Often times when writing programs for clients I am told that they want to be able to workout from home. It’s either a matter of time, money, or a combination of both. You can save a lot of time by not having to drive back and forth to the gym. Or many times, a high-priced gym membership can leave the bank account a little sparse. Clients don’t, however, want to sacrifice their workouts. So I often get asked what I would recommend having on hand to still get killer home workouts. At times, they already have a decent “home gym” with bands or dumbbells and maybe a random old stationary bike they found at a garage sale. I will always give them a great workout program no matter what, cause all you really need is bodyweight to make you sweat! But it might lack a little variety AND often times we NEED additional weight to help overload those muscles to make them work harder and start seeing those gains!
Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with a little make-shift Rocky IV style equipment. Maybe you throw some books in a backpack and use that for squatting and lunging. Or use your old kitchen towels to let your feet drag easily across the floor as you do tuck ups. You can find just about anything in your house or backyard that can add sufficient weight…and trust me…I’ve gotten really creative at times. That being said, I do get asked a lot about what to buy if they want to add to their home gym repertoire. So I put together a list of my favorite 5 pieces of equipment that will make your home gym the envy of the neighborhood. And of course, make your home workouts more intense!
1. Adjustable Dumbbells
These are definitely a must-have not only for getting a great workout but for space saving! These are 5 pairs of dumbbells in one which makes them super easy to keep track of. Plus, you aren’t tripping over and storing a bunch of equipment. I really like the variability in weight options because you may want to go heavy for some exercises but others you may not have the strength to handle the heavier weight yet. These make it really simple to customize your weights for you and the exercise being performed
2. Equalizer
This is a pretty versatile piece of equipment but one thing I love about this is that it’s a great option for working the back doing inverted rows. This will not only help develop a strong back but can help you work up to doing pull-ups as well. Without fancy cable machines or large barbells, working the back can be very challenging for an at home gym. To make sure that your exercise program is well rounded and not leaving you prone to injuries, this is a great piece to have on hand at home.
3. Weighted Bar with Exchangeable Weights
This is almost downright essential!! I would consider this to be the next best thing to a traditional barbell. This piece, however, is much smaller and you can load various weights easily to cater to what you need to use it for. I use this for multiple upper and lower body exercises. This might be THE ONE piece of equipment I would get if I could only choose one due to its usability in so many different exercises.
4. Swiss Ball
Well, we’ve all seen this one in the gym. Most people’s abs will start hurting just looking at it thinking about the last time they used a swiss ball. While this is a great piece of equipment for working core stabilization there are many more uses for this beloved exercise ball. I will use this for working everything from hamstrings to squats to making a push up a little more challenging. This is a great piece to have to help add some extra challenge and stabilization work to many different exercises. Plus a bonus…kiddos LOVE these balls and can provide a much-needed distraction while you get your workout done!
For sizing with the exercise balls, most people will need 55cm to 65cm. You want to be able to sit on the ball and have your knees and hips be about 90 degrees. For shorter folks, I would get 55cm and for taller folks, I would get 65cm.
5. Exercise Mat
This one may seem pretty mundane but having a good exercise mat can be the foundation of a great workout. Depending on where you are working out at home you may need to have a good surface to be able to lay down on to do many of your exercises. A good mat can turn an otherwise dark cold basement into the perfect little place to get a good sweat session in just by adding a mat and many of the pieces mentioned above.
I prefer the thickness of this kind of mat as opposed to a traditional yoga mat because you can lay it on almost any surface and be pretty darn comfortable. In addition, I like to save my nice yoga mat for yoga practice. Using it for weighted exercises as well creates too much friction and causes the yoga mat to break down more quickly.
You may already have a lot of these pieces or you may have none of them. Don’t feel you need to go rushing on to Amazon and buy each and every one of these. Maybe you think other pieces of equipment like a kettlebell or a jump rope (for example) are a better addition to your home workouts. But I feel like these 5 pieces are a great foundation to build on and can get you a long long way with your home workouts. Keeping them creative, fun, and exciting which helps keep you motivated and crushing your fitness goals.
Let me know what your “MUST HAVE” piece of equipment is! I’d love to find out what you all think and who knows…maybe I’ll have to add it to my list!
In the meantime, stay happy, healthy and fit!
Allison
