Hello, hello! Recently I talked about consistency being an unsexy practice that can really make a huge difference in a fitness journey. One part of consistency is being able to access your exercise practice from multiple different places. And let’s be fair, one of the easiest places to make this happen is right at home. Today, let’s talk about how to build a useful home gym.
Anybody who has been around my little corner of the interwebs for any amount of time knows that I love me some good definitions. So, let’s define useful. The dictionary has this to say: being of use or service; serving some purpose; advantageous, helpful, or of good effect. In other words, the things you choose need to be of service. Of service will mean different things to each of us, so you’ll need to figure out your needs, wants, and budget.
For example, my dad called me just before Thanksgiving for some advice about their treadmill. My parents are both retired and have the budget and space for a treadmill. They are both decently mobile and active for their age (and more importantly, want to stay that way) and walking is something they do quite a bit. They generally prefer to be outside but live in a climate that doesn’t lend itself to that during the winter. Long story short, a treadmill is useful for them and doesn’t become a laundry hamper.
I digress. Useful for our purposes also means that it can cover many different types of exercise. You’ll want something for cardio and strength training. And possibly something, or at least the space, for stretching and mobility work. Having these tools readily at your disposal will allow you to adapt and stay consistent when life has other plans.
What I don’t consider useful is worrying about what other people have (or don’t). I am a personal trainer and wellness coach. I do not have a basement full of benches, bars, and weights. I don’t have specialty equipment. Nor do I even have one dedicated space. In fact, if you’ve seen my YouTube videos, you’ll notice the space changes frequently because I workout and film based on space demands.
I also don’t have expensive equipment. In my opinion, you don’t need it for home-based workouts. You need things that are easy to access and use. And things that you feel comfortable pulling out on short notice. So, now that I’ve blathered on about what useful means, let’s talk about what pieces I feel fit the definition.
For cardio workouts, I love the simplicity and storage ability of either a ropeless jump rope or an agility ladder. These store small and there are countless different workouts you can do. Additionally, both jumping rope and agility drills lend to higher intensity and interval workouts, which usually translates to less total workout time. Typically a plus for home workouts. Of course, if you’ve got safe access, a good pair of sneakers and some headphones will make for a nice walk around the neighborhood.
For strength training, you will never go wrong with a decent set of resistance bands. These come in a ton of different varieties, but the good news is that they are inexpensive enough to try several out if you aren’t sure what will work for you. I personally prefer the long flat bands as they are the least expensive and offer the most options, but you do you. A simple step offers a bigger range of exercises and can double as cardio equipment.
For mobility and stretching, you really only need the space. Of course, a basic mat won’t steer you wrong. Truthfully, something super overlooked, especially for stretching and mobility, is internet access. There are so many simple routines available for free. My favorites are on Fitness Blender.
In my experience, the simpler and more straightforward home equipment is what gets utilized. Equipment that gets used translates to consistency. You should be able to get what you need for around $100. If you have a bit more to spend and/or the space for slightly larger equipment, you can add a collapsible rower or bike trainer, and an adjustable weight kettlebell. $300 or so for a respectable home set up, which is a bargain when you realize that the average cost of a gym membership is $50/month or $600 a year.
What equipment would you include in your home gym and why?
