If you’re thinking of setting up a home gym in a small space, make sure these items are on your list.
Want to work out more often, but don’t want to pay for a gym membership or expensive in-store fitness classes? No more excuses! These essential training essentials will help you sweat at home – no gym membership is required. Choose from our list of equipment (weights, medicine balls, yoga mats and more) to create a home gym that works for you.
Being able to organize a workout at home is great for busy people. Not everyone has the luxury of having a gym at home or at the apartment.
Having your own gym equipment at home allows you to work out whenever you want without any obstacles. All you need is motivation.
The gym equipment listed below is cheap and affordable. So you will have saved much more in the long run than a gym membership.
As a general rule, you can modify your environment to keep your workouts interesting.
When anchored to the wall or a sturdy door, the TRX Home2 System becomes a full-body training system that helps you build muscle while perfecting your posture and alignment. You can var the degree of difficulty by changing your body angle. The Gaiam Total Body Balance Ball challenges your posture while forcing you to work those core muscles. Plus, it’s a great tool for stretching. Get a full upper and lower body workout from an at home gym system that folds up compactly and weighs less than 19 pounds! Customize your workouts by using the Vector Fit base with resistance bands, limb straps, workout bar and more – it’s an all new way to get a great workout at home, or anywhere you like! Cardio your thing? The XTERRA Fitness TR150 Folding Treadmill Black is a good bet: It rings in at an affordable price point, and can be folded up, making it perfect for a home gym. Sculpt stronger, leaner abs and burn calories fast with the Ab Wheel from Fitnessery. It’s made of strong stainless steel with foam padded handles for comfort and comes with a free knee pad to protect knees on hard surfaces. This compact and lightweight elliptical trainer packs a big punch in a little package. It burns calories like crazy but since it’s low impact, you get the benefits without the risk of injury to the back, knees, hips and ankles. “These resistance bands have become my go-to item for home and travel workouts,” says Jen Temperley, a certified personal trainer and owner of Climb Fitness in Los Angeles. The bands are portable, come in a range of sizes and tension levels, and work for all levels of athletic ability. If your goal is to build muscle, dumbbells, or free weights, are a must-have. “Dumbbells can be one of the most important pieces of equipment in any home gym, as they are both versatile and durable, and are very space efficient for apartments and small spaces,” says Luke Milton, a certified personal trainer and founder of TrainingMate in Los Angeles. “There are hundreds of exercises you can do with a pair of dumbbells, including clean and press, bicep curls, chest presses, squats, deadlifts, renegade rows, and tricep kickbacks.” If you’re willing to spend a little more on a yoga mat (especially if you’re going to use it for a variety of exercises), this Manduka Pro option is one that’s beloved by yogis. Holly Perkins, CSCS, a celebrity trainer and author of Lift to Get Lean, calls it the Rolls-Royce of mats, and the best she’s ever tried. “It’s a super durable, heavy mat that is stable. I like that it’s thicker than most yoga mats, so it’s great for strength exercises, but not too thick that your feet stick in.” A basic 15- to 25-pound kettlebell weight is one of the most versatile and affordable pieces of strength training equipment you can own, as it can target and tone everything from your arms to your abs and your glutes. “You can use this one item extensively for the lower body, giving enough resistance to tone your glutes,” says Morgan Rees, a certified personal trainer in Los Angeles. A little weight goes a long way, and Tone-y-Bands are proof. Clocking in at 0.5–1 pound, this colorful wristwear adds a touch more resistance to everyday exercise. Did you know one study found that just 10 minutes of jumping rope can be equivalent to a 30-minute jog? Exactly. What’s more, the WOD Nation Adjustable Weighted Jump Rope comes with removable 1-pound weights stashed in the handles Thirty years later and the Step High Step Aerobic Platform still reigns supreme. Here’s why: You can use it for cardio and explosive exercises, to advance moves or make them easier, or simply as a trusty bench. Have a doorway? Get a powerful upper body workout with this bar that uses leverage in doorways for chin-ups, and can also be used on the floor for crunches, push ups, dips and more. According to Lyuda Bouzinova, a certified personal trainer and co-founder of Mission Lean in Boca Raton, Florida, a foam roller is an important component of any home gym, as it helps to soothe sore muscles while keeping your whole body loose and limber. Recovery tools are a key part of any home gym, and this vibrating ball is just the ticket for loosening tight muscles and relieving pain, says Shana Hogg, a certified personal trainer at Way Beyond Fitness in Bozeman, Montana. Consider it the budget-friendly option for when you’re hankering for a sports massage. A BOSU ball not only helps with stability and balance, but it can also be used as a stretching tool to intensify a workout, says Rotner. It’s super versatile in that it offers flat and rounded sides for different exercises, including for strength and plyometric training. “You can even use the BOSU in sequence as a weight by doing a BOSU burpee and pressing the base overhead at the top of the exercise,” she says. Remember jumping on the trampoline as a kid? This is the adult equivalent: The rebounder, or mini-trampoline, challenges your core and tons of other muscles in your body. It’s also just plain fun, which can definitely be a motivator when it comes to wanting to do a solo workout, Phelps says. Rowing machines are known for giving you a full-body workout, targeting your back, legs, arms, and abs, says Lynell Ross, a certified personal trainer and founder of Zivadream in Auburn, California. This model also has a digital monitor to track your progress, a knob to adjust your resistance level, and a padded seat for added comfort. It also folds up for easy home storage. We may earn a commission for purchases made through links in this page. Learn more This training equipment is inexpensive and will provide you with the fitness results you desire. Immerse yourself in the atmosphere of working out at home for those times when you don’t feel like leaving home.
The Best At-Home Workout Equipment
“I love resistance bands because they’re travel-friendly and you can easily switch between working your arms, core, and legs without changing equipment,” adds Sarah Periman, a certified personal trainer in Houston.
“A lot of at home workouts seem to be lower body-dominant, so it’s important to give particular attention to these muscle groups during recovery,” adds Milton. Pay special attention to your calves, hamstrings, and quads.
Video Fitness Equipment for Home Workouts
