Had a request to talk about my favorite home gym items that I think are most vital and effective! So here’s the list. I made it in order of which are most versatile/useful in my opinion. Mainly dumbbells and a mat are #1 and 2 and after that, they’re all fighting for the next highest spots depending on what your goals are. The video may go a bit more in depth but I outlined each for you below as well!
Before diving it, I get asked a lot if I only work out at home and if I do more than the Get Fit Guides. Right now The Get Fit Guide weeks 13-24 (round 2) based on my current training. Weeks 1-12 are the same basic format but weeks 13-24 takes the training intensity and move difficulty up a notch. I trained the format of weeks 1-12 for a solid year and a half before picking up the intensity and creating the training format for weeks 13-24! I don’t train extra on top of the Get Fit Guides, but I do the 2 additional glute circuits(10-15 mins) and upper body burnout (only 5 ish minutes) laid out for you in round 2! Basically right now I try my best to do all the optional accessory workouts, which wasn’t always the case!
Enjoy! 😀
Dumbbells – Talk about versatility. If I could only pick one item from this list this would be it. You can effectively train your entire body with dumbbells at home and never need to set foot in a gym. I know, I did it for years! My Get Fit Guides are based on home workouts with dumbbells. It’s an incredibly effective way to train. Like I mentioned in the video, if you’re looking for the most cost effective option, I would go for the all silver ones. They’re going to be cheaper per pound. You can also look at used equipment stores like Play It Again Sports or wait for them to go on sale somewhere. I know I got a few pairs of mine on a deal at Academy.
Mat – Super useful for ab exercises, plank variations in strength session and HIIT. This one is a super inexpensive one from TJ Maxx or Marshalls, I think around $10. It doesn’t have to be fancy, just get the job done!
Glute Bands – I love to use the during lower body day to add some extra challenge to exercises like squats, sumo squats, in & out squat etc (after you’ve mastered the move wit the weight you’re at of course). They’re also great for targeting your glutes in a variety of ways in small circuits or as part of a warm up to get your glutes firing pre workout so they’re more likely to be working when they should be. These can be used for other things, like some upper body exercises as well depending on the resistance level! A pack of three resistances can be found for anywhere from $10-20!
Ankle Weights – Another one that will mainly be used for glutes, these two could really be grouped together. If you’re deciding between ankle weights and bands at first, I’d go bands! They’re a bit more versatile and less expensive. But these can also be used for great things! A pair of 5 lb ankle weights will probably cost you $15-20.
Pull Up Band – Pretty much the only thing I don’t use this for is pull ups. I like to wrap it around our metal railing and use it for glute kickbacks, standing hip thrusts and other glute targeted exercises. When I travel I love to bring it because I can use it for a total body workout and it packs easy. Squats, rows, split squats, even dead lift variations. It’s also nice because the resistance is somewhat adjustable depending on how much slack you leave on the band! You can find them for around $15-20 depending on the resistance.
Box/Bench/Chair – This doesn’t have to be something fancy. I used a chair (very sturdy chair) for about 3 years before investing in an actual jump box. The price is going to depend on what you buy, a bench may be cheaper but a box will usually allow for different heights!
Step – A great little intensifier for things like lunges or plyo exercises. I also love to use it in HIIT cardio! Mine is a simple $20 step from Wal Mart that goes 4 and 6 inches. If you have a set of stairs that you can use at first, that works for a lot of what I would use this for too!
Jump Rope – This one didn’t make it in the video mainly because I forgot but it’s another cost effective and versatile piece of equipment. I use it for traditional skips, set it on the floor as a barrier for other cardio exercises and use it to warm up some times. It’s not necessary if you hate to jump rope but it can be a great low budget cardio item!
Alrighty, so this is my list of gym equipment I think is most versatile and effective for a home gym! I use this stuff all the time but as usual, do what works best for you. If you absolutely despise jump ropes, I’m definitely not telling you that it’s 100% necessary :D.
Let me know if you have any questions or what you’d like to see next!
Sweat, Smile, Repeat!
Niki
