First Home Gym
Free tool

Home Gym Planner

Enter your floor space, ceiling height, budget and goal. The planner shows which setups fit, whether you have the headroom to press overhead, and a starter gear list in priority order. Everything runs in your browser; nothing you type is sent or saved.

Units
Your space

Ceiling height

Your height

Stand flat-footed, reach both arms straight up, and measure floor to fingertips.
Budget & goal

Suggested starting point

–

Floor space: –

    Ceiling checks

      Starter gear, in order

        • Rough total, new–

          Prices are rough ballpark ranges for new gear in the U.S., not quotes. They vary widely by brand and change often, so check current prices. Used gear is often much cheaper.

          How the planner works

          The planner uses simple, transparent rules of thumb. They are a starting point for measuring and shopping, not a guarantee that a specific product will fit. Always check the listed dimensions of anything you buy against your own tape measure.

          Floor zones

          • Bodyweight & mat zone: at least 6 × 6 ft (1.8 × 1.8 m). Enough to lie down, stretch and do push-ups with your arms out.
          • Dumbbell + bench station: at least 6 × 8 ft (1.8 × 2.4 m). A typical flat bench is around 4 ft long, and you need room on both sides to lower dumbbells.
          • Barbell + rack or stands: at least 9 × 8 ft (2.7 × 2.4 m), ideally about 10.5 × 10 ft. A standard Olympic bar is 7.2 ft (2.2 m) long, and you need space at each end to slide plates on and off, plus room in front of the rack to step back and to slide a bench in.

          “Tight fit” means you meet the minimum but not the comfortable size: workable, with less room to move.

          Ceiling checks

          • Overhead reach is estimated as 1.33 × your height, a common rule of thumb. People vary, so enter your measured reach if you can.
          • Barbell press: reach, minus about 3 in because the bar sits in your palm below your fingertips, plus about 8.9 in for the radius of a full-size plate (45 lb and 20 kg plates are about 450 mm, or 17.7 in, across), plus about 1.75 in for a 3/4 in mat and your shoes, plus 2 in of breathing room. “Very tight” means it clears only without that 2 in margin.
          • Dumbbell press: the same, but with about 4 in for the dumbbell head instead of a plate.
          • Racks: full-height power racks are typically listed at roughly 80–93 in tall, and several brands sell shorter versions around 70–73 in. Check the exact height of any model you’re considering.
          • Pull-ups on a rack need roughly a foot of space above the bar for your head.

          Gear list and prices

          The list is ordered by what most beginners get the most use from first: flooring to protect the floor (and your neighbors), then the most versatile weights, then a bench, then smaller extras. Items are added while the low end of the running total fits your budget. A barbell plan is suggested only when you choose barbell lifts, the floor is big enough, the space isn’t an upper-floor apartment, and the basic setup fits your budget.

          Not medical advice

          This tool helps you plan space and gear. If you have a health condition or injury, or are new to exercise, check with a doctor before you start. Follow every manufacturer’s assembly instructions and weight limits, and use safeties when lifting alone. See our disclaimer.

          Keep planning