Accessories

How to choose

• Flooring is the least glamorous decision that ruins the most home gyms.

  Without proper flooring, dropped weights will crack concrete or wood, damage the bar, and destroy the floor's waterproofing. A £200 mat set prevents £1,000+ in repair costs.

• 20mm standard vs 30mm deadlift mats — depends on what you're doing.

  20mm is fine for most gym work. 30mm (or layered 20mm mats) is needed if you drop plates regularly. Check the load rating if you're heavy or lifting heavy.

• Pull-up bar installation is the detail that stops most people.

  Doorway bars need solid door frames. Wall-mounted bars need proper studs and anchoring. A bar that pulls out mid-rep is dangerous. Installation matters more than the bar itself.

• Resistance bands are genuinely useful for warm-ups and mobility.

  They don't replace weights. But a set of loop bands weighs 200 g and takes up nothing, and they're the best warm-up tool you'll own.

• Mirrors help form checking but also make small spaces feel bigger.

  One mirror across the wall where you lift adds visual feedback. Avoid filling the space with mirrors — it looks like a studio, and the acoustics are horrible.

• Storage systems keep you sane as your gym grows.

  Loose plates and dumbbells spread around the garage become a tripping hazard. A wall-mounted plate tree or dumbbell rack costs £60–150 and is worth ten times that for safety and accessibility.