Like many of us, Team GB sprinter Harry Aikines-Aryeetey has transformed part of his house into a home gym. Home gyms have become increasingly popular even among professional athletes since they offer an easy and effective way to get their training sessions in at any time of the day. Plus, the athlete can set up their gym to exactly meet their training needs. But what does the gym of a professional athlete look like? What equipment do they swear by, and how do they use it?

Harry gives us a tour of his home gym, highlighting all the pieces of equipment that have become unmissable in his training sessions and explaining how he uses them!

Squat Rack

It’ll come as no surprise that the most important piece of equipment in Harry’s home gym is his squat rack. Calling it the hub of his gym, Harry uses his rack for all the big lifts such as front squats, back squats, and bench presses. Since Harry’s rack is fitted with a pull-up bar, he also performs a range of upper body exercises here. The squat rack itself provides a great anchor point for resistance bands, which Harry uses for accessory core work plus a range of warm-up exercises. Much of Harry’s workout time is spent around his squat rack.

Barbells

Given the importance of Harry’s squat rack, it almost goes without saying that barbells are also right at the top of Harry’s list of must-have home gym equipment. Harry uses an M3 Olympic barbell for his squats, presses, and traditional deadlift exercises. But a special mention goes to his trap bar. A trap barbell loads the body differently as the resistance is positioned closer to the athlete’s actual midline.

This puts less pressure on the spine and is therefore a great substitute for people who experience or are prone to low back pain. As Harry has suffered a few stress fractures in his back, the trap bar is an unmissable piece of equipment in his gym. In addition to traditional deadlift exercises, Harry also uses his trap bar for split stance lifts and jumping exercises to train explosive strength.

GHD Machine

Another key piece in Harry’s gym is his glute ham developer, also known as a GHD Machine. The GHD is a great piece of equipment to train glutes, hamstrings, and core – all of which are essential in Harry’s chosen sport. GHD sit-ups, glute-ham raises, and back extensions are just a few examples of the movements Harry uses his GHD for.

Plyo Boxes

Plyometric exercises are an essential part of Harry’s training program. Plyometrics help develop explosive power as well as faster and more powerful muscle contractions. Plyometrics training also improves an athlete’s agility and coordination. An often-used piece of equipment in plyometric exercises is the plyo box. Of course, Harry too uses his Plyo Box for a variety of jumping exercises.

But there are a number of additional uses Harry has for his box. Plyo boxes are a great platform for step-ups or step-overs. Add dumbbells or even a barbell and you have a challenging strength exercise that targets glutes, hamstrings, quads, core, and even upper body. Stepping, jumping, or dropping off the box are equally important movements as they help develop knee and ankle stability.

Cable Pulley Machine

Last, but not least is Harry’s recently acquired cable pulley machine. Although a relatively recent addition to his gym, Harry’s sold on the benefits of the cable pulley. The attachment unlocks a whole new range of exercises without having to sacrifice gym space for more big and bulky pieces of equipment. Being able to adjust its height, Harry uses his cable pulley to train his adductor muscles but also his entire upper body through a range of different cable pulls.

And that sums up Harry’s home gym! Harry’s gym is tailored to his training requirements as a professional sprinter. The home gym of a bodybuilder or a gymnast might look quite different indeed. How does your home gym compare to Harry’s? What pieces of equipment do you share with the Olympic athlete? And how does your choice of equipment reveal what sport you practice outside the gym?

Written by guest author Lisanne Van Ingen.

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Tags: Misc > Gym Planning ; Misc > Mirafit Ambassadors