Essentials for Working Out From Home
Updated: Mar. 07, 2023No gym? That's no problem when you have top-rated home workout equipment to kick-start your fitness goals.
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Yoga Mat for Your Home Gym
Wherever your exercise at home, a yoga mat will soften the surface, provide extra traction and protect your floors from sweat. This basic yoga mat from Amazon Basics is extra thick and cushioned to keep your hands and knees comfortable while you stretch. It comes in many colors to keep your home gym stylish, and its handy carrying strap keeps it neatly rolled up for easy storage.
Doorway Pull Up Bar and Portable Gym System
Perfect Fitness Multi-Gym Doorway Pull Up Bar and Portable Gym System lets you perform a multitude of moves thanks to its super-versatile design. Hang it in your doorway for pull ups, then place it on the floor for sit-ups, push-ups and dips. The padded grips keep your hands comfortable while the system’s design helps you maintain good form. Assembly and height adjustments are a cinch. (No drilling required!)
Heavy-Duty Exercise Kettlebell
Anyone in a small space or with an aversion to clutter will appreciate Apex Adjustable Heavy-Duty Exercise Kettlebell. Between its 15-pound handle and five-pound bottom plate are weightless spacers where you can add up to 30 pounds of plates. (They’re sold separately — one popular option is CAP Barbell Standard 1-Inch Grip Weight Plates.) You’ll easily customize your workout with one kettlebell instead of an entire kettlebell collection.
Resistance Loop Exercise Bands
With more than 12,000 five-star reviews, Fit Simplify Resistance Loop Exercise Bands are the top-rated resistance bands on Amazon. The heavy-duty natural latex bands come in five resistance levels. Use them to stretch, build muscle, ease an injury or complement a yoga or Pilates workout. The instructional booklet and links to an ebook and video guide keep you pumped with home workout ideas.
Ankle Weights
Ankle weights are an easy way to add muscle-building resistance to anything from a daily stroll to body weight exercises. One popular option: Sportneer Ankle Weights, featuring removable sand pockets so you can adjust the weight from one-half pound to 3-1/2 lbs. Velcro straps make an exact fit a cinch for any ankle, or even wrists if you’re doing an upper-body workout.
Resistance Pants
Resistance bands are incredibly common and useful pieces of home exercise equipment. Personal trainer and former pro football player Myron Flowers recommends the more innovative Agogie Resistance Pants. Eight built-in resistance bands add constant tension to every movement. They can even turn a vacuuming session into a calorie-burning and muscle toning workout. The pants come in two resistance levels to work with your fitness level and goals.
Foldable Mini Trampoline
For an effective, low-impact cardio workout that’s also a lot of fun, consider the BCAN 40-in. Foldable Mini Trampoline. An adjustable foam handle and waterproof, anti-slide material lets you jump safely. And the construction is solid, thanks to steel spring attachments that hold up better under pressure than band attachments. When you’re done with your workout, simply fold it up for easy storage.
Multipurpose Balance Board
Improve your core strength, flexibility and posture with a stability trainer like the EveryMile Wobble Balance Board. Simply keeping your balance while standing on it does all that. You can increase your workout at any time by shifting your weight to one side without letting its edge touch the ground. Hop on this handy board to kick up the intensity of squats, lunges, push-ups and more.
Floor Sliders for Home Core Workouts
Synergee Core Sliders are among the most versatile, inexpensive and space-saving exercise products out there. These gliding disks placed under your feet are a favorite of certified personal trainer Hannah Daugherty. She uses them to add oomph to side lunges, plank jacks, push-ups and mountain climbers. And they’re a good fit for anyone looking for a low-impact workout, because your feet remain on the ground throughout.
Skipping Rope for Cardio Workouts at Home
For a calorie-torching cardio workout you can do just about anywhere, consider a jump rope such as the DEGOL Skipping Rope. It features soft sweat-absorbing sponge handles, a rope you can adjust to your height and a design that resists twisting and tangling. The American Heart Association reports that jumping rope burns more calories than jogging, swimming, cycling or playing tennis.
