Setting Up a Home Gym: The Complete Guide (Even for Small Apartments)

Setting up a home gym doesn't mean filling an entire room with equipment. It means using the available space and budget to buy the two or three things you'll still be using in five years. This guide takes you through the decision step by step, from a small two-room apartment to your own training room, and shows where each TWHEELS machine really fits.

Contents

• How much space and budget do you really need?
• Which cardio machine is right for you?
• How do you cover strength training at home?
• Do you also need an office ergonomics corner?
• Which accessories are really worth it?
• Comparison: which equipment for which space and budget?
• Home gym in a small apartment: what works?
• Which mistakes cost the most money?
• Frequently asked questions
• Conclusion

How much space and budget do you really need?

Before buying any equipment, measure your space and set a budget. It sounds obvious, but this is where most home gyms fail: people buy what looked good in the video, and then the equipment gets in the way or becomes a clothes horse.

Proceed in three steps:

• Measure your space. Not just the footprint, but also the space needed for movement. A rowing machine may only be just over 2 metres long, but you also need room in front of and behind it. A walking pad, on the other hand, disappears under the sofa after your workout.
• Set an honest budget. Don't just factor in the machine, but also how often you'll actually use it. A 400 CHF machine that you use every day costs less per session than a 150 CHF one that sits unused after three weeks.
• One goal per machine. Do you want to move more (cardio), get stronger (strength), or sit more healthily (office)? Buy for your most important goal first, not for all three at once.

A practical rule of thumb: If you're starting from scratch, you'll get the most from a good cardio machine plus a flexible strength solution (adjustable dumbbell or weighted vest). That covers 80 percent of your needs and costs a fraction of a full gym. You can find the complete setup in the TWHEELS fitness equipment category.

Which cardio machine is right for you?

The right cardio machine depends on your available space, your preferred movement pattern, and how much noise you can tolerate. There is no single best machine, only the best one for your home.

The four sensible options at TWHEELS:

• Walking Pad, if you want to stay active while doing other things, including working or making phone calls. The basic version runs at up to 6 km/h, while the version with a handrail reaches up to 12 km/h, folds down to just 13.5 cm, and is so quiet at a measured 45 dB that you can still clearly hear music at room volume. Supports up to 135 kg. Learn more in the comparison Walking Pad vs. Treadmill.
• Water Rowing Machine, if you want to work your whole body in one movement and like a calm, steady feel. The resistance comes from real water, it supports up to 180 kg, and it can be stored upright after training.
• Indoor Bike, if you're looking for intense, joint-friendly interval training. Continuously adjustable resistance, very quiet at around 35 dB, and a compact footprint.
• Sprinting Machine, the self-powered, curved treadmill without a motor, for anyone who wants to sprint seriously and train at maximum intensity. Weighing 80 kg and measuring 2 m in length, this isn't a living-room machine—it's for your own training room.

We tested all four in everyday use. The honest point about noise: the Walking Pad and Indoor Bike are unproblematic in rented apartments, the rowing machine produces a clearly audible swishing of water with every stroke (pleasant for many, but noticeable in the evening with poorly insulated walls), and the Sprinting Machine doesn't belong on the third floor above noise-sensitive neighbors because of its weight and force.

How do you cover strength training at home?

For strength training at home, you don't need a wall of machines—just adjustable weights and some body tension. That's the biggest lever when space is limited.

Three options, depending on your goal and available space:

• Adjustable dumbbell with wooden stand. Adjustable from 0.5 to 20 kg per setup, with spinlock collars and a walnut stand that doesn't look like it belongs in a garage. Covers biceps, shoulders, back, and legs; a single set replaces an entire rack of dumbbells.
• Weight vest. Available in 5 kg and 10 kg, adjustable for a chest circumference of 89 to 114 cm. Instantly turns push-ups, squats, and walks into a harder workout without requiring extra floor space. The most affordable way to add more load.
• Mace Bell. Adjustable from 6 to 16 kg, powder-coated steel, for functional training of the shoulders, core, and grip strength. More suitable for advanced users who enjoy swinging and rotational movements.

If you want to start without any equipment, that's perfectly legitimate and often the best first step. The guide Bodyweight Training: Effective Training Without Equipment explains how far you can get using only your own body weight. The weight vest is then the natural next step because it makes exactly this type of training more challenging. Anyone who wants to plan strength training in detail will find everything in the guide Strength Training at Home with a Weight Vest, Mace Bell, and Dumbbells.

Pilates is a world of its own: The Pilates Reformer (solid maple wood, 5 color-coded springs, supports up to 150 kg, foldable) combines strength, mobility, and core training in one machine and is particularly popular with women and in rehabilitation. If you want to try it first, choose the Pilates Essential Set (ring, ball, bands). The complete overview is in the guide Pilates for Beginners: Mat, Set, or Reformer.

Do you also need an office ergonomics corner?

If you work from home, the office corner is often the underestimated part of the home gym because you spend more hours there than training. Eight hours of slouching do more damage than missing one workout.

Two building blocks that pay off:

• Height-adjustable standing desk. Electrically adjustable from 66 to 131 cm, tabletop measuring 140 by 80 cm, supports up to 125 kg, with 4 programmable height settings. Working while standing is the easiest way to bring more movement into your day, and combined with the Walking Pad, it becomes a true walking desk.
• ProActive Ergonomic Office Chair. Air-mesh backrest, adjustable lumbar support, 3D armrests, synchronous mechanism, supports up to 135 kg. The least spectacular purchase in the entire guide, but the one with the most immediate effect on your back.

You can find the complete office setup in the TWHEELS Office Equipment category. How to turn it into an active setup is explained in the guide Ergonomic Office Chair and Active Home Office. An honest assessment: If your budget is tight and you don't sit at a desk every day, this area comes last. But if you sit for eight hours, it comes first.

Which accessories are really worth it?

When it comes to accessories, less is more, and you don't need most of them. But two things genuinely improve the quality of your workouts without taking up space.

• Balance Board. Solid maple wood, board measuring 84 x 40 cm with roller, supports up to 150 kg. Trains your core, balance and coordination, as well as the deep stabilizing muscles that no dumbbell set can reach. Disappears behind the cupboard.
• Weight Vest, see above under Strength. It's the accessory with the best price-to-benefit ratio because it makes every workout you already do more challenging instead of requiring a new one.

What you can save on at the beginning: ten different resistance-band sets, specialty mats, vibration plates, and anything that targets just one muscle. A good cardio machine plus adjustable weight plus a Balance Board covers more than most fully equipped basement gyms.

Comparison: which equipment for which space and budget?

The short answer: for a small apartment on a small budget, the Walking Pad wins; for a dedicated room with a larger budget, the Sprinting Machine or the Reformer is the better choice. The table organizes all the main pieces of equipment by their actual space requirements and suitability. Current prices are listed on the linked product page and are always up to date there.

The highlighted line isn't a sales trick, but what we actually recommend to people without prior experience: a cardio machine that stays out of the way, plus the cheapest way to add resistance. That keeps you going for months before you invest in more expensive equipment.

Home gym in a small apartment: what works?

Even in a two-room apartment, you can create a fully equipped home gym if every piece of equipment can either be stored away or is already part of the room. The trick isn’t less training, but less permanent floor space.

Here’s what a realistic setup looks like in just a few square metres:

• Cardio that disappears: The Walking Pad folds down to 13.5 cm and fits under a sofa or bed. After training, the water rower stands upright in the corner, and its transport wheels mean you don’t have to carry it.
• Strength without taking up floor space: Hang a weighted vest on the hooks, use a dumbbell set with a wooden stand as a piece of furniture instead of creating a garage-like look, and store the balance board behind the cupboard.
• Dual use in the office: A standing desk plus a Walking Pad creates a walking desk, allowing you to exercise while you work without needing extra space.

Why wood is a real advantage here, not just a matter of appearance: Equipment made from solid oak or maple can stay in the living room without looking out of place, so it remains visible and gets used instead of gathering dust in the basement. The full reasoning is explained in the guides Wooden Fitness Equipment for the Living Room and Wooden Fitness Equipment, Sustainability and Functionality.

Which mistakes cost the most money?

The most expensive mistake when setting up a home gym isn’t buying equipment that’s too expensive—it’s choosing the wrong equipment for the wrong place. Here are the four we see most often:

• Buy everything at once. Buying three pieces of equipment at the same time means two of them will end up unused and in the way. Buy one, use it for four weeks, then get the next.
• Underestimate the space required. The rowing machine needs more room during use than its footprint suggests, and equipment that gets in the way during setup often never gets set up.
• Ignore the noise. In a rented apartment, noise levels are not a minor detail. A Walking Pad (45 dB) and Indoor Bike (35 dB) are unproblematic, while heavy equipment that makes a significant impact is not.
• Don’t compromise on appearance. It may sound superficial, but it affects behaviour: An ugly piece of equipment ends up in the basement, while an attractive one stays in the living room and gets used. That’s exactly why wood is worth considering.

Exercise works regardless of the equipment. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week—that’s just over 20 minutes a day. Equipment you use every day beats expensive equipment gathering dust in the basement.

If you want to see which equipment people most often start with, it’s worth taking a look at the Home Fitness Bestsellers.

Frequently asked questions

How much space do I need at minimum for a home gym?
A sensible setup only needs a few square metres if you choose stowable equipment. A walking pad needs around 1.2 m of space when in use and then disappears completely, while a weight vest takes up no floor space. A dedicated room is nice, but not essential.

Where should I start if I’m buying just one piece of equipment?
Start with a cardio machine that suits your apartment. For most people, the walking pad is the safest first choice because it is quiet, foldable, and can be used alongside your home office routine. A weight vest as the second piece also covers strength training.

Are wooden fitness machines just decorative, or are they functional too?
Both. The wood is structural, not just decorative, and depending on the model, the equipment supports 120 to 180 kg. The real advantage is how it fits into your life: what is allowed to stay in the living room will actually be used.

How loud is the equipment in a rented apartment?
The walking pad is around 45 dB, and the indoor bike around 35 dB—both are unproblematic in normal apartments. The water rower produces audible swishing with every stroke, while the Sprinting Machine’s weight and force make it unsuitable for an older apartment building with poor sound insulation.

Do I need lots of dumbbells for strength training?
No. An adjustable dumbbell from 0.5 to 20 kg replaces an entire rack of weights and fits on a stand. If you want to save even more, start with a weight vest and your own body weight.

Is a Pilates Reformer worth it for home use?
If you regularly do Pilates or train your core and mobility for rehabilitation, yes. It combines strength, flexibility, and stability in one foldable machine. To get a feel for it, the Pilates Essential Set is enough to start with.

How much does a sensible home gym cost overall?
A solid starting setup (walking pad plus weight vest) costs under CHF 500. An all-rounder with cardio, strength, and office fitness comes to around CHF 1,000 to 1,500. A premium studio with a reformer or Sprinting Machine starts at CHF 2,000 and up.

Conclusion

Setting up a home gym is about the order of things, not the money. Measure your space first, set an honest budget, then buy a single piece of equipment for your most important goal and use it before getting the next one. For most people, that means a stowable cardio machine plus the weight vest—the foundation you’ll actually stick with.

Plain text: You don’t need a full basement, you need two or three things you enjoy using that don’t get in the way. Choose the type of cardio that suits your apartment, add a flexible load, and only expand once the foundation is in place. You can browse the full selection under TWHEELS fitness equipment.