Equipment
Home gym Training
A barbell, a rack, a bench and plates covers essentially everything. Rest 3 to 5 minutes on heavy compounds and 60 to 120 seconds on accessories, exactly as you would in a commercial gym — but plan around the plates you actually own.
What you need
- • Barbell and plates
- • Squat rack or stands
- • Adjustable bench
- • Optional: dumbbells, pull-up bar, dip belt
The honest limitation
The under-appreciated constraint is plate selection, not equipment. Without fractional plates your smallest jump may be 5kg, which is a 10% increase on a modest press and makes steady progression impossible. A pair of 1.25kg and 0.5kg plates costs very little and fixes it.
What you can train
24 movements · 15 with full guides| Exercise | Strength rest | Hypertrophy rest | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Back squat | 3 min – 5 min | 2 min – 3 min | Read guide |
| Front squat | 3 min – 5 min | 2 min – 3 min | Read guide |
| Squat, 5x5 protocol | 3 min – 5 min | 2.5 min – 4 min | Read guide |
| Conventional deadlift | 3 min – 5 min | 2.5 min – 4 min | Read guide |
| Romanian deadlift | 3 min – 4 min | 2 min – 3 min | Read guide |
| Leg press | 2 min – 3 min | 1.5 min – 2.5 min | Read guide |
| Bench press | 3 min – 5 min | 1.5 min – 2.5 min | Read guide |
| Overhead press | 3 min – 5 min | 1.5 min – 2.5 min | Read guide |
| Dips | 2 min – 3 min | 1.5 min – 2 min | Read guide |
| Weighted pull-up | 3 min – 4 min | 1.5 min – 2.5 min | Read guide |
| Barbell row | 2.5 min – 4 min | 1.5 min – 2.5 min | Read guide |
| Bicep curl | 1.5 min – 2 min | 1 min – 1.3 min | Read guide |
| Pull-up, bodyweight | 2 min – 3 min | 1 min – 2 min | Read guide |
| Hip thrust | 2.5 min – 4 min | 1.5 min – 2.5 min | Read guide |
| Bulgarian split squat | 2.5 min – 4 min | 1.5 min – 2.5 min | Read guide |
| Lunge and step-up | 2 min – 3 min | 1.5 min – 2 min | — |
| Hamstring curl | 1.5 min – 2 min | 1 min – 1.5 min | — |
| Calf raise | 1 min – 1.5 min | 45s – 1.3 min | — |
| Incline bench press | 3 min – 4 min | 1.5 min – 2.5 min | — |
| Dumbbell press | 2.5 min – 4 min | 1.5 min – 2 min | — |
| Seated cable row | 2 min – 3 min | 1.3 min – 2 min | — |
| Shrug | 1.5 min – 2.5 min | 1 min – 1.5 min | — |
| Sled push and prowler | 2 min – 3 min | 1 min – 2 min | — |
| Plank and isometric hold | 1 min – 2 min | 45s – 1.5 min | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should you rest between sets in a home gym?
Exactly as you would anywhere else: 3 to 5 minutes on heavy compounds, 2 to 3 minutes on secondary lifts, and 60 to 120 seconds on accessories. The physiology does not change with location, though household distractions make a timer more important, not less.
What is the minimum equipment for a home gym?
A barbell, plates, a rack with safeties and an adjustable bench cover the great majority of training. Add a pull-up bar for vertical pulling and fractional plates so your jumps stay small enough to progress through.
What weights can I make with the plates I own?
Use the reverse plate calculator on this site. It lists every total you can build from your bar and plate pairs, which usually reveals larger gaps in your progression than people expect.