What dumbbells, barbells, and racks to buy for home?

Author: Timko Ilya - master of the whole project and fitness trainer.
2011-03-31

All prices are relevant as of spring 2011!

Have you decided to create a mini gym at home? Commendable. For reference, let me tell you that to equip a full professional gym of 300 square meters, approximately 5,000,000 rubles would be needed. Impressive? The average cost of a strength training machine is 80,000 – 100,000 rubles. A good barbell will cost around 15,000 rubles. A bench – 13,000 – 15,000. A single 10 kg plate will cost about 2,000 rubles. But don't be afraid. When purchasing equipment for home use, you can save a bit.

The goals that every person pursues when creating their own little gym:

1. Maximum functionality of the equipment. This means only choosing the "iron" with which you can perform as many exercises as possible.
2. Minimum financial expenditure. This can be achieved with a smart approach.
3. Maximum compactness of all equipment.

To summarize these three points, we can say the following. Our goal is to acquire equipment for a relatively small amount that allows us to train all muscle groups. Moreover, it should fit into a small room at home, in a garage, or elsewhere.

This option will cost you 40,000 – 50,000 rubles and does not involve purchasing machines. It will consist of a barbell, adjustable dumbbells, plates, a bench for pressing, and squat racks. Let me tell you right away that it’s better to buy bars, dumbbells, and, accordingly, plates with a sleeve diameter of 50 mm. This is the unified international standard. And while they may be slightly more expensive than the 30 mm and 26 mm options, you won’t regret it. They are easier to upgrade, and such equipment is more reliable and always holds its value.

1. Barbell

Barbell, length - 2200 mm, d-50 mm (up to 315 kg), chrome, without locks. Weight 20 kg. This barbell will cost you 7,768 rubles. This is a budget option for a fairly professional bar. It can easily withstand 300 kg and will not bend. It meets all standards. In comparison, professional counterparts for 400 - 500 kg will cost about twice as much. I recommend getting bars that meet the following standards: length 220 cm and weight 20 kg without locks. And that there’s a guarantee of at least 200 kg. Everything else is just not worth it!

2. Dumbbell Bar

Dumbbell bar, L 390 mm. Sleeve diameter 50 mm. Weight 5 kg – 2099 rubles each. With the same sleeve diameter (50 mm). Buy medium-length bars (39 cm). They are the most functional. Longer ones are less convenient. Shorter ones will hold fewer plates. You can easily load up to 50 kg on such dumbbells. This should be enough even for genuinely strong guys.

3. Barbell Stands

Universal stand with safety supports - 7900 rubles. This stand can be lowered quite low, allowing for both squats and bench pressing. If your arms can't reach the barbell while doing a horizontal press, you can place the bar on the safety stands, which can also be extended. This is a very useful feature if you train alone. Overall, universal, sturdy, and inexpensive stands.

4. Adjustable Bench

Universal bench - 7600 rubles. It must have an adjustable backrest. This significantly increases its functionality. You can set it under the stands to create a bench for bench pressing. Change the incline to shift the load from the chest to the shoulders.

5. Plates

BARBELL euroclassic is a great option in my opinion. These are professional plates at a relatively affordable price. They are widely used in any gym. You don't necessarily have to buy colored plates (which are more expensive); black ones will do. For an average man just starting out, 100 kg of "iron" is sufficient. 2x15 kg (4684 rubles), 2x10 kg (3120 rubles), 4x5 kg (3895 rubles), 4x2.5 kg (2024 rubles), and 4x1.25 kg (1252 rubles). In total, your barbell will weigh 105 kg (without clamps). Buy small plates in sets of 4, as you will also use them on dumbbells. This will add another 14,975 rubles.

In total, your expenses will amount to 42,443 rubles. I agree that this is a significant amount and not everyone can afford it. But what do you get in return? With the stands, you can perform squats with the barbell on your shoulders, lunges, bends, and a bunch of other exercises for your back, shoulders, and legs. The bench allows you to press the barbell and dumbbells at various angles. You can perform pullovers, French presses, and seated presses from the chest and behind the head. The adjustable dumbbells allow you to load them with any weight and train absolutely all muscle groups. And with rubber-coated plates, you can safely do deadlifts without worrying about your floor. All this equipment is of high quality and reliable. Overall, in terms of functionality, your home mini-gym will fall slightly short of a full gym.

I will say again that you can certainly buy slightly lower quality for the barbell, plates, and the rest of the equipment and spend approximately 10,000 - 20,000 less. But I do not recommend this. What I advise you here is truly high quality, it will serve you well for a long time, and it meets commonly accepted standards.

ATTENTION! I do not collaborate with the stores mentioned in this article. I do not receive any benefits from your purchases. This selection of equipment is completely impartial and professional.

In the second part of this article, you will learn about options with strength training machines. As you understand, if you have less than 50,000 rubles, there is no sense in purchasing them. Good machines are expensive, and bad ones break quickly.