You want a home weight room but aren’t sure if you’ve got enough space. In this post, I’ll give an example of what you can do in a 100-square-foot space. I’ve made some 2D and 3D floor plans that will show you what’s possible.
A 10′ by 10′ (305 x 305 cm) space is big enough to build a complete weightlifting home gym. If the equipment is picked carefully, this is plenty of space to fit and use a: Power cage/half rack, barbell, weight plates, bench, and dumbbells. In some cases, it’s also possible to place a rowing machine.
Those pieces of equipment are all you need for lifting free weights and fit in a 10′ x 10′ space. Below there will be two example floor plans you can use as inspiration for your home gym.
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100 Square Feet Home Gym Floor Plans
Below you’ll find three different floor plans for 100 square feet home gyms. These are setups that will
100 Sq. Ft. isn’t a huge amount of space but you can certainly build a good gym in a room this size. You can fit all the basics and have enough space to use them. These builds are focused on the average home gym user. At the bottom are a few ways you can change these layouts to fit your specific needs better.
In some cases, we’ll use folding equipment to our advantage just so we can get a bit more in. This is to show you what’s possible. You don’t have to follow these plans exactly, use them to get some inspiration!
10′ x 10′ Home Gym Floor Plan #1
The first layout is a basic home gym with all the free weights and a rack. This is the home gym many people want. It’s great for bodybuilding, strength training, and even CrossFit.
What’s in this 100 Sq. Ft. home gym?
10′ x 10′ Home Gym Layout #2
For this alternative layout, we did things a little differently. This is a setup that will appeal to people who aren’t focused as much on muscle or strength building but more on overall fitness.
The power rack and barbell have made for a treadmill and some other conditioning tools like kettlebells and a plyo box have been added.
What’s In This Gym?
8′ x 12′ Gym Floor Plans
I know, 8 times 12 is 96 so these floor plans are technically not 100 square feet but it’s a fairly common room size and close enough to put them into this post. It will show off what happens if your space isn’t square.
With some puzzling, you can actually fit a bit more inside compared to a 10′ x 10′ layout which is pretty cool. This is a great setup for people who want to add some cardio to their bodybuilding or strength training routines.
You’ll notice I added a spin bike in the corner. This corner isn’t big enough to use the spin bike but they are pretty easy to move around. So simply push the bench to the side and pull out the bike when you need a cardio workout. Then put it back when finished. This way you can fit a cardio machine into your space as well as a full rack, dumbbells and bench.
What’s In This Gym?
Optional Extras
There are some things you could still add to the setup shown above even though you don’t have a whole lot of space.
Those things don’t take up a lot of space at all and can add a good bit of functionality to your gym.
Which Lifts Can You Do In a 100 Sq. Ft. Home Gym?
As said, the layout and equipment of this gym are meant to be used for lifting free weights. While to some that might sound limited, you can build an amazing body just by lifting free weights.
This setup allows you to do almost every exercise you can do with a barbell or dumbbell. Just some examples;
And that’s just a very small part of the possible lifts with these setups. These are some of the most popular lifts in all gyms around the world. There are many more lifts and exercises that you can do in this gym but there are just too many to list.
All these exercises can create an awesome body if you know how to program correctly. If you don’t know or are just getting started, there are a whole lot of free programs available online that can help you get started. For beginners, Starting strength or 5 x 5 are both great places to get started.
FAQ
Can you build muscle with free weights?
Yes, free weights are the best tools for building muscle. While you have to be careful with your form, free weights can be more effective than machines. Barbells and dumbbells are great for lifting heavy, which is one of the cornerstones of building mass.
Are dumbbells essential in a home gym?
While you can do many lifts and exercises with just a barbell and weight plates, dumbbells allow for more flexibility and can be used for more lifts and to isolate smaller muscles. Dumbbells also require your arms to move separately which can prevent muscle imbalances.
