Let’s face it - every home gym’s got the classics: barbell, squat rack, bench, dumbbells. But there’s a secret stash of unsung heroes lurking in the shadows of gym forums and garage setups. The kind of gear that doesn’t get the spotlight, but quietly upgrades your training, fixes your form, and levels up your gains without stealing all your floor space.
Here are 10 underrated pieces of gym equipment that deserve a spot in your iron paradise (and maybe your heart).
1. Squat Wedge Board
The MVP of mobility and depth. Can’t hit depth without your heels doing the cha-cha? Enter the squat wedge board—angled platforms that elevate your heels so you can squat deeper with better form.
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Helps with ankle mobility and upright posture
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Quad-focused burn that hits different
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Great for goblet squats, split squats, and even calf raises
Bonus: Makes you look like you know what you’re doing. Confidence gain = unlocked.
Check out the Squat Wedge Board here.
2. Wrist Roller
Forearms, meet your match. A humble handle, a rope, and a plate... that’s it. But this evil little device torches your forearms faster than trying to unscrew a stuck pickle jar after arm day.
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Builds grip strength
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Crushes wrist and forearm development
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Takes up virtually no space
If you’re chasing Popeye forearms or just want to deadlift without straps, the wrist roller is your secret weapon.
Get your Wrist Roller here.
3. Arm Blaster
For biceps so isolated, they might need therapy. This retro-looking rig wraps around your neck and locks your elbows in place during curls. It’s not just for show—it makes your biceps do all the work.
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Strict form, no swinging
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Pumps up the peak like no tomorrow
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Arnold approved (probably)
Pair it with a curl bar and feel your ego inflate in real time.
Get your Arm Blaster here.
4. Reverse Hyper
The hamstring whisperer. Lower back tight? Glutes feel ignored? The reverse hyper is your spinal savior.
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Builds posterior chain strength
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Improves spinal decompression
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A must-have for lifters who’ve met Mr. Deadlift
It looks a little intimidating, but your lower back will write you thank-you notes.
Get your Reverse Hyper here.
5. Landmine Attachment
The sleeper hit of home gym gear. Stick a barbell in the landmine and the possibilities explode. Rows, presses, twists, squats—you name it.
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Rotational work for core and shoulders
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Safer alternative to overhead pressing for some
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Great for limited space
If you’ve got a corner and a barbell, you’ve got a full-body workout waiting.
Get your landmine here.
6. Core Sliders (Bonus: Glute Ham Slider & Mini Version)
Small, sneaky, and savage. Core sliders might look like glorified furniture movers, but slap these under your feet or hands, and suddenly your floor turns into a core-blasting battlefield.
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Builds serious core control and stability
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Great for hamstring curls, push-ups, mountain climbers
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Easy on joints and easy to store
Check out the Bells of Steel Glute Ham Slider for a beefier, multi-use option or grab the Mini GHS if you’re short on space but not on grit. Perfect for turning any surface into a full-body torture device (the fun kind). Or keep it simple with OG Core Sliders; they’re dirt cheap and diabolical.
Get your Core Sliders here.
7. Adjustable Plyo Box
Not just for jumps (though jumps are cool). You can jump on it, step up to it, sit down on it between sets, or use it as a makeshift bench in a pinch.
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Great for step-ups, Bulgarian split squats, box squats
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Adjustable height = scalable intensity
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Folds flat for easy storage
Versatile, humble, and always ready to support your next bad idea.
Get your Plyo Box here.
8. Trap Bar (Hex Bar)
The gateway drug to deadlifting. Whether you’re new to pulling or tired of traditional deadlifts torching your lower back, the trap bar is a game-changer.
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Centered weight = less spinal stress
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Great for jumps, carries, shrugs, and presses
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Feels weirdly natural
It’s the deadlift’s kinder, gentler cousin…but still brutally effective!
Get your Open Trap Bar here.
9. Weight Vest
Because gravity isn’t heavy enough. Strap it on for walks, push-ups, pull-ups, squats, you name it. Suddenly, bodyweight workouts feel like bootcamp for your soul.
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Great for cardio and callisthenics
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Easily scalable with adjustable weights
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Makes taking it off feel like you’ve levelled up
Bonus: you’ll feel like a superhero-in-training. Cape optional.
Get your Adjustable Weight Vest here.
10. Loadable Dumbbell Handles
Build your own dumbbell adventure. Forget giant dumbbell racks. Pish posh at the fancy adjustable version (just kidding, we love you NUOBELL!) Loadable handles let you customize your weights using plates you already own.
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Space-saving
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Scales to heavy weights (even 100+ lbs)
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Budget-friendly for serious lifters
They’re the Frankenstein’s monster of dumbbells, strong, functional, and a little misunderstood.
Get your loadable dumbbells here.
Final Thoughts: Under the Radar, Over the Top
Not everything in your gym has to be flashy or take up half your garage. These underrated pieces often go unnoticed by the average lifter, but real home gym heroes know they’re worth their weight in plates.
Whether you're sliding into core strength, torching forearms, or squatting deeper than your existential thoughts, don’t sleep on these gym gems. Your future gains will thank you (and maybe even leave a Yelp review).
