Can you really build muscle from home, or do you need to train at the gym?  This seems like a common question these days, and in the article below, Sean Nalewaynj gives us his thoughts on this topic. 

He explains that if done properly, training from home can be as effective as training in a commercial gym. He also outlines what equipment he recommends if you plan on building your own home gym.

Sean Nalewanyj is the author of The Truth About Building Muscle, One of the few muscle building programs that I highly recommend.  This program makes building muscle easy, by virtually eliminating trial and error.  It lays out everything you need to know to build muscle and increase strength, in a simple, step by step format.
 

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The answer is simply no.

Though many believe bodybuilding goals can only be accomplished with the aid of a gym membership, this is not the case. With the right equipment and planning, it is possible to follow an equally effective bodybuilding program from the comfort of your own home without ever having to set foot in a gym.

This is an exciting answer for those who find that working out at a gym bears too much of a financial burden, or adds inconvenience to an already hectic lifestyle, or for those who are uncomfortable with the public gym setting.    

The benefits of training at home are vast. For example, travel cost and travel time going to and from the gym are eliminated. Gym hours, holiday closings, etc. are no longer an issue. It is possible to have a great workout at any time of the day, workout wearing whatever you want, and even listen to loud music without disturbing anyone.     

The only real disadvantage of training at home is that exercise selection will decrease because certain pieces of specific machinery (like cable driven machinges) will not be available. Though certain machines can be purchased to make up for this, this is usually not necessary, as equal results can be achieved without the use of this machinery.    

Planning out a proper bodybuilding routine at home does not require the use of any fancy equipment, and all of the machine exercises that you would regularly perform at a gym can be swapped for free-weight substitutions.

Here is the basic equipment that your home gym should contain:

1) An adjustable barbell with freeweight plates – A cast iron set is probably a good idea, and you must also make sure that you purchase enough weight so that you can continually progress from week to week.

2) Adjustable dumbbells – This is much more efficient and cost-effective than purchasing an entire set of dumbbells. You should be able to buy the barbell and dumbbells together in a single set.  Bowflex and Powerblock make good adjustable dumbbells.

3) A bench with incline adjustments – A good sturdy bench is a must-have for performing bench presses and other seated movements. If possible you should purchase a bench that can be set on an incline and that also contains safety catches if you plan on training alone.

4) A chin-up bar – These can usually be purchased for 15 to 20 dollars and can be placed inside a door frame.

5) A squat rack – This is usually the trickiest piece of equipment to purchase, as a full squat rack can be pricey. Squats are an irreplaceable movement and should always be a part of your workout routine, especially if you don't have a leg press machine handy.  

6) An Exercise ball - Great for training the core, and can also be used to increase the difficulty of dumbbell exercises.

If you can't afford a squat rack then you'll have to be creative. It is imperative that you have some sort of apparatus that will allow you to safely un-rack a loaded bar and drop the bar onto a safety catch (or the floor) if your strength gives out during the lift.     

Remember not to squat without a safe place to drop the bar. Most full squat racks will also provide a chin-up bar on top, which is helpful as this is one less piece of equipment to buy.    

As long as you have these five basic pieces of equipment in your arsenal, you can perform an equally effective workout without ever having to join a traditional gym.  

Sean Nalewanyj, author of The Truth About Building Muscle

Sean Nalewanyj is a formerly skinny muscle building expert, and the author of The Truth About Building Muscle, a complete bodybuilding program designed to maximize muscle growth. Sean's program includes sample meal plans, video tutorials, detailed training routines, tracking software, and more. Read My Review Of The Truth About Building Muscle  Learn more about Sean, and check out his other contributed articles and videos.