Jocko Underground: Make It All Happen On Your Own Steam - No Support, Home Gym, Your Future

Jocko Willink and Echo Charles field a question from a busy dad working long hours with a six-month-old daughter, who has set up a home gym to fit in training without sacrificing family time. They outline a progression of must-have equipment for a beginner home gym, prioritizing versatility, space efficiency, and budget in a confined setup, emphasizing self-reliance for general fitness goals like building muscle, losing fat, and maintaining cardio health.

Bodyweight Foundations

The top recommendation starts with gymnastic rings, which cover pull-ups, dips, ring push-ups, and a wide range of calisthenics and functional strength exercises. Jocko says if stranded on a desert island with one piece of gear, it would be rings—ideally wooden ones for sweat absorption and traction, avoiding plastic or metal (a lesson from his 22-year-old self who favored metal everything). Rings cost around $100 and make a pull-up bar or dip bar unnecessary, as those can be improvised otherwise.

Without rings, prioritize a sturdy pull-up bar next, since pull-ups are hardest to replicate outdoors or bodyweight-only. Pair it with push-ups, squats, jump squats, and sprints for full-body coverage. A dip bar follows if needed, but rings handle both efficiently. This minimal setup requires almost no space or cost, enabling general fitness without extras.