It’s easy to find an excuse to skip the gym if you have to travel to get there – too tired, too busy – but the truth is simple, it just may be too inconvenient for you. Maybe what’ll serve you better is to create your own home gym for home workouts. That way there’s no valid reason why you shouldn’t hit your home gym for a workout.
Fill your home gym with these 6 essential pieces of equipment and get ready for some stellar sweat-burning workouts!
6 Must-Have Home Gym Essentials
Yoga Mat
Whether you’re a practicing yogi or not, a yoga mat is essential for any home gym as it provides an anti-slip surface for stretching or strength training exercises. Its rubbery texture also provides a cushiony surface and offers protection for your body against the hard ground when you’re doing floor work. Plus it’s easy to clean and tuck away when it’s not in use.
Dumbbells
A classic gym tool that is used to build strength and muscle in your arms. If you’re a beginner stick with lower weights – 3 and 5 pound – and work your way up as your strength improves. Hexagonal free weights don’t roll away and can be handy for repetitions as will having a selection of different weights; all good for bulking up. Rubber-coated sets are nice and easy to clean
Resistance Bands
These easy on your joints bands are suitable for any fitness level and are great for strength training. Made from reinforced rubber, these stretchy bands come in different color-coded resistance levels, so they’re suitable for anyone. They’re also incredibly versatile, you can use them alone, in combination with other equipment or integrate them with strength building exercises – like bicep curls. Did we mention they’re also relatively inexpensive?
Stability Ball
Originally developed for rehabilitation, now the stability ball has taken on a new life as a favored piece of exercise equipment. Great for balance, core work, flexibility, toning or strength training – depending on how it’s used. Just be sure to find the right ball for your height (yes, size matters)!
Foam Roller
The primary role of a foam roller is to loosen up contracted muscles otherwise known as myofascial release. Which means you’re less likely to get injured. Use foam roller exercises for better blood flow, looser muscles, better range of motion and faster recovery after a workout (fresh blood flushes out the waste in your spent muscles – it’s like a muscle recharge). What this means is you’ll want to incorporate foam rollers in with your pre and post stretches.
Parallette Bars
Parallette Bars come from gymnastics and have been dominating the fitness world. Bars like parallette bars, are great for building up a strong and defined core, for better body control and coordination, helpful in targeting specific muscles, excellent for weight training (especially upper body) and over time it will actually improve your grip strength.
Build Your Home Gym with These 6 Pieces of Exercise Equipment
Take your workouts to the next level by filling your home gym with the right tools. That way, you’ll never miss a workout. So get ready to get into the best shape of your life!
