Home gyms have grown in popularity in the last couple of years because of the pandemic and more employers offering the flexibility of working from home. It is a convenient way of keeping fit while saving time on commuting and money on gym membership fees. The initial setup does require financial investment but it will pay off in the long run.
Another consideration is the size and portability of the home gym gear. Items that can be folded or stowed away will not clatter the house especially if you live in a small apartment. I also learnt from my personal experience that equipment alone may not be sufficient and if you need proof remember treadmills and upright bikes sitting on the side of the road ready for garbage collection. Because of that I also included tools and applications to keep you motivated on the journey.
The list is split into 5 categories: Weights Training, Body Weight Training, Cardio, Apps, Recovery and Accessories. Depending on your budget and available space you can choose items from each category to cover all fitness areas.
As a minimum I suggest to cover:
- Weights or resistance training
- Cardio either with machine, classes or outdoor activity
- Fitness apps for exercise routines
- Additional accessories depending on your choices above
- Recovery equipment
- Fitness trackers
Best Home Gym Gear For Resistance Training
Weight or resistance training is a cornerstone of every fitness program. This is a long-term investment that will pay dividends in the years to come.
1. Latex Resistance Bands
The must-have in every home gym rubber bands can be used in a variety of ways. Depending on your fitness goals they can help with building strength or be used for recovery. Resistance bands are usually sold in sets with different colours representing the level of resistance.
2. Fabric Resistance Bands
These wide resistance bands with higher tension when compared to latex bands. They are useful for developing glut, pelvic and core muscles with exercises like sidewalks, bridges and hip thrusts.
3. Resistance Tubes
Resistance tubes are another great option for your home gym that can be easily packed away without taking up too much space. They usually come with attachment hoops, handles and ankle straps. Despite being made from latex they provide a significant level of resistance suitable for large muscle group exercises. With a quality resistance tube kit, you can even do deadlifts and chest presses.
4. Adjustable Dumbbells
While a set of dumbbells with different sizes is useful for gyms with many members training at the same time adjustable dumbbells are a compact solution more suitable for a home gym. The adjustable dumbbells allow you to select an ideal weight for your set using a dial or button depending on the model. come with a weights docking station. Choose quality dumbbells from a reputable brand as the weight selection mechanism is prone to jamming.
5. Adjustable Kettlebells
Kettlebells are popular with fitness enthusiasts that can be used for unique exercises like swings or clean and press. Adjustable weight kettlebells allow you to change the weight of the kettlebell using a selector mechanism for exercise difficulty progression.
6. Weight Vest
Fitness vests are used for increasing body load and intensity when doing cardio exercises. They come with multiple pockets that you can fill with weight plates and solid construction for durability. Running with a weight vest can increase your performance and add an extra level of challenge to your workouts.
7. Ankle Weights
Ankle weights can help to increase resistance in lower body exercises or be used in a low-intensity cardio session like walking. They are usually filled with sand and attach to your ankles with velcro strips.
8. Foldable Workout Bench
Using a workout bench expands the variety of exercises that can be done with dumbbells or kettlebells. Chest presses, upper back exercises and triceps extensions are just a few examples. A foldable bench can be easily pushed into a laundry room or under the bed. Select a quality foldable bench that has decent padding and can hold your body and dumbbell weight.
9. Gym Floor Mats
Dropping weight at your gym may be fine but at home, it may damage the floor and can be expensive to repair. Floor mats can protect your home from accidental damage that can also be used for bodyweight workouts. They are usually placed under the bench and removed after the workout.
10. All-In-One Exercise Station
An excellent addition to the gym these sometimes high-tech devices can be a silver bullet for all your fitness needs. They come in many forms from novel digitally controlled portable devices to the classic weight station that you saw at the local gym.
11. Hand and Finger Strengthener
Having a strong grip will make sure that you can complete important exercises like pull-ups and deadlifts before your hands give up. Grip strengtheners will also help with developing forearm muscles if you practice martial arts, or play tennis or guitar. There are different versions of this tool usually a rubber ball or a spring-loaded device, or a latex string web used to develop the opposite forearm muscles.
Body Bodyweight Equipment
12. Yoga mat
If you practice yoga or stretch or work on your core muscle you need a yoga mat. To help you protect your elbows and knees as well as your house from accidental damage and wear and tear. As a side bonus, you can also take the amount of four yoga practices in a park.
13. Yoga blocks
Yoga blocks can be used for additional support while using during practice to accommodate your body features. They are used not just by beginners but also experience yogis to work around injuries or to customize yoga routines for your specific needs.
14. Abs Roller
Abs rollers are a great tool for developing your core, back, and even arm muscles. Watch YouTube videos on the correct posture as these exercises need to be done carefully with the correct technique. They also allow for a different level of difficulty as you increase your fitness levels.
15. Doorway Pull Up Bar
Your home gym is not complete without a pull-up or chin-up bar. This gym equipment is particularly useful for renters as some designed have no-screws installations. Those use expandable rods or angled mounting. Find a suitable doorway with a solid structure as they can put a lot of pressure on the door frame.
16. Suspension Straps
Suspension straps or bands is another versatile tool that is perfect for indoor and outdoor workouts. The suspension strips can be easily attached using a gap between the door and the frame, or to a bar or a tree using a loop attachment. Using foam pads will prevent the mounting kit keep from damaging the door. Straps can be used for chest, shoulder and upper back muscle workouts.
Best Equipment For Cardio Workouts
17. Underdesk desk treadmill
A variation of commercially available treadmills this handy gadget can keep your feet moving while you are typing your emails. They are compact and can be moved out of your way once you finish your workout. The treadmill will require a standing desk for obvious reasons.
18. Underdesk Pedal Exerciser
A cousin of an upright bike pedal exerciser is reduced to the most important part that makes you burn calories. They can be used while you are working, playing games or watching the latest videos on YouTube. While under-desk bikes may look unimpressive compared to commercial gym bikes you can burn up to 500 KCal a day using one of these.
19. Freestanding Punch Bag
Boxing is one of the best forms of cardio exercise. Learning techniques while practising on a real bag rather than shadowboxing is a great way to make your workouts more exciting. You can use them for both boxing and kickboxing to improve your aim or practice boxing drills. An upright standing punch bag is a great solution for a home gym that does not require drilling or mounting hooks. They are usually easy to assemble and be use sand or water to fill them up.
20. Boxing Gloves
While working on the punch bag you need to protect your hands and wrists. Investing in a pair of gloves will reduce the risk of injuries. Choose light boxing gloves to work on your punch bag or hybrid if you are planning on having sparring sessions with your friends.
21. Skipping Rope
Popular with boxing gyms skipping is a simple way to improve your balance, coordination, footwork and overall fitness levels. They’re great for a home gym as they are cheap, compact and do not require installation or maintenance. Skipping rope engages both the lower and upper body which includes not just your legs but also your arms and shoulder. In addition training with a skipping rope is linked to improved bone density. Newer models have digital counters and Bluetooth to connect with your fitness apps.
22. Fitness Mirror
Right out of a sci-fi movie this high-tech fitness device is a new way to exercise in the comfort of your home. They look just like regular mirror however it transforms into interactive TV screen when used in a fitness session. Fitness mirrors can be used in a pre-recorded, real life broadcast or one on one workouts with an instructor. It comes with a built-in webcam for feedback from your instructor and a celebratory selfie at the end of your sessions. While they are not cheap it’s a great option to explore If you looking to invest in your home workouts.
23. Cross Trainer
Crosstrainer is one of my favourite fitness machines. It engages both the lower and upper body while giving you a good workout. It also has significantly less impact on the knees compared to running. Because you are relatively stable when using a crosstrainer you can read and catch up on your social media at the same time.
24. Elliptical Trainer
While they seemed identical elliptical trainers train your lower body only. the handles are added for stability and do not apply resistance to the upper body. An elliptical trainer could be an option for people with upper body joint problems as you can stay balanced while using the trainer using the handlebars.
25. Upright bike
If have choose just one cardio machine for my home gym it would be an upright stationary bike. They do not require a large amount of space, they are relatively quiet and easy to move around. Upright bikes also allow you to read or watch movies while your body is burning calories. New generation upright bikes like Peloton come with interactive live classes with instructors able to change the difficulty for the virtual class and provide guidance in your sessions.
26. Running Shoes
It is important to protect your feet while exercising. Whether you use your shoes for running, peddling on the exercise bike or a weights workout running shoes is a must. Purchasing running shoes saves money on buying a separate pair for gym workouts and cardio.
Fitness Apps and Trackers
27. Fitness Apps
Starting working out without a plan is a frustrating experience. It is hard to know what to do and track the progress if you don’t have a structured approach. Fitness apps can help you by creating a tailored program based on your physical fitness, available equipment and needs. They also may have a strong community where you can compete with others and share your achievements.
28. Workouts and HIIT Timers
Timers are necessary to keep you on track while exercising so you don’t spend your gym time checking your feed on social media. High-intensity workouts require you to use a timer for them to be effective. Choose a simple design and one-off payment rather than membership fees.
29. Fitness Trackers
Fitness trackers can measure activity level throughout the day, your heart rate and even tell how well you slept last night. While you will still need to enter workout types and calorie intake for accurate calculation they can make keeping fit an easy task. I personally like the reminders to move around or learn how my sleep is affected by various factors.
30. Bathroom scales
Working toward or maintaining a healthy weight is not possible without regular measurements using scales. Modern bathroom scales come equipped with Bluetooth connectivity and body fat measurement. They can also connect to your fitness app and track your progress in one consolidated view with other fitness tracker data. As an added bonus they show a weather forecast and say hello while measuring your weight.
Best Equipment For Recovery
Muscle growth happens when your body heals micro-tears that are created during workouts. Without efficient recovery, we are not able to perform at our best and are prone to injuries from overtraining. The next items on this list will help you to create a recovery routine.
31. Foam Roller
Foam rollers are used for tension release by pressing against or rolling on the muscles. Consider it a free massage on demand. For a home gym, I recommend getting a shorter set of rollers that are stacked together like matryoshka dolls. They have different firmness levels and grid patterns for a targeted muscle release.
32. Spiky Ball
A spiky ball is a simple tool for relieving tension in a specific small area of your body. They are great for helping with achy foot arches, heels from running or facia muscle pain also called a tennis or golfer elbow. Use them by applying pressure to tense areas for 15-60 seconds until you feel your muscles start to relax.
33. Massage Gun
An evolution of spiky bowls and rollers massage guns and becoming popular with fitness enthusiasts. While the jury is still out on their effectiveness anecdotal evidence suggests that they can be effective for improving range of motion, reducing pain and improving recovery time. It can be used for target release in any muscle group of your body provided that you can reach it easily. With a massage gun, you can a personalised massage right at the end of your home gym session. The original models were quite expensive but know you can get one under $100 if you are looking to add a massage gun to your home gym arsenal.
34. Icepack And Heat Pack
Ice packs can help with reducing swelling after an injury. The heat pack does the opposite and is used to improve blood circulation in a sore muscle. The ice pack can be either a gel sachet or a frozen bottle of water. As for the heat packs they usually are filled with seeds like buckwheat and need a microwave to activate them. Wrap a towel around the packs if the temperature is too cold or hot to prevent skin damage.
35. Meditation Timer
Even short meditations are beneficial for our well-being. Physician practices linked to stress reduction better sleep and happiness. Using a meditation timer can help with staying on track help with gradually building your mutation muscle and practice. The advantage of using a timer is that you can configure your different stages of meditation and get notified using pleasant sounds. Some meditation apps have guided meditations required by experienced teachers if you don’t know where to start.
Accessories
Though not necessary this list of items can bring more joy into workouts or make life easier. Feel free to experiment and add your own.
36. Bluetooth Speaker
Music is known to have an effect on athletic performance as I always suspected watching people go all out at music events. Using a bluetooth speaker can set the right atmosphere for home workouts and motivate you to finish the last set. Some speakers come with IP67 waterproof, shockproof, and dustproof protection and can be easily taken outdoors.
37. Noise Cancelling Headphones
If you share a house or do not want to distract neighbours while working out you need noise-cancelling headphones. For your workouts choose a sweat-proof version that can stay in your ears without falling out. I recommend using wireless headphones as cables tend to tangle with gym gear while working out.
38. Protein Mixer
A protein shaker is a solution to consume your calories and supplements on the go. Use it either at home or when you working out outdoors. Some protein mixers come with a separate compartment for the powder and liquid which prevents the mix from going rancid in summer.
39. Weightlifting Gloves
I view calluses as a badge of honour however I understand if you don’t share the same sentiment. Calluses are formed from damaged caused by crosshatched patterns on the handles and bars of the gym equipment that are meant to prevent slipping. Weightlifting gloves can help you to protect your hands from forming calluses when you go hard in your home gym.
40. Stretches Exercise Poster
Having a reminder to stretch in a home gym will prompt you to start and finish workouts on the right note. Stretching can feel like a necessary evil however it can reduce pain, and recovery time and prevent injuries. A poster showing the main stretching exercises is a nice finishing touch for your fitness place.
This list should provide you with foundational information on how to set up your home gym. I will be updating it with product reviews and how-to information please make sure that you check this page if you would like to learn more.