No distractions, no waiting in line and the ultimate freedom to grunt, scream or embarrass yourself in the privacy of your own home. When it comes to advantages of personal home gyms, the benefits are literally quite strong.

While the added convenience of being able to work out whenever you want 24/7/365 makes life a bit easier, there are a few considerations to keep in mind.

For starters, the lack of membership fees will get eaten up by your initial equipment costs. Though, for some bodybuilders the investment is worth. Consider that the national average for a gym membership today ranges right around the forty to forty dollar per month mark.

Factor in things like initiation fees and your transportation costs too and things start adding up to the tune of around $800. All of which could be spent on financing your dream home gym in the first place.

Costs aside, there are two more notable tradeoffs to also keep in mind. While you’ll have a better sense of hygiene knowing the only swat on your machines is well, your own, you do lose the benefit of having a spotter.

With that in mind, I’m going to show you some 40 top home gyms for some inspiration and ideas below. As well, here is a solid equipment list to help you get started:

Power rack, adjustable dumbbells, bench, 300lb Olympic weight set, punching bag, EZ curl bar, treadmill or exercise bike, rope, lifting chalk, lifting straps, mirrors, and a weight tree.