I wanted to write a page about weight lifting tools that will help you in your journey. I use all of these myself and wanted to share them with you. All of these have really helped me over the years.
I only provide tools that I trust. All of the below are Amazon affiliate links. I trust Amazon greatly as I have spent tens of thousands of dollars with Amazon since their launch, and they have always provided AMAZING customer service. I will receive a small amount of money if you purchase through the links below. This helps support Weight Lifting Complete, and I highly appreciate your support.
Weight Lifting Equipment
1. POWER RACK
A Power Rack is the center piece of your home gym. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND a home gym if you didn't already know. This saves you so much money and time in the long run AND provides you with the ability to do convenient workouts ANY TIME.
A power rack allows you to do all types of exercises safely and in a relatively small area. These are great for a home gym because they don't take up a ton of space and provide you with an area for most of your weight lifting exercises.
2. DIP STANDS
If your power rack doesn't include a way to do dips (some power racks have dip bars), you'll need a way to perform one of the best upper body exercises in existence.
Dips are one of the 7 weight lifting exercises that are required here at Weight Lifting Complete. Dips will change your body quickly.
If you have never done dips, you will most likely not be able to do them very easily at first. But trust me, you will gain strength quickly with dips and you'll be adding weight around your waist soon.
3. WEIGHT BENCH
A weight bench is a must for many different weight lifting exercises. I don't even do the bench press exercise as much any more (Weighted Push Ups are better!), but I still use the weight bench for many different weight lifting exercises.
You will 100% need a weight bench in your home gym. You'll want one that you can move around easily as well. My bench is constantly moving in and out of the power rack.
I use my weight bench for seated calf raises, 1-arm dumbbell rows, bulgarian squats, weighted push ups, stretching, and more.
4. BARBELL SETS
You'll need at least one Olympic Barbell Set for your home gym and lots of extra Olympic weight plates too. There are 2 different barbell sizes. I recommend Olympic over Standard size. Standard is much smaller and not as strong (but lower cost if you don't have the money right now for an Olympic size).
I first started with a standard sized barbell because I didn't know what I was doing, and I didn't have much money to spend. Standard barbells are a little weak when the weight gets heavy, but they can work very well for a while.
If you have multiple barbells and enough weight plates, you won't have to move barbells around as often. This saves you lots of time in your workouts. I have 4 barbells at this time, a trap bar, and a couple of standard barbells too. They are all well worth the money as it saves you workout time.
I have individual dumbbells from 3 pounds to 80 pounds (hex type), but I use adjustable dumbbells once I need anything heavier than 80 pounds.
If I was to start over with my home gym, I would get a set of quick adjustable dumbbells. But some (POWERBLOCK) of them can be annoying for certain exercises. I would most likely choose the Bowflex adjustable dumbbells that go up to 90 pounds in 5 pound increments.
The reason I would choose the quick adjustable dumbbells is to save space in my home gym and save money. Some gym equipment is large so saving lots of space with adjustable dumbbells is smart. Racks of hex dumbbells like I have currently take up lots of space and cost much, much more.
6. TRAP BAR
The trap bar deadlift just might be the best overall weight lifting exercise in existence. In order to do that exercise, you need a trap bar.
I highly recommend adding a trap bar and an area in your home gym where that trap bar will stay loaded with weight. So make sure you have enough weight plates too.
You'll find the trap bar deadlift in many of the WLC weight lifting workout programs.
The Holy Bible and Other Tools
Exercising your thankfulness to God is something that is required each day and all day long. God cares about your weight lifting progress. God cares about your health. God cares about you in everything that you do and in every way. No matter how little or how small you think it might be, God cares and God loves you.
Hebrews 13:15 (KJV) By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
If you do nothing else in your life, study the Word of God. Only His Word can change you into what you need to be. God is first.
You need to get yourself a good Bible. I highly recommend the King James Version. Some people say it's hard to understand. I say pray to God and use the Holy Spirit within you to help you understand. When God is ready to reveal His secrets to you, He will do so and you will understand. If I can understand, I know you can understand too. God created both of us equal. You can do this.
Once you get into a routine, add another study time. Now study your Bible at night before bed. Read the Bible in between sets of your weight lifting workouts. You can do this. You can get to know God better. Your results will improve greatly as you get to know God. God can and will heal you of every ailment you have. But you need to get to know Him.
Study the Bible each and every day. If you have trouble, start your day by reading a chapter in the Bible. Take your time. Every Word in the Bible is amazing and means something. Trust me on this. Study and read. You will find God, and you will understand Him more and more each day.
This is an amazing software program for studying the Bible. I have been using it for many years now. I use it often throughout the days when I am at home.
I use Sword Searcher for preparing what I will say for the Lord's Supper at our Church. You can make your own notes in the program, and you can find anything you need very quickly. It's amazing. You'll see.
Other Tools to Help You Each Day
1. FIT BIT
A Fit Bit is one of the most useful tools I have ever purchased. Both my wife and I have one and once they fit our daughter's wrists, they will have one too. I use it mainly to tell me how much I've been moving each day. I want to know how many steps I have for the day, and I want to make sure I am moving all throughout the day.
The next best thing about the Fit Bit is the sleep tracker. My Fit Bit tells me how much I've slept and how much time was spent in each stage of sleep. You'll quickly learn whether or not you're getting enough sleep. Sleep is HIGHLY important to your body and your life. Getting proper rest will change your life. A Fit Bit helps you to know how well you are doing with your sleep.
Next, I use my Fit Bit to track all of my workouts. When I get on the treadmill, I record that workout. When I go outside for a walk with my wife and kids, I record that. When I get on the elliptical machine or lift weights, I record each of those.
I also have my Fit Bit linked with a Bluetooth scale and I can see my body weight progress in my Fit Bit app on my phone.
A scale is something you should have but it's not life or death here. A scale helps you to know your progress in body weight. Sometimes body weight isn't going to change so fast once you begin weight lifting. You will lose body fat but add muscle which doesn't make the scale change so much. BUT, your appearance and health will improve GREATLY and that's what you want.
Some scales also have a body fat percentage measurement. I don't really trust this number much. I trust body measurements much more and skin fold measurements for body fat percentage. As long as you're waist is decreasing, you are making good progress in losing body fat. But remember, muscle around your abs and waist can also increase. The mirror is one of your best friends in measuring progress but a scale along with body fat percentage is very useful in determining how much body fat you have and how much lean muscle you have.
3. BODY FAT CALIPERS AND MEASURING TAPE
You'll find a weekly assessment within the WLC System. During this weekly assessment, you take measurements under the same conditions and make decisions based on your results.
You might see that you need to make better food choices or to decrease cardio. In order to make these decisions, you need a way to measure body fat and body progress.
Low cost body fat calipers will work and a low cost tape. A sewing tape will also work if you have one around.
I Will Continue to Add Tools to This Page To Further Assist You
I will continue to add tools to this page over time that will help you to meet your goals. I hope you enjoy the results from the WLC System. I have changed myself completely using the WLC System, and you can do the same.
P.S. If you have any questions about anything, please let me know. I do my best to respond to all emails the same day, but I may get a little behind at times so please be patient with me. I appreciate you being here. I created this site to help others, so let me know if I can help.
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