat. While maintaining core engagement, return to the standing position by pressing through your heels.
Goblet High Hold: Start with your feet hip-width apart, hold your kettlebell in front of you with your elbows in-line with your shoulders and parallel to the ground. Hold this position for 30-45 seconds before releasing.
Lunges: To perform a standard lunge, hold a kettlebell in each hand at your sides or chest level. Step forward, lowering your hips until both knees are bent at 90 degrees and your chest stays upright. Push through your front heel to return to standing, then switch legs, keeping your core engaged.
Kettlebells are a fantastic way to get started on your weighted cardio or strength training journey. They’re compact enough not to take up too much space, although they can get more expensive once you progress to heavier weights.
Durable dumbbells are one of the more versatile free weights for strength training, helping you build muscle and improve your overall fitness. Unlike machines, dumbbells promote a full range of motion, which helps you get stronger with functional movements.
Training with dumbbells engages stabiliser muscles, making exercises like the bicep curl and shoulder press more effective for developing arm and shoulder strength.
Using dumbbells in your workouts enhances the following:
Dumbbell workouts enhance your core strength, as many exercises need balance and stability to perform them successfully.
Using dumbbells in movements like overhead presses, bench presses, bicep curls, tricep extensions, and lunges challenges your muscles while improving coordination.
Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced lifter, free weights like dumbbells are key to building strength incrementally and safely. They’re small and budget-friendly, so they won’t break the bank or take up too much space.
Resistance bands are great tools for beginners. If you’re a bit apprehensive about using free weights like dumbbells or kettlebells, then resistance training can help you build the strength and confidence you need. You can use resistance bands for a full-body workout, adjusting the intensity by switching out bands with greater resistance.
The great thing about resistance bands is that you can perform many exercises as a beginner:
Front Squat: Time to work both sides of your thighs, hamstrings and glutes! First, stand on the band with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Holding the handle in each hand, bring the band over each shoulder, then lower your body slowly while keeping your chest up and core engaged (don’t raise those feet!). Rise back up to the starting position.
Glute Bridge: Get those glutes in great shape and avoid duck-butt (standing with your bottom involuntarily protruded—formally known as anterior pelvic tilt)! Tie a band around your legs, making sure it’s secure just above your knees. Lie with your feet flat on the floor, keeping them bent at a 90-degree angle. Then, raise your hips with gentle pressure against the band until your shoulder, hips, and knees align.
Lateral Band Walk: Improve balance and work neglected outer thighs with this side step movement. First, step into the hoop of the band with it fitting snug above your ankles. Place your feet shoulder-width apart and get in a half-squat position. Step sideways with your right leg, shifting your weight to your left. The standing leg should be moved in slightly, but the band should still be taut. Repeat on the opposite side.
Standing Biceps Curl: Train biceps like you’re lifting lighter weights. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and in the middle of the band. With a handle in each hand, keep them down at your sides. Pull your arms towards your shoulders while bending at the elbows until you feel your biceps contract, and then slowly lower them back down.
Resistance bands also help you challenge bodyweight workouts by modifying exercises such as lat pull-downs or push-ups to enhance muscle engagement and stability. The adaptability of these bands makes them ideal for gradual progression and integration into stretching routines. Plus, they’re inexpensive, can be used anywhere and are easy to store!
Yoga mats are essential for keeping your balance during workouts and protecting your floors using free weights in your routine. They’re good for stretching pre and post-workout, and it’s far more comfortable than carpeted floors or wooden floors.
Yoga mats are beneficial for a wide variety of floor-based exercises, such as push-ups, sit-ups and glute bridges. A soft, thick mat will help relieve pressure off your back when doing exercises such as leg raises and Russian twists.
Channel your inner Rocky and add a skipping rope to your routine! It’s an easy way to get your cardio in. Plus, skipping ropes are beginner-friendly, and you can always train your way up to a level with harder variations for a more challenging session.
It makes for a fun, convenient workout that helps with weight loss and strengthens your heart rate and blood pressure. You’ll get a perfect full-body workout that’s easy on the joints and enhances your overall health over time.
When starting out, gym machines can be a great tool. They can help you build proper form before trying free weights. You’ll need quite a bit of space for these machines, so consider the space around your home gym.
The Smith machine guides a barbell along fixed rails, making the machine stable to use. This is great for beginners who want to practise squatting or safely complete presses. The machine’s controlled path allows users to focus on building strength while developing better balance and proper form. It’s perfect for getting in higher reps and full-body workouts.
When using the machine, it’s best to maintain a slight bend when attempting squats to protect your joints. By paying attention to how you stand, you’ll be able to get the best results. Grow your biceps, triceps and lower body and improve your overall fitness level with this neat machine.
The leg press targets the quadriceps, hamstrings and glutes. This gym machine ensures controlled resistance, meaning it provides steady, adjustable tension, allowing you to perform the exercise with consistent force and reduced risk of injury.
The leg press machine lets beginners focus on proper form without the need for balance, as the machine only engages one muscle group at a time with a guided movement. Leg presses are great for building strong legs and can be used by anyone at any fitness level.
The chest press machine is a popular piece of gym equipment designed to strengthen the upper body, particularly the chest muscles. This machine also uses guided movements, so you’ll be sure to maintain proper form with less risk of injury. It’s a great option if you’re especially focused on upper-body strength.
Unlike the traditional bench press, which requires you to balance the barbell (or dumbbells), the chest press machine offers better-controlled resistance. This allows you to focus solely on engaging your chest, triceps, biceps and the large muscles in your back and shoulders.
The shoulder press machine is effective for targeting the deltoid muscles. This means that it’ll help you grow your shoulder muscles and activate the triceps, biceps and pec muscles. Integrating the shoulder press machine into your routine complements exercises like the lat pulldown, helping you build stronger and well-developed shoulders and back.
The guided movement on this machine assists you with maintaining proper form and reducing injury, which makes it a great choice for beginners and athletes at all levels of fitness. Many shoulder press machines use an isolateral mechanism. This means you can move each handle independently. Using isolateral training to correct muscle imbalances is extremely effective.
The rowing machine is an effective piece of cardio equipment. It enables you to build fantastic lower body strength and endurance, plus it’s completely beginner-friendly. Rowing machines deliver a low-impact, full-body workout, meaning it won’t hurt your joints, and you can work up a sweat at any fitness level.
The machine enhances your cardiovascular fitness by engaging various muscle groups, including:
Quads,
Hamstrings,
Glutes
Core
Triceps
For smaller spaces, such as a garage or even the corner of your bedroom, it’s best to stick with the basics. Rather than having a huge range of smaller gym equipment, keep it simple while keeping in mind to account for progression. For example, you may need to eventually increase the size of your dumbbells as you get stronger.
A medicine ball can be a great addition to your workout routine. It can be used for strength, stability and conditioning exercises while keeping your space tidy too.
A kettlebell or a pair of dumbbells can help you focus on strength training, and they’re relatively easy to tuck away or store on a small rack.
If you’ve got enough room for it, a foldable bench and a singular barbell can be an excellent option for enhancing your workout without overcrowding your room.
Don’t skimp on cardio equipment! A skipping rope is easy to use, fun and won’t break the bank nor take up space. Just be sure it’s adjustable if you have low ceilings, so you won’t smack them with the rope.
That entirely depends on your goals, budget and space. Gym machines, while bulkier, are useful for beginners since they provide guided movement patterns, reducing the risk of injury and helping you build proper form. Free weights help you build functional strength and work more muscles in addition to being compact enough for smaller spaces.
A combination of both will help you develop strength safely while improving your coordination and control.
A good rule of thumb when starting strength training for beginners is to start light and work your way up to heavier weights. Starting lightly helps you with control and proper form since using a heavier weight can lead to injury.
If you’re using adjustable dumbbells or barbells, for example, start with simple exercises to lock down proper form before incrementally increasing the weight once you get stronger.
Finding the right gym equipment for beginners is the foundation of a successful and consistent workout routine. Both machines and free weights can help you build strength and endurance and support full-body workouts.
Purchasing basic gym equipment doesn’t have to be a harrowing experience. Factory Weights sells high-quality, affordable equipment built strong so that even first-timers can enjoy a good workout with peace of mind.
Our experienced team has extensive knowledge of the industry and products so if you feel lost on your fitness journey, be sure to reach out to us!
Ready to start your fitness journey? Check out our training videos for beginner-friendly exercises.
