Home Gym Evolution: Adding Functional Trainers and Specialized Equipment
Building a comprehensive home gym takes time, patience, and an eye for good deals. Over the past few months, despite fewer marketplace opportunities, several key additions have transformed this home gym into an increasingly versatile training space.
Weight Plate Collection Expansion
The foundation of any serious home gym starts with weight plates. With over 2,000 pounds of cast iron plates now in the collection, there's sufficient weight for all the plate-loaded machines. However, as any dedicated home gym enthusiast knows, there's never truly “enough” weight, especially when continuing to add plate-loaded equipment.
Functional Trainer: The Versatility Champion
The most significant recent addition is a weight-stack functional trainer acquired for an impressive $350 as part of a larger equipment bundle. Unlike plate-loaded versions that require constantly changing weights between exercises, this selector-pin model allows for quick weight adjustments during workouts.
The functional trainer has quickly become the most frequently used piece of equipment in the gym, serving exercises for chest, shoulders, biceps, back, and abs. The convenience of the weight stack makes it practical for daily use across various muscle groups.
Pullover Machine: A Rare Home Gym Find
One of the more unique additions is a pullover machine – something rarely seen in home gyms. This specialized piece targets the back and triceps effectively, though it does have some limitations:
- The range of motion is somewhat restricted by a bar that prevents the arms from moving too far back
- The seat is unusually high, preventing feet from touching the ground
- Unlike commercial versions, it lacks a seatbelt
Despite these minor issues, at $500, it represents excellent value for such a specialized piece of equipment.
Equipment Rotation Strategy
A smart approach to building a premium home gym on a budget is the strategic rotation of equipment. Several pieces have already been sold and replaced with upgrades, including:
- Selling an HQ chest press (despite loving it) when offered a price too good to refuse
- Planning to replace the current Titan chest press when a better option becomes available
- Looking to upgrade to a weight-selector leg extension/curl combo machine
Future plans include targeting specific high-quality back machines such as a Hammer Strength or Nautilus seated row and a Hammer Strength front lat pulldown.
Organized by Training Zones
The gym layout is thoughtfully organized into training zones, with the back area being the most frequently used, followed by chest and legs stations. This organization maximizes workout efficiency and flow.
Looking Ahead
The next major goal involves upgrading transportation to better support equipment acquisition – specifically trading a car for a pickup truck that could potentially be paired with a trailer for hauling larger gym equipment purchases.
For serious home gym builders, patience in finding quality deals is essential. Rather than settling for cheap, lower-quality equipment, waiting for premium pieces at good prices ultimately creates a superior training environment.
