Today I’m sharing some of my top picks for at home workout equipment.
Yesterday morning I did my first Peloton app workout since I decided to try out the trial. I have to admit that I was impressed with the quality of the class. I did a boot camp workout and then a 10 minute full body stretch afterwards and absolutely loved it!
I’ll share more thoughts about it once I’ve used it for a few more weeks and right off the bat I’m really loving it! If you also use the app I’d love to connect. Add me (getfitfiona) or leave your username in the comments below and I’ll add you on my end.
And now on to the main topic of my post today – at home workout equipment! If you’re interested in checking out some of my other fitness posts you can find them here.
Ironically enough I don’t have much fitness equipment to use at home despite being a personal trainer. I’m very lucky to have a treadmill at home that I can use though. I’ve been a gym goer for so long now that I just never really needed to buy much of it. I never thought that gyms would be closed for months on end due to a pandemic.
Today I’m sharing some of the at home workout equipment that I would like to have (and am slowly getting) as I transition from gym workouts to at home ones. A lot of this equipment can be used in different ways. I’m all about focusing on versatile equipment that can be used for different exercises and body parts.
Dumbbells
First a foremost I would get a couple pairs of dumbbells if you’re looking to build a home gym. Not only can they be used for both upper and lower body exercises (everything from squats to bicep curls), but they’re also easy to transition from one exercise to the next with.
If you’re starting from scratch I would opt for a lighter pair of dumbbells and a heavier one. Use the smaller pair for upper body work and the larger pair for lower body exercises. If you’re newer to fitness go lighter and if you’ve been at it for awhile go heavier. Once you have a couple pairs to begin with you can slowly add over time as you need to use heavier and heavier weights.
Yoga mat
Not only are yoga mats great for yoga, but they’re also great for any floor work that you’ll be doing. I bought a Manduka Pro mat (affiliate link) nearly 2 years ago now before starting yoga teacher training and I’m still loving it. It’s thicker than most yoga mats which means that I have added cushioning. I really appreciate it when I’m on my knees or elbows. It’s also stood up really well to a ton of use and still looks great.
Doing everything from crunches to planks to bird dogs on a yoga mat is just more comfortable than on a bare floor. I have a better grip on the floor so that my feet and hands are sliding around. I also appreciate having something between my back/hips when it comes to doing crunches.
A step
If you’re wanting to get as much use out of your at home workout equipment as possible, I would go with a step instead of a bench. With an extra riser or two it can double as a bench to do chest presses or rows on as well as using it as a step. I personally prefer ones with risers like this one (affiliate link) as opposed to ones that one have one height and aren’t adjustable. If I’m going to invest in fitness equipment I want to make sure that I get as much use out of it as possible.
Mini bands
Mini bands are another one of those versatile pieces of equipment that you can use a ton of different ways. A quick google search will show you a ton of ways to use them. In addition mini bands are great for use at home because they typically come in a couple different thicknesses and they’re easy to store because they take up so little space.
My one caution with mini bands is to make sure to check them every so often to make sure that they’re still in good shape. As they age they can dry out and crack. You don’t want to use a band like that because it can snap and fly away. I’ve seen that happen before at the gym and it’s not pleasant!
As far as at home workout equipment goes, the above items are my essentials. You can always expand with things like medicine balls, an adjustable bench, a barbell/plates and a rack, kettlebells, etc. There’s always more that you can add and get a more specialized equipment.
What are some of your essential pieces of at home workout equipment? I’d love to hear about them in the comments below.
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