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 24/03/2026 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 24/03/2026 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 24/03/2026 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 24/03/2026 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 24/03/2026 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 24/03/2026 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 24/03/2026 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.