Weight training is healthful, fun, and productive. You don’t have to be a gym member to gain the benefits of this great activity. How much space you have, how much time you want to put into it, your training experience, and your goals influence how you set up your home workout area.

Let’s take a look at some options.

Do you have limited space? The easiest thing is to use your body weight for resistance. These exercises are called calisthenics. Calisthenics are great for beginners and can be used, to some extent, by advanced trainees. The problem is that there will always be a limit to how far you can go, unless you do something to increase the resistance beyond your weight by wearing weighted vests, hanging weights from your waist for pull-ups, or other devices. Special elastic bands can be used for resistance, and there are some available that can be used for, say, heavy squats. The force applied from elastic bands is not the same as with free weights; the force is always greatest when the band is stretched the most, which does not often match the normal strength curve. You may have to do the exercise from several positions to get the muscle worked evenly. And for some of us, bands are unsatisfactory because we like to be able to quantify how much we are lifting more precisely. It is usually more satisfying to progress from 15 to 20 lb dumbbells than to go from, say, a green band to a purple one.

Most people eventually will want to set up their own workout space and purchase some equipment. Free weights, which are dumbbells and barbells, can comprise all of the equipment you use, or can be used to complement weight training machines.

Dumbbells are inexpensive and don’t take up much room. They are easy to control and less likely than a barbell to knock a hole in your wall if you live in a small apartment. You may see recommendations to use something like a plastic milk jug filled with water or sand as a do-it-yourself alternative, but dumbbells are more comfortable to work with. You can get the inexpensive kind for home use. The fancy chrome ones hold up better to gym use, but you don’t need them. Get at least two sets to start with. Sedentary women may want to get 5 and 8 pounds, while older or out-of-shape males can start with maybe 12 and 15. Try them out on a bicep curl. Find a weight that fatigues you at about 10 repetitions, then get a pair of those and a pair of the next lightest ones. There is no maximum weight.

As you get stronger, you will want to get heavier dumbbells. You may want to get some weight plates and adjustable dumbbells, which consist of a handle that you load with weights of different sizes. This is cheaper and takes less space than getting a lot of dumbbells, especially when you are ready for the heavy ones. Another approach is to get a set of stacking dumbbells, such as PowerBlocks. These are more expensive, but are worth it, if you can afford it. I urge you to get a workout bench. If you are just going to use dumbbells, you can get one without barbell supports. There are many exercises you can do without a bench, but when you start doing heavier workouts, a workout bench allows you more comfort and versatility, and will be safer than that wobbly piano bench you may think you want to start out on.

Barbells are a nice addition. They allow you to do some heavier exercises, call for a different sort of muscular coordination than dumbbells, and have a certain mystique. Many advanced weight trainees have started with the inexpensive 110-pound weight set. If your space is really tight, you can get by with just dumbbells.

You may want to get your own weight training machine. Most home trainees who get machines get one multi-purpose piece of equipment, but if you have the space you can get more. There are too many choices to describe in detail, but a few generalities are in order. This is one case where you get what you pay for. A more expensive piece will give you more options, work more smoothly and comfortably, and hold up better. You may be able to get by with a less expensive option if you are not going to use it much, but if it is going to get much use, or be used by an advanced exerciser or a heavier person, it will be worth spending more. Conventional weight machines use stacks of weights, with the resistance usually controlled by a pin inserted in the stack. These are tried and true and feel most like gym machines, but are quite heavy. Some of the expensive ones are very well made and versatile, and some of the cheap ones are rough and require constant maintenance. Make sure you try out all the exercises while you’re in the store comparing models. Have the salesperson show you the adjustments and try them out yourself to make sure the machine fits you. If it is uncomfortable or causes pain when you use it, try another model. Ideally, you will be able to try out the machine before you buy it, but at least try one from the same manufacturer. Make sure you can return it within a reasonable time period if it is not satisfactory. Measure out the space you have set aside for it before you go shopping for a machine, or you may have an unpleasant surprise when it is delivered.

Some newer types of machines use different types of resistance. Bowflex uses special rods, Soloflex uses rubber straps, and Total Gym uses your own body weight in a clever way. These, while not cheap, have the advantage of being much lighter and more portable than weight stack machines. You can store your Bowflex in a closet and wheel it out to the patio to work out outdoors, for instance. These machines are sold mostly through mail order, so may be difficult to try out before buying, although you should be able to return them if they are not satisfactory. Get the manufacturer to send you all the relevant information before deciding on one of these.

On the top end, if you are a very advanced weight trainee or bodybuilder who wants to work out at home, your best bet is to get a power rack and Olympic bar and plates, plus dumbbells. This may require you to set aside a room or garage for your home gym. (A power rack is a rectangular “cage”device with pins and supports that will catch the bar if you cannot complete your lift. This, or something similar, is necessary for safety if you are going to do heavy lifting without a spotter. You also have to learn how to set the pins and dump the bar safely.)

If you have the space, it’s nice to have a rack or tree for your dumbbells and plates. Get a piece of cardio equipment that you like. If you want to do cardio elsewhere, you can warm up for weight training by walking or jogging a bit, going up and down stairs, or jumping rope. A mat for your stretching gives you the extra comfort you deserve at the end of a hard workout.