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Garage gym guide

What to buy first for a home gym, in the order that makes sense

The public health advice for strength training is short: work every major muscle group, twice a week, to the point where the last repetition is hard. Here is the least equipment that lets you do that at home, and the order we would buy it in.

Published 26 September 2026

HULKFIT Pro Series Power Cage

What the guidelines ask for

The CDC's overview of physical activity for adults puts it in one line:

Adults also need 2 days of muscle-strengthening activity each week.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Adult Activity: An Overview, read 26 September 2026

Its page on what counts as activity adds which muscles and how much work:

Activities should work all the major muscle groups of your body—legs, hips, back, chest, abdomen, shoulders, and arms.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, What Counts as Physical Activity for Adults, read 26 September 2026

It also gives a starting dose for each exercise:

Try to do 8–12 repetitions per activity, which counts as one set.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, What Counts as Physical Activity for Adults, read 26 September 2026

The first purchase: a rack, a bar and plates

A squat, a bench press, a row and an overhead press cover legs, hips, back, chest and shoulders between them. A pull-up covers the back and arms. All of them happen in or next to a power rack, with a bar and plates. That is why the rack comes first.

HULKFIT Cast Iron Weight Plates
Cast Iron Weight PlatesFrom $15.73 in our last update

Second: a bench

A flat bench turns the rack into a pressing station. An adjustable bench adds incline work for the upper chest and shoulders. If you plan to press heavy alone, set the rack's safety arms just below your chest before you start.

HULKFIT Heavy Duty Flat or Adjustable Bench
Heavy Duty Flat or Adjustable Bench$110.00 in our last update

Third: the floor

It is tempting to leave the floor until last, but the floor is what protects everything else. Tiles under the rack and bench and a mat where you deadlift cost less than a cracked plate or a chipped slab.

What can wait

Dumbbells, cable attachments, a landmine and a dip bar all add variety. None of them is needed to meet the twice-a-week guideline. Buy them when you know which lifts you like and which ones your rack is missing.

The Pro Series Power Cage, every setup, from our last update.
SetupPrice
Black, Gen 2$509.99

Before you start

This guide is about equipment, not about your health. If you have an injury, a heart condition or have not trained in a long time, talk to a doctor before you start lifting.

Sources

  1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Adult Activity: An Overview. Read 26 September 2026.
  2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: What Counts as Physical Activity for Adults. Read 26 September 2026.
  3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: What Counts as Physical Activity for Adults. Read 26 September 2026.