If you’re looking to build muscle, you’ll also want a set of weights to complete your workout space. Some trainers swear by dumbbells, others by kettlebells or barbells, but it comes down to personal preference and lifting experience. Dumbbells are standard home-gym fare, and a beginner’s set typically includes ones that weigh five pounds, eight pounds and 12 pounds. Use them for common exercises, such as dead lifts, curls and chest presses. Russo points her clients to the BalanceFrom set on Amazon, which comes with a stand.

Kettlebells can be a bit more affordable — and compact. With just one kettlebell, you can hit multiple levels of strength and conditioning, and most cost less than $30. “You could have an entire program with like three days or five days a week, and each time — using the same kettlebells — do something different,” Loper says.

Though kettlebells are great for basic exercises, such as dead lifts and lunges, experienced users can move into “ballistic skills,” which require an advanced level of control for fast-paced movements called the swing, the clean and the snatch.

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