This only happened once you cut out all the fake, overhyped calisthenics exercises and instead focus on the true core bodyweight movements.

So, drop the barbell, leave the one-rep sets at home and say goodbye to the gymnastic calisthenics you’ve seen on YouTube.

In order to help you make these gains, get shredded and lose that fat that’s covering your epic body I’m going to share the real bodyweight exercises you need to focus on.

What Equipment You’ll Need:

Now before we get started you’ll need access to the following:

• Pull Up Bar (The Pull-up bar I Use)
• Dip Station (The dip station I use)

I also recommend trying the Bar Brothers 12-week calisthenics course, it gives you structure and is like having a personal trainer for 12-weeks.

It gave me routinely at the start and is still used to structure 80% of my workouts.

The Best Calisthenics Exercises:

Enough small talk let me show you how the real men and woman use their body to get jacked.

 The Best Types Pull-Ups You Can Do 

The words ‘I hate pull-ups’ are spoken in every gym, but if you plan to get a body worth looking at then you’re going to need to quiet that inner voice and pull yourself high up on that bar.

‘Why?’ you may say.

Well Pull-ups grow your:

• Upper/Lower Back
• Shoulders
• Biceps
• Triceps
• Forearms
• Core
• Chest

Name another exercise that has this ability?

It may be hard, but you need to suck it up to make them serious gains.

Where should you start?

Normal Pull-ups: Hands a little over shoulder width apart, pull yourself up till your chin is over the bar, then slowly release back down.

This will be the start, practice your form and then you can move onto:

Wide grip: This will use less of your arms and more of your back, creating that chizzled back look.

Close grip: This will focus on shoulders, lats, but mainly hit the forearms and biceps

You’ll likely focus on these three types of pull-ups for the next few months, practicing form, breathing and then adding tension with slow decent like this stickman animation I made:

The Must-Learn Advanced Pull Ups

Most of us never make it this far, it’s the part where you make or break calisthenics training.

Typewriter pull-ups: Start in a wide grip, then just like a typewriter go side to side.

This is your go-to for a chizzeled back and shoulders and I created this little animation to explain it better:

Arch pull-ups: Similar to the typewriter, but more circler, as you can see from this animation:

Muscle ups: Are the hardest pull-ups on this list and involve you doing a normal grip pull up with a twist of pulling yourself over the bar, as shown here in this animation:

You only need to focus on these six exercises.

Master them and you’ll be in the top 5% of calisthenics trainers.

If you want to know some of the other pull-ups available then check out this video:

 The Best Types Of Chin-Ups 

Looking for shredded arm muscles, chin-ups are your main man.

Now they’re extremely similar to pull-ups, just with a reverse grip (inside of your hand facing you).

Most people find chin-ups easier than normal pull-ups, making them a good place for beginners to start.

There are three main types of chin-ups:

• Close Grip
• Wide Grip
• Commando chin ups: Imagine yourself underneath your bar, then place both your hands around the bar and pull up, alternate which side of the bar your head goes to.

These three will see you making some serious arm strength.

 The Push-ups That You’ve Gotta Try 

The most common exercise in any calisthenic workout is the push-up and for the longest time I mixed a variety of push-ups with shadow boxing and had amazing upper body results.

A push up will strengthen:

• Chest
• Lower/Upper Back
• Core
• Shoulders
• Forearm
• Triceps

Making it an easy, effective exercise.

Getting the best results is simple, focus on mastering these types of push-ups in the following order:

• Normal/Wide/Close Grip
• Diamond Grip
• Hindu push-up
• Typewriter push-up
• Arrow push-up
• Forearm push-up

Your body will adapt to these push-up exercises quickly, you just need to start, continually add reps and push yourself.

I recommend you check out this video for more push-up ideas and to get an idea of what good form looks like on the above exercises:

 You’ve Gotta Include Dips 

You can’t forget dips, these tricep growers are a must and when mixed with pull-ups and push-ups you really do hit the upper body hard.

Dip variation isn’t too popular as you only need to know the basic dip to gain awesome results:

Dip till your shoulders pass your elbow, don’t dip too deep as this could lead to injury and remember slow controlled movement is the key.

Id you’re not satisfied with the normal dip, then you can check out this video with 21 different dip techniques:

I personally feel like these dips are too advanced, but there is a few golden nuggets inside this video.

 Squats (Because Strong Legs Are Awesome) 

No one gives a damn about the size of your legs.

What if I told you that training legs aren’t just about size and looks?

Having strong legs allows you to actually use your upper body muscle.

Imagine trying to pick something up with your massive muscles only to find out your legs buckle under the weight.

It’s not just that, your legs are the biggest muscle group on your body, training them releases all kinds of good chemicals, while also making your core strong as F.

Plus, who doesn’t like a nice pair of legs and bum on both men and women?

Squats You Need To Try:

Master the following in this order:

• Normal Squats
• Jump Squats (don’t add weight)
• Sumo Squats
• Deep Squats
• Goblet Squats (using kettlebell)

You can do all of the above with or without weight unless stated otherwise.

What About Lunges?

If you want to nail your legs, core and butt gains then you need to add some lunges into your leg workouts.

Harnessing the power of lunges is simple, start with the following and work your way up:

• Forward Lunges
• Reverse Lunges
• Jump Lunges
• Chair Lunge

If you have problems with your knee’s it’s best to avoid chair and jump lunges.

 Killer Cardio Exercises 

You will most likely fail if you don’t follow this rule.

Cardio is king.

This doesn’t mean you need to do cardio 7-days per week, but including a 5 – 10-minute cardio session before a workout is the quickest way to get strong, lean muscle.

Some of the cardio I recommend:

• Running (not on a treadmill)
• Shadowboxing (amazing for back and biceps and overall cardio)
• Swimming (best full body)
• Rowing machine
• Cycling (spinning or real bike)
• Rebounding (using a mini trampoline)
• Walking/hiking
• Dancing

Doing any of the above a few times per week will help you lose that stubborn fat and more importantly it’ll help you in your calisthenics workouts because cardio is a key factor in all the above exercises.

 Important ABS Exercises 

Abs… Does anyone enjoy training them?

What if I told you that you only need to train your abs once per week.

Shocked face

Seriously, you’ll build stronger abs from squats, lunges, pull-ups and cardio than you ever will from most abs workouts.

Infact at the start I’d recommend dropping abs workouts till you can start seeing the definition.

Trust me, you can try it yourself.

Do abs three times per week for a month, then do abs once a week for a month, you’ll have mirror results, you’re better of spending that extra time in cardio or food prep.

However, this doesn’t mean all ABS workouts are bad, as you should still hit them once per week and in that time I usually do this workout:

Again it’s from OFFICIALTHENX, he’s one of the best fitness YouTubers around and this is one of the best ABS routines I’ve ever done.

I also mix and match different abs exercises using this video and just do 6 different types of exercises with 10 – 15 reps each:

I’ve also listed some of my favorite ABS exercises here:

• V-Hold
• Normal Crunches
• Cycle Crunches
• On-Bar Knee Raises
• On-Bar Leg Raises
• 90 Degree Core Hold (On-Bar)
• Plank
• Flutter Kicks
• Mountain Climbers

You can mix and match any of the above into an awesome routine.

Just pick 6 exercises, then do 10 – 15 reps of each without stopping, have 1 minute break and then repeat three times.

 Calisthenics Workout Plan (using calisthenics exercise list) 

You may be lost, you have the core calisthenics exercises but have no way of knowing which to use on any given training day.

So, I’ve created a quick workout guide to show you both an upper body training day and a lower body training day:

Upper Body:

• 5-Minute warm up
• 10x Push-ups (normal grip)
• 40x Jump jacks
• 5x Pull-ups (normal grip)
• 6x Diamond push-ups
• Rest 2 minutes and repeat.

You can replace any exercise with any upper body exercise from the list.

Legs: 

• 40-Seconds of squats
• 40-Seconds of calf raises
• 40-Seconds of reverse lunge
• 40-Seconds of High Knees (running on spot)
• Repeat without break 5 times

These are just two basic exercises plans as an example of how to add the exercises above into something actable.

 Calisthenics Full Body Warm Up 

If you plan on having an amazing body in the years to come you MUST warm up.

Most injuries can be prevented by simply doing a 5 minute warm-up before you workout.

This doesn’t mean doing 1-minute of stretching before your workout, this means moving you body, getting your heart pumping and stretching out the muscles you’ll be focusing on before you workout.

Just because calisthenics is easier on the body than weights, doesn’t mean you don’t need to take care and warm up, so here’s the warmup I follow before every workout:

Basically, you want to mix stretching, cardio and body movement all together for around 5-minutes before all of your workouts.

 How To Maximise These Calisthenic Exercises 

Alot of you may still want to know the more advanced calisthenic exercises, but honestly, unless you’re trained in gymnastics I’d AVOID them.

They increase the chances of injury and although they look cool, they are not worth the risk, at least to me.

So, instead of doing more advanced exercises here’s a way to get more results from the easy exercises.

Resistance Bands (make it easy and hard):

All calisthenic users should grab a pair of resistance bands (the resistance bands I use), they are perfect for beginners as they make pull-ups, dips and even push-ups easier by taking a lot of your weight, allowing you to focus on your form.

You can also switch this and use the bands to create tension making exercises harder.

Just a simple resistance band can completely change a calisthenic workout, making each exercise give more results in a shorter time.

If you want a shredded body these bands are a must.

Lower Rest Time In Your Workout:

Resting 30 seconds between sets? Lower that to 10 seconds.

Taking a minute break between rounds? Lower that to 30 seconds.

This alone will lower down the time you workout and make your workout more intense.

It’s great for improving cardio, getting ride of stubborn fat and strengthening the mind.

Adding A Weighted Vest:

I’d always start with the resistance bands, but if you really want to pack on the strength then adding a weighted vest to your workout will be a massive result driven discussion.

The weighted vest I use is military grade, comes with a lifetime warranty and is one size fits all.

It has improved my pull up game and has given me amazing results over the past month.

You can check out this review I did on the best-weighted vests.

Add Weights To Your Routine:

People who lift weights hate calisthenics and people who do calisthenics hate weights.

It’s always calisthenics vs weightlifting.

I’m different.

70% of my workouts are calisthenics, but that 30% weights. It’s a new hybrid and if you end goal is to be as healthy, strong and physically attractive as you can be then it’s a must for you to do the same.

Now, I don’t use weight machines that isolate muscles! Yuk, that’s the quickest way to injury and disproportionate muscle.

Instead, I do free weights, anything that uses a barbell, dumbbells or kettlebells I’m down to try.

I do bench press, kettlebell raises, squats with weights.

The trick is I only go to failure once per month and for the rest of the month I train with lightweight, good form and high rep count.

It’s a complete game changer and uses the exercises above mixed with a few weighted ones is a sure fire way to get the body of your dreams.

Reversing Your Workouts:

It’s simple if you do pull-ups, dips, pushups and then chin-ups, instead do chin-ups, pushups, dips and pull-ups, it’ll shack your body up, mess with your muscle memory and do your body the world of good.

There you have it a complete guide to calisthenic exercises. If I missed anything let me know in the comments below. This whole blog is run by me and my girlfriend and I really appreciate any feedback.

The post List of the Best Calisthenics Exercises appeared first on Fiznes.

Well, I did it, I made a Calisthenics gym in my home. I am not the biggest fan of gyms and I figured I would use it more if it was in my house so I bought the things I needed too and created this at home calisthenics gym.

Follow my tips below and customize your equipment to suit your body and needs and make your own homemade calisthenics gym.

The Must-Have Calisthenics Equipment

My gym is now complete, although I do add the odd thing every now and again, I do have a complete at home gym and as you read on you can see all of the things I currently have in my gym and what I use to practice my Calisthenic workouts.

What I love about my equipment is that you don’t have to just practice calisthenics with these things, there are so many workouts that can be done and the gym doubles as a normal gym whenever you need it too.

Best: Pull-up Bar

A pull up bar is the first must-have for a calisthenics home gym, there are so many exercises to master on a pull-up bar as it’s one of the best ways build strength, power and muscle.

This is my favorite pull-up bar as it allows you to incorporate so much into your workout by just using this one frame, there is a cheaper version of a pull-up bar below but if you want something that will last, is great quality and help you achieve the goals this is the best piece of kit I have.

This is the ‘Stamina Power Tower’ and it’s my favorite pull-up bar, I did a price check and on 03/03/2026 I found the cheapest price for this bar.

You can learn to build total body strength with this bar as it allows you to combine many exercises and gives your body what it needs to create an incredible difference mentally and physically.

It even has a built-in dip-station, push-up station, sit up station and pull-up bar. The frame is incredibly sturdy and allows for explosive workouts in your own home whenever you want them.

Door:  Pull-up Bar

Although I don’t usually recommend door pull-up bars this one is different, it is inconceivably sturdy and hasn’t failed me yet. It has remarkable reviews online and unlike a lot of door pull-up bars like it, this one comes strong mounting bolts and actually holds all of my weight without any movement.

You can even customize this bar with different textures to really make your own and to make sure it flows with the color scheme of your home gym.

This door pull-up bar is awesome for those who perhaps don’t have space for a home gym or those who are renting and don’t want to buy large equipment.

Best: Dip Station

A dip station is used for a number of different exercises such as tricep dips, bicep dips, chest exercises, shoulder exercises and leg swings to name a few.

This dip station is astoundingly sturdy and can withhold a massive amount of weight as well as catering for tall guys. I also did a price check on 03/03/2026 and found this dip station was on offer, which made it incredible value for money.

Dip stations give you an intense workout and really make them hard to reach muscles burn, you feel the effects of a dip station almost instantly, they are really great fun to use but also they do offer you an all over upper body session.

Best: Push-Up Bars

More commonly known as push-up stands or push-up handles, these push-up bars make your push-up workout more intense and provide relief to your wrists.

Push-up bars are a great addition to your calisthenics gym as they add a new element to your regular push-up routine. They allow you to increase the difficulty and allow you to try new things without the fear of wrist pain and with the knowledge that your push-ups are worth more in the long run.

This push-up bar set is sturdy and has a non-slip texture on the base so you don’t need to worry about them slipping over, however, I would place padding beneath them to ensure maximum efficiency.

Something you may suffer from is wrist pain, I know my wrists hurt after long training sessions, especially since starting calisthenics. These push-up bars stop this pain and ensure you aren’t in a state of hyper-extension as they usually are in regular push-ups.

A push-up bar allows you to not just practice push-ups but planks, handstand push-ups, tricep dips and more.

Extra Calisthenics Equipment You Should Own

If you really want to make a kickass calisthenics gym, there are a few accessories that you can add to really make it just as great as a professional gym.

These small things won’t make or break your home gym but they will allow you to experiment with different exercises, achieve different gains and help you to remain consistent.

Best: Gym Rings

Gym rings offer you a core workout along with increased upper body strength, agility, balance, grip strength and a more defined and lean physique. They can even be more challenging than a pull-up bar when used properly.

These gym rings were price checked and on 03/03/2026 I found them at the best price online.

These gym rings are easy to assemble, made from high-quality materials, are made in the USA and are customizable so you can get exactly what you need.

My gym rings don’t take up much space in my home gym and provide me with an additional workout and different exercises so that I can change things up in my fitness routine whenever I need too. I find my upper body burning after a workout when using the gym rings, even after all these months, they still test me and I am still reaping the benefits.

Budget: Gym rings

Although these budget gym rings are ideal for those on a budget, they are still great quality and provide you with access to lots of different exercises and the ability to improve your strength, core and physique.

Despite their price, they are sturdy, can support a lot of weight and provide you with the ability to practice your calisthenics exercises without spending lots of money.

I don’t think the quality of these rings are as good as my favorite gym rings but they are great for the money and if you’re still unsure about calisthenics or are just testing the water with gym rings, these would be great.

Best: Resistance Bands

Resistance bands allow you to train your muscles and get a workout without lifting weights and without lots of effort. Resistance bands can be a little tricky to master but once you get the hang of them, you just incorporate them into your workout and add intensity thanks to the added resistance and extra effort you must put in.

This is my favorite pack of resistance bands that come in 5 different difficulties, meaning you can work different muscle groups and tailor your resistance needs to you.

This gym accessory is a great way to make simple exercises more extreme, which means you get more benefits in the long run.

Best: Weight Belt

This is my favorite at home weighted belt. If you didn’t know a weight belt is cheaper, easier to use and more adaptable than a weight vest. A weight belt helps to increase your performance, increases core stability and spine stability.

Aside from giving your spine and core stability and support and weighted belt also make chin-ups and chest exercises more intense thanks to the added weight, which means more gains and more of a challenge.

A weight belt is much more adaptable than a weighted vest and is much easier to train with, despite giving you the same benefits.

This another favorite of mine:

This Rogue dip belt provides extreme tension to you which in turn makes you work harder and provides you with a bigger challenge and more intense workouts. It’s a pretty simple accessory to your at home calisthenics gym but totally worth it if you want the most out of your workouts.

Weighted Vest

Despite the belt above being easier to train with, a weighted vest is something you could add into your home gym for shocking workouts.

By wearing a weighted vest whilst you workout your muscles must work harder, which gives you more gains and makes you work harder. Weighted vests can be hard to get used to but if you can learn to train safely with one on you will find a huge difference in your muscles and the way you train. Plus taking it off at the end of a training session feels amazing.

Calisthenics Flooring

I made my gym and covered the floor with gym flooring, I use this non-slip exercise flooring and made sure to cover my entire workout area. My reason for doing this was so I could really make the room feel like a gym, so my equipment wouldn’t damage the tiles and so that there was a little bit of soundproofing for my downstairs neighbors.

This flooring is made from non-slip technology and it’s really easy to clean with just a mop and some water.

All of the tiles just fit together and where the edges were too long I just cut them off with a box cutter so that my room has a perfect fit for the tiles. The only space without the tiles is as you walk in as the door is too low to fit them in but I am not using this space anyway.

I love these tiles and am so glad I added them to my at home calisthenics gym, even if you just have a small space for your home gym I recommend getting them as it makes a huge difference to your workout.

Best Calisthenics Training Program

There is a training programme that I have been following for the past few months, I have found it so motivating and easy to follow in my own gym but you could complete the exercises in local parks.

The training programme is the ‘Bar Brothers Calisthenics Workout‘ (I have a discount code that gets you 30% off) it shows you all of the exercises you should be doing, how to do them and how you can excel at them. I found their story really motivational and seeing how the two brothers had changed their body really inspired me to give calisthenics a try and so far I have seen amazing changed in my body, strength and mental outlook on training in general.

I have also read amazing things about other people using the calisthenics training programme and there are lots of people out there who dedicate their success to following the rules and guides in this course.

Benefits Of An At Home Calisthenics Gym

The reason I love training at home is that I find gyms quite hard to love, I also find I can’t go too ‘hard’ for fear of people judging me.

Training at home allows me to really excel at my workout and I can also train at any time of day and whenever I want and I don’t have to pay a monthly membership fee. Yes, buying the calisthenics equipment was pricey but I have saved time and money in the long run by not going to the gym.

Also, a lot of gyms don’t cater to calisthenic workouts and if they do this equipment is usually taken.

Personally, I just find training at home so much better for me. I can grunt, sweat, look like a fool, shower and do what I want and it wasn’t that expensive, it just required a little bit of knowledge and perseverance.

Things I Wish I Knew Before I Made My Gym

Having an at-home gym has a million advantages for me but there are a few little downsides that I just wanted to highlight, things that I wish I knew that would have made my gym even better.

Noise Inside An Apartment

I live in an apartment which means noisy neighbors and I can be that noisy neighbor. My floor tiles do offer some noise isolation but I do fear that I can be heard grunting. If I was to do it again I would soundproof the walls too and perhaps even put down double layers of floor tiles.

Good Quality Products Always Win The Race

Cheap doesn’t always mean bad but the better the quality, the better the item. I always go for quality where I can and for training, good quality can prevent injuries and save you money in the long run.

Making sure your equipment is sturdy, can hold your weight and has a generally good score is all you really need. Just remember if you try and skimp and save on certain items it may come back to bite you.

Should You Add Weights To Your Gym?

Calisthenics training doesn’t incorporate weights, you use your complete bodyweight to train but if you like to change things up or even if you just want to pimp your gym out there’s no reason not to get weights. I currently have weights because I love to do all types of exercises and my girlfriend uses them too but I wouldn’t say they were totally necessary.

Using my pull-up bar and using the calisthenics training program should be enough for you to see gains without the need of weights.

However, adding weights once or twice per week will definitely speed up the process of gaining muscle and getting shredded.

I also have a weightlifting gym setup that you can check out if you want to know what weights I use and recommend.

The post Best Home Calisthenic Gym Setup appeared first on Fiznes.

So, I decided to save my gym membership money for the next 3 months and buy myself a budget-friendly home gym, now I have some simple rules to abide by:

1. It’s got to fit inside one room in my 3-bedroom apartment.
2. It’s got to be cheaper than a year of gym membership
3. It’s got to allow me to completely train my whole body.

Two months later and I’ve achieved this goal and I’m going to show you the exact gym equipment all home gyms need and where to get it on a tight budget.

Everyone’s Idea of Budget is different:

I’ve added a budget-friendly and higher quality version of each must-have product.

After months of research for my home gym I found that this is as cheap as you can build a home gym, while still getting quality, long lasting products that will pay for themselves in the years to come.

Most Important Home Gym Equipment

I’ve broken this down into the order I purchased my gym and this order allows you to quit your gym membership and start full body training at home.

Best: Overal Budget Dumbells (Ever Green)

With a good pair of dumbells you can train your back, arms, abs, legs, butt, shoulders and basically your full body.

This made it the first purchase of my home gym, now I already had some old adjustable weights that I’d let rust get the better of, so I decided to splash out and get this pair of fixed (adjustable weights):

These dumbells are a little pricey but replace 16 pairs of dumbbells and 825lbs of free weight.

The cheap option for dumbells is free weights, but they feel cheap, don’t load well and leave you constantly unscrewing to add or subtract weight.

With the PowerBlocks you get the best of both worlds, you get what feels like a fixed weight, but you can easily in a matter of seconds adjust the weight from 5lbs to 50lbs (per dumbbell), saving time and storage.

I updated and found the cheapest price on 03/03/2026 for the PowerBlock dumbbells and it’s from the same shop I purchased them from.

Each dumbbell has an ability to go from 5lbs to 50lbs, but if you upgrade you can get a set that goes all the way to 90lbs dumbbell.

These are currently the highest quality dumbells I’ve used and if you’re in a small apartment and don’t have loads of storage these free up massive amounts of space.

Why are they so expensive?

I was on a budget, but I knew that spending the extra money on a good set of dumbbells would be worth it in the long run.

However, I know the struggle of a budget, so I’ve added another option, that comes with more weight and is cheaper, it’s ideal for people who have a bigger space for their home gym.

Budget: Dumbell Option:

If you want a long-term gym, them dumbells are worth the price, however, if you need something at a lower price that will do the job now, try these:

These completely adjustable dumbells come from 40lbs all the way to 200lbs, they’re the best-priced dumbells I’ve seen and they have over 1300 reviews with a 5 out of 5-star rating.

Update: I did a price check on 03/03/2026 and found out of all the fitness sites these dumbells where cheapest here.

Best: Weight Bench

The only thing that dumbbells can’t do (on their own) is really hit the chest area, so the second thing you must get is a weight bench.

You can do almost all your body with just a set of decent dumbells and weight bench and that’s why it’s the second highest product.

This Rogue bench is one of the highest quality benches money can buy.

It’s secure (gym quality), can take lots of weigh, comes fully assembled and is stronger than anything you’ll find on amazon.

It’s a little pricey, but if you only spent money on two things I’d recommend this bench and a good pair of dumbbells (at the start), then I’d add the stuff below.

Budget: Weight Bench:

I do understand budget-friendly and I’ve been on a tight one for many years, so I’ve added a second bench, that fits budget over quality and is perfect for people who arn’t planning on lifting massive amounts of weights.

For the price, this bench is extremely good, it’s strong, comes with over 1300 reviews with an amazing 5 start out of 5-star rating and to top that off it’s under $50.

This is ideal for most users and should only be avoided if you plan on benching heavy weights as you need a higher grade product like the rogue bench above.

I checked and on 03/03/2026 I found this bench at the best price.

Best: Barbell

Barbells are optional (at the start), but if you want to have a complete gym replacer you need one.

Now barbells can get extremely expensive you’re talking $400 for just the bar and no added weights.

However, I found this axle barbell at an unreal price.

That’s the bar being used right there, it weighs 25lbs and is an axle bar meaning it’s a little thicker than a normal bar, but for under $125 you just can’t go wrong.

It’s amazing quality and I completely trust this bar when I bench and squat.

The thickness takes some getting used to, but I actually prefer it to my old barbell now.

You can see the bar laid our right here:

It’s perfect for deadlifts, bench press and squats.

I would add a budget option, but I couldn’t find anything as high quality for even near this price.

Budget: Squat/Pullup/Bench Press Rack

Probably the most expensive part of a home gym is the racks, now if you’re into calisthenics workouts then this isn’t an issue, but most of use enjoy benchpress and squats and you just can’t risk it without a good rack.

Now most squat racks come in around $500 +, I found one of my favorites for under $100:

This squat rack comes with a pull-up bar and works with bench press and the rogue bench above perfectly, it has a maximum load weight of 300lbs for bench, squats and pull-ups.

Usually I show the highest quality first, however, this is the setup I have as the one below is currently unrealistic for the size of my apartment.

Now this squat rack has over 800 reviews and is still a 5-star rating (out of 5 stars)

It’s perfect for beginners and people who aren’t lifting over 300 pounds (most of us).

Plus the added pull-up bar is awesome and the price is unbelievably low.

I personally don’t buy much fitness equipment from Amazon (due to quality issues), but this rack was a total game changer and is something I personally love.

Best: Power Rack

If you want a full power rack that’s gym grade then my current favorite is the Rogue R-3WC power rack.

It can do everything the one above can, is gym quality and is retractable to the wall so it can be hidden away and give you more space.

It’s more customizable and if you look on rogues store you can add things like a dip bar, gym rings amongst other customizations.

This is what I’d go for if you have a bigger budget and more space, if not the one above is perfect for starting out.

Best: Free Weights

The last essential is free weights and as a rule of thumb, you’ll want around 200 pounds for a fully functioning home gym without the need to upgrade in the future, however, you can build up to that weight as slow as you and your budget desire.

Free weights come down to preference, the two most popular are iron and rubber, rubber being the more expensive of the two.

Personally, I love the way rubber feels when lifting, but there’s no difference between the two, so if you’re on a serious budget go with cast iron.

The best bumpers I’ve used are: 

These Rogue Echo bumper plates are the highest quality budget plates on the planet (my opinion).

They’re the highest quality, come at an amazing price and will cost you around $245.00 for 160lbs of weight.

Even though these feel amazing to lift with, weights are weights at the end of the day and you can save a massive almost 100 bucks buying these cheaper iron weights (below), so if you don’t care about the feel of your weights check these out:

Budget: Free Weights

These cast iron weights are amazing and you can get 160 pounds for almost a hundred dollars cheaper than if you buy gym quality rogue weights.

Personally, I have a mix of the above rogue weights and these weights, both do the job nicely, I prefer the rogue and for the extra 70 bucks it’s worth getting splashing out.

For the start I’d recommend getting this free weight setup:

• 2x 45lbs
• 2x 25lbs
• 2x 10lbs

160 pounds of weight will be the perfect start to your home gym and you can easily add another couple of 25lb weights in the future.

Using the above setup on the weights recommended will cost you around $175.

The Extra Things I’ve Added In My Budget Home Gym

All the above completely replaces the need to go to the gym and is saving me around 1000 dollars per year, plus all the time I save from not driving 10 minutes to the gym and then having to wait for all the equipment.

I’ve also added a few extra non-necessary equipment to my gym over the past 3 months.

Kettlebells

I purchased a few kettlebells inspired from Joe Rogan and Onnit.

I love the way you can move and throw a kettlebell around.

I originally didn’t see any difference between a kettlebell and dumbells, till I tried them and saw the massive difference the kettle grip makes.

It allows you to move and throw the weight around quick and incorporate your whole body.

It’s not a must buy, but if you’re into crossfit and core training, a pair can defonitly be a good investment.

Gym Flooring

I have new flooring and didn’t want to damage it gym equipment, so I picked up some of that gym flooring and covered my whole floor in it.

It’s helped soundproof the room, has stopped damage the floor and has added more grip.

it feels good on my feet and joints and is easy to clean.

Definitely not a must, but something I don’t regret installing.

Budget Cardio Machines

The hardest part about not going to the gym and living in a country where most of the summer it’s 110 degrees is that cardio becomes hard.

After a lot of testing I’ve found that there’s two budget cardo machines I’d recommend:

Row machine

Rowing machines are awesome.

They train your full body while helping build your muscle and cardio while aiding weight lose.

If I have limited time I jump on my rowing machine for 10 minutes and my body comes to life, it’s an amazing warm up and full gym session.

Spinning

On Amazon you can find multiple spinning bikes for under $300, these are perfect for hitting your cardio, weight lose and warm up.

I’m in the process of buying the one above for my home gym and will let you know what it’s like once it’s installed.

Home GYM Tips & Tricks

Here’s some things I wish I knew before building a home gym, just the basics that I managed to forget about.

Sound Advice for gym in an apartment: 

It’s a good idea to put down some gym flooring or a rug, just anything to stop the weights against the floor.

It makes loads of sound of people below you and completely destroys the floor after just a few months.

You can start with any type of rug/gym flooring, it only needs to be big enough to place your free weights.

Gym Should Have Good Ventilation:

My gym doesn’t have windows or correct ventilation, this makes the room hot and stuffy and messes with the air quality.

It’s a good idea to get a good quality fan, maybe even an air purifier if you’re in the same situation.

Take It Slow & Build Your Gym To Last

You should focus on long term quality over getting a quick fix:

I brought my gym in this order and I’d recommend you do the same:

1. Dumbells (with some free weights)
2. Weight Bench
3. Barbell
4. Start Buying Free Weights
5. Power Rack or Half Rack
6. Finish Buying Free Weights

That order allows you to focus on quality and still allows you to work out at your home gym right away.

I’ve seen many people try to buy all their gym equipment at once trying to get everything on a budget and ending up with a room full of low-quality junk.

You’re better off spending a little extra, taking your time and building a gym that you’ll have access to for ages.

If You Rent This List Is For You

I made this list with people who rent in mind, there’s nothing part from the rogue power rack that is permanent, all of the above can be moved and will work for renters and homeowners.

This was updated on 03/03/2026 and I’ll keep updating it whenever my gym setup changed, so keep an eye out.

The post The Ultimate Cheap Home Gym Setup appeared first on Fiznes.

I’ve trained for years in heavyweights, CrossFit and calisthenics, actually in that exact order.

I’ve constantly worried about which one does the best for my body.

Weights helped me gain muscle at a quick rate.

Crossfit left me feeling powerful and strong.

Calisthenics had me feeling all of the above and more in touch with my body.

But, which really did the job?

Why Weightlifting Full Time SUCKS

Since the young ages of 13 I’ve been lifting weights, I used to have a home gym and at around 15 I started going to the gym 3 times per week training with heavy weight.

After a few years of doing this, I was in what appeared to be amazing shape, the abs, nice chest and good size biceps, yet I spent most the week with muscle recovery pain and had already at 18-years-old developed injuries to my right shoulder, knee and both feet.

Was the way I looked worth the long-term damage I was causing my body?

Personally, for me, it wasn’t!

However, I don’t think weightlifting always has to be bad, it’s amazing, it’s just extremely unforgiving if you’re not listening to your body, practicing good form, having lots of recovery and sleep and most importantly not warming up.

Why Calisthenics SUCKS

So, after some off-time, I tried out calisthenics using the Bar Brothers program (great place to start) and I fell in love.

The workouts made me feel powerful and I got real life usable strength, picking people up felt easy, my body felt light and my cardio was incredible.

However, the workouts where intense, so intense I questioned my ability to stick to the calisthenics way of training.

I also felt weightlifting gave me more calculated results and had an issue with the amount of weight I was losing.

So, if you want a ripped six pack, lean muscle and to lose weight calisthenics is amazing.

However, if you struggle with weight gain and want to bulk up and have a bigger muscular physique, calisthenics just doesn’t do it.

The Real Truth (Verdict)

After completing the Bar Brothers course I went and decided to change things up, looking at my results I put together a list of pros and cons and the outcome was the single best mix of exercise I’ve personally experienced in 10 years.

I mixed calisthenics and bodyweight training with the healthiest aspects of weightlifting.

I would mix kettlebells, dumbbells and barbells into my training sessions and I created workout plans that looked like this:

Upper Body Circuit:

• 15 Push-ups
• 10 Kettlebell shoulder halo
• 8 Pull-ups
• 10 shoulder press (with dumbells)
• Dimond push-ups

Rest 3 minutes and then repeat 5 times.

Warning: I built up to this, I’d recommend you start at a lower rep count as this workout can get intense.

I’d do different versions of this with different exercises usually with 50-50 calisthenic and weight exercises.

Mixing Weights, Calisthenics & Crossfit

There’s something deep about lifting light-medium weights, doing bodyweight exercises and pushing your cardio while training.

You’ll be losing weight while gaining muscle and mobility and ontop of that you’ll be saving time.

My workouts very rarely go over 30 minutes, so per week I train around 2 hours, instead of when I used to do weight lifting and I’d train for around 5 – 6 hours per week.

Training less than half the time and getting better results, really does feel amazing and is the reason I recommend combining the best and healthiest parts from all these types of exercise.

Just try it, you’ll feel like an animal and learn your exact fitness level.

What Type of Exercise I Avoid

So, I stay away from failure sets (excluding 1-2 training sessions per month) and I avoid all kinds of weightlifting machines, anything that isn’t free weight or compound movement I stay away from.

Why I avoid isolating weightlifting machines

Using free weights allows you to build core muscle and full body strength.

This stops muscles over developing and keeps your body in proportion and lowers the chance of injury.

What else I stay away from

Advanced bodyweight exercises that look like gymnastics.

When this chances of injury increase I stop.

I instead try to perfect the exercises I already know:

• Push-ups
• Pull-ups
• Dips
• Squats
• Various Kettlebell/dumbbell exercises

I do this by slowing down each rep, being mindful of my form and breathing.

I then add weights (using the weighted vest on bodyweight exercises) at a slow rate.

Doing this allows me to keep improving without having to push my muscles and joints with the more crazy exercises, I’m looking at you handstand push ups.

Do I Recommend Heavy Weight?

Yes and no.

Personally, I think train light, train hard and use your whole body.

Heavyweights are unnatural and should be done once or twice per month as a way to go to failure and add muscle mass, any more than that is overkill.

This is my own logic and everyone is different.

I know loads of healthy, strong weightlifters, however, my experience hasn’t been healthy and personally I find myself getting more injured when lifting heavy, I also find recovery time goes up and personally I feel weaker compared to how I felt while training with a mix.

How Many Days Do I Workout?

Recovery is important and over exercise has negative effects on the body and can actually decrease your muscles.

I’ve found the best routine to be 2 days on, 2 days off, I then try to sleep at least 8 hours every night.

On my off days I practice yoga (sometimes), go on long walks/hikes and occasionally do some more intense cardio.

I also make sure I’m having enough protein and health fats every day to aid recovery.

The post Calisthenics Vs Weightlifting appeared first on Fiznes.