Going to a gym is well and good, but sometimes it’s just a pain. You can’t workout in private in a gym, it’s expensive to go to, plus you have to deal with sweaty equipment too. Working out at home is sometimes much better and to do so you should have the best home gym equipment possible. There are many different pieces of workout equipment that aren’t going to cost you a fortune and will have you looking fantastic in no time at all. You don’t need to spend a ton of money and you don’t need a spare room either. With these 12 simple pieces of equipment, you can lose weight and build that body that you’ve always wanted!
1. Exercise Mat
One really great piece of home workout equipment to have is an exercise mat. Now in itself it can’t really do much because it’s not like you’re going to curl the mat, but it can help make your home workout routines much easier and more comfortable. There are actually quite a few different things that a good exercise mat like the HemingWeigh Exercise Mat can do for you.
For bodyweight workouts, especially things like pushups and sit-ups, an exercise mat can make things a lot easier. They do a good job at protecting your knees, elbows, and back from the hard ground.
These things are also great for Pilates and Yoga because they help give you stability and will protect your hips and tailbone as well. Exercise mats are convenient because they keep the sweat off of your floor, they are easy to clean, and they can be folded up for storage too. 2 other great exercise mats include the SPRI Exercise Mat or the Prosource Premium Exercise Mat.
The HemingWeigh Exercise Mat we talked about earlier is the best choice to go with because it’s extra thick and durable. You will be able to do virtually any exercise on it without hurting your bones and joints, plus it won’t rip or break easily either. Of course, another great part about it is that it is extremely affordable.
2. Jump Rope
A jump rope is an awesome home workout tool to have because it makes for a great cardio workout and will really get your heart pumping. Jumping rope will give you an excellent workout and can burn up to 480 calories in just 30 minutes. That is roughly equivalent to an 8-mile long hike!
Also because a jump rope makes you use hand-eye coordination to make it over the rope with every jump, they really help to increase your agility and quickness. Moreover, a jump rope like the Lion Professional Jump Rope is great for increasing your bone density. It’s a high impact workout and those are fantastic for your bone health.
Perhaps one of the best parts of using a jump rope is that it is extremely affordable, not to mention that they are easy to store or travel with. Other good jump rope options include the Survival and Cross Jump Rope and the CrossFlames Jump Rope. The Lion Professional Jump Rope that we mentioned earlier is probably the best choice to go with. It’s the most durable jump rope that we’ve ever seen, it doesn’t cost too much, and it will help you get a fantastic workout.
3. Balance Board
A balance board is a fantastic piece of equipment to have in your home gym. They don’t really look like much, but they can actually do a lot for you, not to mention that they aren’t as easy to use as you may think. First off, a balance board engages your core muscles to the max, thus strengthening your core and giving you those abs you’ve always wanted. Having a stronger core also means having better posture, yet another benefit of the balance board.
One of the biggest benefits a balance board gives you is increased proprioception. That is the body’s ability to sense your position and joint movement, which in turn helps your body to automatically make adjustments. This is great because it helps you balance better and it improves your reaction time too.
Balance boards are amazing for increasing your balance and coordination as well. A few great options when it comes to balance boards include the Fit&Me Balance Board, the Fitter First Wobble Board, and the Isokinetics Balance Board.
The Fit&Me Balance Board is a piece of equipment that is simple to get the hang of, it will tone your body, and it will help increase your balance too. Plus it’s also a very durable piece of equipment that doesn’t cost too much.
4. Kettlebell
A kettlebell is one of the best workout tools that you can have in your home, mainly because they give you a total workout without having to ever switch equipment. Perhaps the best aspect about these things is that they are a form of cross training. A good kettlebell like the Sunny Vinyl Coated Kettlebell combines a cardio workout with a strength workout to give you maximum results.
Other benefits of using a kettlebell include being able to target every single muscle in your body, helping you to increase your flexibility and coordination, and having a compact device too. In just a few short minutes, these things can give you a great workout, they burn a ton of calories and help you lose fat too.
Kettlebells are also very versatile because they come in a variety of weights and can range anywhere from 5 to 100 pounds in size. Other good kettlebell options include the CAP Barbell kettlebell and the Yes4All kettlebell. In our opinion, the Sunny Vinyl Coated Kettlebell we mentioned before is the best option to go with. It isn’t too expensive and can be easily stored in a closet or small room.
5. Adjustable Dumbbells
You might think that dumbbells are only good for working out your arms, but that is definitely not the case. Dumbbells are fantastic because with the right exercises you can work out your arms, legs, core, back, and shoulders too. Something that is even better than the regular dumbbells is the adjustable version.
Regular dumbbells require you to buy a whole set and that can easily cost you hundreds and hundreds of dollars. On the other hand, a pair of adjustable dumbbells like the Ironmaster Adjustable Dumbbells are a one-time buy and have as many weight intervals as you need. Adjustable dumbbells are also really convenient because they save a ton of space. The Ironmaster Dumbbells are fantastic because they have a high weight limit and are ideal for weight lifting enthusiasts. They are also very easily adjusted, they are sturdy, and they come with a convenient stand too.
Of course, they are really convenient because it eliminates the need for a whole set of individual dumbbells. Other great adjustable dumbbell options include the Bayou Fitness Adjustable Dumbbells and the Bowflex Adjustable Dumbbells.
6. Adjustable Bench
An adjustable bench is another great home gym workout tool to have. One of the biggest advantages of having one of these things is that they can convert from an incline to a flat position, and to a decline as well, thus being very versatile. Plus an adjustable bench is a great way to do bodyweight exercises and weight lifting exercising because you can do so many different things on them.
Adjustable benches are also really convenient because they are pretty small and can be stored anywhere, plus they usually have wheels which make them very portable too. Sure a normal exercise bench is good, but an adjustable bench is great.
They let you do everything that a traditional bench lets you do plus it has all of the added convenience factors. 3 great options when it comes to these benches include the Bowflex 3.1 Adjustable Bench, the CAP Barbell Adjustable Bench, and the Bowflex 5.1 Adjustable Bench.
We personally really like the Bowflex Adjustable Bench because it’s really versatile and will let you do a large variety of exercises on it. Plus it is also pretty compact so you can keep it almost anywhere in your home, not to mention that it’s affordable too.
7. Pull Up Bar
Another great piece of equipment to have in your home is the classic pull up bar. When it comes to getting a great upper body workout, a pull up bar is one of the very best ways to go. A pull up bar is quite versatile because there are close to a dozen different exercise variations that can be done with them.
Working out your back, arms, shoulders, and your core has never been easier because working out with a pull up bar is extremely intense and will tone your muscles in no time flat. Doing different variations of pull ups will help you build muscle, lose weight, plus they are pretty compact and convenient too.
Some of the best choices to go with include the Ultimate Body Press Pull Up Bar, the j/fit Deluxe Doorway Pull Up Bar, and the Iron Gym Total Upper Body Workout Bar. The Ultimate Body Press Pull Up Bar is one of the best options because it can be easily attached to a wall. It’s strong and is sure to hold you up, plus it’s really versatile in terms of the types of exercises that you can do with it.
8. Suspension Trainer
The next great piece of home workout equipment that you should consider getting is a suspension trainer. These things are great because they are very compact and lightweight, thus they are easy to take with you and to store in a small space too.
Using a suspension trainer like the TRX Suspension Trainer may be simple in theory, but it actually provides for a pretty intense workout. On a side note, the TRX Suspension Trainer is great because anyone, man or woman, young or old, can use it with ease. It’s a very effective workout tool that is extremely durable, cheap to buy, and will help you tone your body very quickly.
These things are especially fantastic for working out your core and your limbs. They will help you build the stability in your core and they work wonders for gaining muscle in your arms and legs as well.
Training with a suspension trainer is also a really easy way to increase your balance and coordination. Another good option in terms of suspension trainers includes the Lifeline Jungle Gym XT.
9. Resistance Bands
Resistance bands are another great form of training that you can do in your own home and it comes with a whole lot of benefits. One of the best parts about these things is that they are very easy to use in your own home, plus you can exercise with them all by yourself.
They are also fantastic because they are really small, light, and compact, making them easy to travel with and convenient to store anywhere in your home. Resistance bands are also really neat because you can work out every muscle in your body with them, plus they are ideal for all fitness levels.
This particular piece of workout equipment is very versatile, plus they are really cheap to buy as well. Some of the best options when it comes to resistance bands include the Black Mountain Resistance Band Set, the Master of Muscle Resistance Band Set, or the Bodylastics Resistance Band Set. In our opinion, the Master of Muscle Resistance Band Set is the best because it comes with the most variety in terms of bands. It is a great set to help target every muscle group in your body, plus it’s really affordable and convenient to use as well.
10. Exercise Ball
One of the best pieces of equipment to have in your home gym is an exercise ball. These things let you get a total body workout, target all of the muscles in your body, and it doesn’t even take that much work. An exercise ball lets you work out all of the major muscle groups in your body including the legs, core, back, chest, and arms too. It’s literally an all-in-one workout tool.
Exercise balls are great because not only do they let you get a good workout, but there are a ton of other benefits that come with using them too. When it comes to exercise balls, one of your best options is the Superior Fitness Exercise Ball. This thing is very strong and can hold several thousand pounds in weight, it can help you target every muscle in your body, and the anti-slip material makes sure that you won’t slip off of it.
These simple workout tools work to increase your strength, stamina, balance and stability, your mobility, and they increase bone and spine health as well. On a side note, something that you can do is to replace your chair with an exercise ball because simply sitting on one will train your body. Other alternatives to the Superior Fitness Exercise Ball include the BalanceFrom Exercise Ball and the Black Mountain Exercise Ball.
11. Foam Roller
A foam roller is a fantastic exercise tool to have in your own home gym. They are extremely versatile and let you do a ton of different exercises, especially for your back, arms, shoulders, and core. Not only are foam rollers great for working out, but they are actually even better for healing injuries.
Using a good foam roller like the Rumble Roller can help you keep your fascia healthy. In other words, the connective tissue that forms between your muscles and joints from excessive exercising is kept mobile and flexible with the regular use of a foam roller. These things are great for keeping your joints healthy, flexible, and limber.
The Rumble Roller is our number one choice because it has some rave reviews and everybody says that it helped them relieve stress and tension with ease. It’s also very affordable, lightweight, compact, and will help you relieve pain.
They are also fantastic for healing injuries and even for stretching out your muscles too. Moreover, they are also really good for increasing the performance of flexible tissue in your body. A few other good options in terms of foam rollers include the Rolling With It Foam Roller and the TriggerPoint Grid Foam Roller.
12. Punching Bag
A punching bag may not be very small or compact and they use a bunch of space in your home, but on the other hand, they are one of the best workout tools that you could own. Punching bags can do a whole lot of things for you. One of the biggest benefits of working out with a punching bag is the great increase in aerobic and cardiovascular fitness that they can provide you with.
Of course, punching bags are meant for boxers and fighters, thus they are great for increasing your fighting skill and for making you stronger too. Punching bags can also go a long way in increasing your core strength and stability.
These things are great for helping you lose weight, decreasing stress, and they aren’t all that expensive either.
A few great choices to go with include the Everlast 70 Pound MMA Heavy Bag, the 80 Pound Outslayer Punching Bag, or the Ringside 100 Pound Bag. The Everlast bag is fantastic because it can be used by people of all fitness levels, and it is very durable too.
Conclusion
Any of these pieces of home workout equipment make for great choices. Having the best home gym equipment is a key factor in being able to stay fit and healthy so you should definitely try at least one of them. Foam rollers, jump ropes, adjustable benches and dumbbells, plus everything else we talked about are all great home workout options. They will save you money and time, and will still get your body toned!