Home gym and wondering where to start? Don’t try to replicate your favorite gym, as you can get away with purchasing a lot less equipment and still see the same results. You want to keep your home gym as streamlined as possible to save you both space and money. Invest only in the equipment that you will use. There are a few standard pieces of equipment that should be in every home gym.
A Cardio Machine
Every home gym needs a cardio machine. What kind you select is really up to personal preference as they all have pros and cons. You need something that will help you break a sweat and elevate your heart rate. You can consider a treadmill, rowing machine, elliptical, or a stationary bike. Pick your favorite, and you only need one cardio machine, as you can get great benefits from any one of them.
Yoga Mat
Even if you don’t do yoga, you should still have access to a mat. The key to any good workout is stretching before and after to help your muscles recover. While you can certainly use the mat for yoga, which can help your breathing, you will use it for stretching.
Any floor exercise like yoga, pilates, stretching, or ab work should be done on a yoga mat so that you have some cushion against the rigid floor.
Resistance Bands
Not everyone uses resistance bands, but they don’t take up much space and are inexpensive, making them a great addition to any home gym. Resistance bands can be used on a day when you want a light workout, or they can be used as part of your daily stretching routine to help increase blood flow and circulation to tired muscles.
Free Weights
Dumbbells should be a part of your home gym since they are so versatile. Look for dumbbells that can be adjusted, so you can increase weight as you get stronger without needing to buy additional dumbbells.
When you buy free weights, consider what you will sit on when lifting. You don’t necessarily need a full workout bench, but it wouldn’t hurt if you have the space. You could also use an exercise ball as a bench to work out your core simultaneously to stabilize yourself while lifting weights.
Free Weights
Dumbbells should be a part of your home gym since they are so versatile. Look for dumbbells that can be adjusted, so you can increase weight as you get stronger without needing to buy additional dumbbells.
When you buy free weights, consider what you will sit on when lifting. You don’t necessarily need a full workout bench, but it wouldn’t hurt if you have the space. You could also use an exercise ball as a bench to work out your core simultaneously to stabilize yourself while lifting weights.
Non-Gym Equipment
There are some pieces of non-gym equipment you might find to enhance your workout experience. For example, a good set of speakers and a big screen TV could help if you do any live-streamed work to follow an instructor. Or, if you want to blast good workout music, you’ll need good speakers.
Consider also keeping a stack of towels and some cleaning solution nearby so that you can keep your gym equipment clean. Wiping down your gym equipment, especially your cardio machines, will keep them clean after using and preserving the machines from your sweat.
