Your fitness in the future will be achieved to some degree, inside your garage (or basement). I believe that life will become busier and more remote, leaving the convenience of working out from home the logical decision.

However, physical gym locations will always be around. There’s something special about getting together in-person with your coach and friends to train when life permits.

For this reason, I want to help you gradually build out your home gym. I hope that you always remain a member of the RxFIT community, but that your membership turns to a hybrid one: remote coaching + in-person coaching. (Interested? Click here.)

An incredible amount of fitness can be achieved just with your own bodyweight (push-up, sit-up, running, jumping, playing sports, etc.). For this reason, I recommend the first piece of equipment you purchase be a weighted object, more specifically, a pair of dumbbells.

The Value of Dumbbells

Every functional movement performed with a barbell can also be performed with a pair of dumbbells. Conversely, not all dumbbell movements can be performed with a barbell.

Don’t kill me, a barbell with bumper plates is eventually on the list. But the versatility, price, and size of a pair of dumbbells can’t be beat.

You can perform all barbell movements either with a pair of dumbbells or just one dumbbell. The stimulus of a double dumbbell snatch is very different than a single-arm dumbbell snatch. Both should be trained as the core is taxed and twisted differently.

Additionally, dumbbells take up little to no space. I’m speaking to the masses here, but you’re generally going to be limited on space inside of your garage (or basement) gym. Dumbbells can be easily stored and stacked on top of each other. And when you pull them out to do your metcon, you can also invite your spouse or children to join in with you as a dumbbell won’t take up any more space than a body will.

What Type of Dumbbells?

I recommend the rubber hex dumbbells because they’re durable. Not only will they last forever, but they also are comfortable to hold.

The rubber heads minimize noise and limit wear and tear (to both the bells and your flooring). The hexagon-shaped head also prevents it from rolling around if your garage is sloped.

I would refrain from purchasing the “all-in-one” options like these because they’re fragile. If you try to do metcons with these, you’ll be more worried about them breaking then getting a good workout in. These dumbbells are the better option if you are only going to be lifting with them.

Takeaway

Buy a pair of rubber hex dumbbells. You can buy them from Rogue, Walmart, or Amazon. Just make sure they’re rubber-encased and hexagonal (not round).

For starters, I would buy a moderate weight. Something that you can perform 10 presses overhead in a set. For most, that would look like 35-lbs for a guy and 20-lbs for a girl. My next weight would be a heavier pair–something that you can press overhead about 3 times. This would be somewhere around 50-lbs for a guy and 35-lbs for a girl.

These two pairs of dumbbells will allow you to perform a broad variety of workouts.

Tyler

P.S. For “Rx” athletes, these weights would look more like 50-lbs and 70-lbs for a guy and 35-lbs and 50-lbs for a girl.

Daily Directive

I’m challenging you right now to workout 50 days in-a-row. Here is your workout for today.

Day 12 (of 50)
For Time:
3 Rounds of…
21 Dumbbell Front Squat
400-meter Run

Other Articles in this Series
The Home Gym Series
The Home Gym: Gymnastic Rings
The Home Gym: Rower
The Home Gym: Barbell
The Home Gym: Bumper Plates