So, you want to exercise at home? That’s great. Only there is a small problem:
What equipment should you get?
There are so many options to choose from, and you can’t get everything. First, that would be incredibly expensive. Second, you wouldn’t be able to store everything at home.
To that end, we’ve put together this list of the five best pieces of equipment you should get for your home workouts. Let’s dive in.
1. Resistance Bands
Resistance bands are one of the most versatile pieces of equipment you can get for home workouts. They are affordable, compact, and have many uses. You can do various gym-based exercises with them, use them for mobility and warm-up work, and make some bodyweight movements more challenging.
For instance:
- Use bands for movements like lat pulldowns, chest flyes, bicep curls, and lateral shoulder raises.
- Use bands to improve your shoulder and hip mobility through various activities.
- Use bands to make bodyweight movements like the push-up more difficult. For instance, wrap a band over your hands and behind your back for extra resistance when pushing.
2. A Pair of Adjustable Dumbbells
Dumbbells are another fantastic piece of equipment you should have because they also have many uses. You can do dozens of awesome exercises like curls, extensions, presses, rows, squats, lunges, and more.
Dumbbells are also fantastic for strengthening both sides of your body simultaneously and preventing muscle imbalances from occurring.
But for them to be useful, it’s best to get an adjustable pair where you can add and remove weight as you see fit. You can add more weight for compound movements like back rows and less weight for isolation exercises like tricep extensions.
3. A Jump Rope
Having a jump rope for your home training is excellent because it is:
- Affordable
- Versatile
- Compact
Instead of spending hundreds of dollars on a cardio machine, you can get a simple rope, store it easily, and take it out when you need it. You can use it for a wide range of workouts, from steady-state jumping to high-intensity routines.
The jump rope is an excellent piece of equipment that improves your endurance, balance, coordination, and power. It also helps you burn lots of calories, which can be beneficial, especially when trying to lose fat.
4. An Exercise Mat
Though not essential, a good exercise mat will make the entire training experience much more pleasurable. Instead of having to lie on the hard floor, you can lay the mat down and use it for a comfortable and semi-hard surface.
This is great for exercises like:
- Lying leg raises
- Crunches
- Dead bug
- Floor presses
- Glute bridges
- Planks and side planks
- Russian twists
Plus, you can use the exercise mat for stretching, yoga, and much more.
5. A Pull-Up Bar
The pull-up bar is another fantastic piece of equipment. You can get yourself one that attaches to the wall or one you place inside a door frame – whichever you prefer.
Having a pull-up bar is great because it allows you to do two of the best back-building exercises: the pull-up and chin-up. Doing these regularly will strengthen your upper back and build it up incredibly well. Plus, the overloading potential of both movements is excellent. If you get to a point where bodyweight pull-ups feel too easy, you can attach extra weight to yourself for greater resistance.
A pull-up bar also allows you to do great movements like hanging leg or knee raises, L-sits, and muscle-ups.