Last week’s blog about the luxury punching bag created by fashion designer extraordinaire Karl Largerfield made me think about the popularity of luxury home gyms. Home workout equipment is a billion-dollar industry, filled mostly with consumers who buy a treadmill, use it for two weeks, and then add it to their growing collection of useless stuff masquerading as a coat rack.

For those people who want to create their own gym to work out at home, here’s a list of the four most important pieces of equipment to get you started (of course, the LV punching bag is a must too).

There are two main types of barbell: standard and Olympic. You can train your entire body with barbells and weights. Follow these instructions from Muscle and Fitness magazine on a four day training program designed to build muscle mass.

Think of a power rack as the centerpiece of your home gym because they add a considerable measure of safety. The pins will save you if you miss a lift, and the J-hooks allow you to perform nearly any free weight move. Many racks have attachments – such as dip and pull-up bars – to increase their functionality.

Complete your home gym with a high quality weight bench to get the most out of your in-home workouts.

Dumbbells offer you a wide variety of options in resistance training. They come in both Olympic and Standard sizes.

For more ideas on creating luxury home gyms, read this Extraordinary Living Blog from Sotheby’s. If you are considering purchasing a new home in Napa Valley to build your luxury gym, be sure to take a look at my comprehensive website. I can be reached at 415.516.3939 or via email at [email protected]. Meantime, please LIKE me on FaceBook!