Free weights - home gym products review

When facing the choice of equipment for home gym, usually the first thing that comes to mind is the load.

 

Less problem with the decision of what to choose, have those who exercise for some time. They have a specific style of training, know their capabilities, know what equipment suits them and in what weight range they move. The problem comes when you want to build a gym after a long break from training. In the beginning the weight progression is significant, but over time you reach a certain level and the growth is no longer so spectacular.

 

Choosing between barbells, dumbbells can also be difficult. Here two main aspects come into play - your preferences and the square footage of your future workout space.

Imagine moving and training with a barbell on less than 15m2. It can be hard. At the very thought of such a situation comes to everyone's mind viral video from the Internet, which you probably know :)

The Cross Barbell is one of the more comprehensive ones and is ideal for home use. It is a good choice for people who do not know in which direction to go with training. The barbell is dedicated to physique exercisers, as well as those training elements of the Olympic weightlifting. It has a strengthened construction adjusted to the overhead weight drop. This means that even if you do not train cross-training, the bar will serve you for a long time.

 

It is worth mentioning that barbells often come in two variants: male and female. The main differences are the diameter of the grip part - 28mm (male) and 25mm (female) and the weight - 20kg (male) and 15kg (female). The female barbell is also slightly shorter.

 

When choosing a barbell for home, it is worth choosing those with rotating sleeves. On the market in the offers of many companies there are straight grips without bearings for plates with a hole of 30mm. However they are slowly becoming extinct. Working on this type of grips is less pleasant, and the lack of rotating sleeves generates unwanted overloads, which is the first step to many unpleasant injuries.

The barbell is not everything. It is worth choosing the right load for it. Bumper plates work very well in a home gym. They are made of high quality rubber and steel, which is why they are characterized by high resilience and beautiful look. It is an ideal solution for all amateurs of cross-training, in which the weight is often dropped from above the head. The plates have a very good effect when it comes to working on the platform. Due to the fact that the rubber in them is hardened, the barbell hitting the ground will "fade" and not bounce like a ball.

 

In addition to a set of large plates in the 5-25kg range, it's worth getting small fractional plates. This will help you build a steady progression and gradually increase your training load.

 

Bumper training plates are not the only right choice. If you're only doing bodybuilding training and don't mind about throwing weights, Olympic plates with handles may be a better choice. Apart from the fact that they fit any Olympic barbell, you can use them separately in your workout. Such load gives you a lot more exercise options.

The foundation in a home gym are dumbbells. It is worth choosing those which will be the most functional. Such are the HEX dumbbells. They are currently bestseller when it comes to choosing equipment for home gyms. What differentiates them from other products of this type available on the market? First of all, the weight is surrounded by thick rubber. Thanks to this, the dumbbells are practically indestructible, and what is more, they will not cause such damage as steel ones during an uncontrolled fall to the ground. The second important advantage is their shape and hexagonal form. They can serve as mini parallettes for gymnastic exercises starting from simple push-ups. Positioning in a hammer grip in the torso drop will be beneficial for all those who have problems with wrist pain.

 

 

When choosing dumbbells, it is worth considering the safety aspect. We suggest choosing dumbbells with a fixed load. Dumbbells adjustable on clamps are not an optimal solution when it comes to overhead exercises or dynamic work.

Kettlebell weights can be an alternative to dumbbells or another workout tool in our home inventory. Although the two pieces of equipment have a lot in common, they also have a lot of differences. And all because of the construction. Weights have an unbalanced center of gravity. Their grip part is usually thicker than in dumbbells, so they engage more muscle parts at the very start.

 

If you want to focus on holistic training they will be the perfect solution.

 

Kettlebell PRO are high quality cast iron dumbbells. If you are thinking about burning some extra pounds or increasing the intensity of your workout, kettlebells can be a great solution. There are many training methods that turn kettlebells into a comprehensive tool for building mass, strength, coordination and endurance.

 

So we can safely say that kettlebell is one of the most versatile pieces of equipment. However, to use its advantages in 100%, you need much more practise. Some more complicated movements need to be mastered for months.