JT
MARCH 5, 2026
The Only Equipment You Need to Build Strength at Home
By Jerry Teixeira | Nearly 30 Years of Strength Experience
You don't need a gym to build real strength. And you don't need thousands of dollars in equipment either.
Here's my complete setup—everything I used for the last 11 years to train myself and coach clients—for under $400 total.
The Starter Setup: $70
If you're just getting started, you need two things.
1. Doorway Pull-up Bar ($35)
This is where I started. I used one for years before I ever had a backyard setup. It's enough for pull-ups, hanging leg raises, and hanging your rings from.
If you're a complete beginner, this is all you need to get going.
2. Gymnastic Rings ($35)
These are my personal favorite and the single best investment you can make.
Dips, rows, push-ups, support holds, ab rollouts, rear delt flies...rings can do it all. They're portable, they hang from your doorway bar or any sturdy beam, and they make everything harder because they're unstable.
That instability builds stabilizer strength you won't get from machines or fixed dip bars.
$70. Train your entire body. Anywhere.
The Full Setup: $400
Once you've been training for a while, here's what's worth adding:
3. Outdoor Pull-up Bar ($120)
When I moved my training outside, I bought a standalone pull-up bar for the backyard. It's more stable than a doorway bar, no door frame stress, and you can leave your rings hanging permanently.
One tip: if you hang rings outdoors, use plastic rings. Moisture will crack and splinter wooden rings over time. Learned that one the hard way.
4. Roman Chair / Hyper Bench ($100)
Great for back extensions, reverse hypers, and glute work. It trains the same musculature as the deadlift without needing space for barbells and plates.
Not essential for beginners. But once you want to bulletproof your lower back, it's a solid add.
5. Dumbbells (varies)
Bodyweight covers most of what you need, but dumbbells fill in the gaps, especially for lower body.
Bodyweight squats and lunges are great, but progressive overload gets tricky without adding weight. A pair of adjustable dumbbells or a few fixed weights solves that.
They're also useful for additional direct arm and shoulder work if that's a priority for you.
The Full Breakdown
- Doorway pull-up bar $35
- Gymnastic rings $35
- Outdoor pull-up bar: $120
- Roman chair / hyper bench: $100
- Dumbbells: varies (But likely $100+)
My Gear Recommendations
I put together an Amazon storefront with the exact equipment I use and recommend to clients. Nothing fancy—just what works.
What to Do Next
Now that you have the equipment, you need a system.
The Foundational 8 is the progression framework I use to build real strength at home. Eight movements, scalable from beginner to advanced, no gym required. Get your guide here
Train smart. Stay capable.
-JT
About Jerry Teixeira
Jerry Teixeira is the founder of Bodyweight Strength and has been physically training for nearly 30 years. Since 2019, Jerry has coached thousands of clients using the Minimum Effective Dose (MED) philosophy—maximizing results through surgical precision and leverage manipulation rather than high-volume "junk" training.
Frequently Asked Questions:
FAQ: Home Gym Equipment
Yes. A doorway pull-up bar and gymnastic rings will let you train your entire body. I used that setup for years before I ever had a backyard gym.
Are gymnastic rings hard to use for beginners?
They're humbling at first. But that's the point. The instability forces your stabilizers to work, which builds functional strength faster. Start with easier progressions, feet-supported rows, ring planks and support holds to build initial shoulder stability and work up from there.
Wooden rings feel better and grip better. But if you're leaving them outside, use plastic. Moisture will crack and splinter wood over time.
Not at first. Bodyweight covers most of what you need, especially upper body. But dumbbells help with lower body progressive overload and direct arm work if that's a priority. That said, they are a great tool and worth it If you've got the budget.
They're fine for warm-ups and rehab, or when traveling, but they're not a substitute for real load. The resistance curve is backwards, hardest at the top, easiest at the bottom. Rings and bodyweight give you consistent tension through the full range.
Not for beginners. But if you want to build serious posterior chain strength and bulletproof your lower back without deadlifts, it's a solid investment down the line.
Yes. The research is clear: muscle responds to tension, effort, and progressive overload—not the tool delivering it. Push-ups build the same muscle as bench press when programming is matched. Your body doesn't know the difference.