Home Gym Essentials This Fitness Instructor Swears By
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I’ve been a fitness instructor since 2013, and a fitness fanatic for about 20 years before that. Ha! At this point I’ve taught thousands of people how to move their bodies, get sweaty, and get strong. Since I love fitness, I also get a kick out of trying different workouts (remember when I went to Jazzercise??) and equipment. My personal fitness philosophy is that, while you can workout for 90 minutes if that’s something that you’re really jonesing to do, you shouldn’t have to. Because of that I’m always searching for workout equipment that will allow me to workout efficiently. You deserve to be able to feel strong, safe, and healthy without sacrificing all of your time. And sanity.
While I love fitness classes, I also really value being able to have the resources that I need at home. My schedule (and I’m sure you can relate!) doesn’t always allow for me to drive across the city, look for parking, take a class, and then venture back home to shower my swampy body. Since I started working from home a few years ago I’ve slowly been adding things to my home gym to create a space where I can do most workouts. If I’ve learned anything it’s this: you don’t need a ton of expensive equipment to create a home gym. The right equipment can go a really, really long way.
Then, COVID-19 happened!
Since the beginning of this wild year this has been one of my most requested blog topics. I know it can feel stifling being stuck inside for months on end, but personally I’ve found that creating a consistent home workout routine helps me stay…. semi-sane. These are all my tried and true home-gym essentials - I own everything featured in this post. You absolutely don’t need everything listed here - each item here (like this pack of resistance bands!) can be used in a variety of ways to enhance your home workout practice AND build-out your home gym. I specifically look for things in the $200 price range price range or below - $200 being an investment piece. While you certainly can spend a lot of money building out the perfect home-gym, I don’t think that you should have to.
PS - I’ve listed Amazon as a retailer for most of these items to make this as easy to navigate as possible. That being said, if you have suggestions for small businesses you can buy this equipment from please drop those suggestions in the comments!
Want more info on creating a sustainable home workout routine? Check out - How to Create a Home Yoga Practice That Sticks
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TRX Suspension Trainer - $145 This is one of the more expensive pieces in my home gym. If you’re not familiar, a TRX is similar to gymnastic rings. The unpredictability of the suspension requires much more core and deep-muscle control, which makes for an efficient workout that strengthens quickly. TRX pushups are both my enemy and my secret love.This version comes with a variety of anchors and straps, so you can use it as long as you have a high, sturdy base to attach it to.
Vibrating Interval Timer - $20 I discovered the GymBoss timer early on as a fitness instructor and have been in love ever since. An interval timer may seem unnecessary in the cellphone era, but hear me out! I love this timer because it has a vibrate setting (and also MANY different sound settings), so I can time myself without hearing beeps every 2 seconds. I like to listen to music when I work out, and beeps at the beginning and end of every interval really throws off my vibe. A removable clip on the back attaches easily to your shirt. I use this daily.
3 set of resistance bands - $30 A good set of resistance bands can make the most basic bodyweight exercises burn so much deeper. I’ve tried a handful of bands over the years and these are my favorite. They’re designed not to slip, and the varying levels of resistance in this set is perfect for a wide range of uses. If you love to lift but don’t have many heavy weights at home, add these to your mix. You’ll get the same burn of a heavy lift session without all the equipment.
Pilates ball - $11 Don’t let this little gal fool you, a Pilates ball can pack a huge punch when used correctly. I like to add it into my ab routines for a base instead of the floor/my yoga mat. It creates an uneven surface that forces me to engage my abs in a way I can’t access without equipment. This post features tutorials for 5 powerful moves using the Pilates ball that look, frankly, absolutely killer.
Foam roller - $18 Recovery is a key part of any successful and sustainable fitness routine. If you’re not familiar with foam-rolling, it gets deep into muscle tissue and helps break down muscle-fiber, which in turn can aid in muscle recovery. Think of it like this: you know when you have a knot in your back that you can’t get to no matter how much yoga you do, but after a massage it poof disappears? That’s what a foam roller does. I
Massage balls - $14 Massage balls are essentially a smaller, more targeted version of foam rolling. I always bring my massage balls when I travel, even if just for a short trip. After my car accident my body does not do well sitting for more than an hour or so at a time. I use massage balls to get out any kinks I might have after a long day of travel. Also, they’re amazing for sore feet!
3 set of dumbbells - $49 I got really into the barre classes on Alo Moves this year (PS - you can get 15% off using code LIZZ) and am constantly shocked at how quickly a set of 3 pound weights can start to feel like 50 pounds after a few minute of tiny pulses. This set of light weights is great for barre, pilates, and circuit-style workouts. I also love using them for spin-class style arm workouts like this one.
15 lb kettlebell - $25 I love to lift weights, but I just don’t have the space or the desire to spend hundreds of dollars to build out a fully loaded set of home weights. My personal trainer suggested that I start with a 15 pound kettlebell, and there are so many applications! I pair my kettlebell with the resistance bands mentioned above for 30 minute full body circuits and always feel adequately challenged.
Yoga + workout mat - $78 A good yoga mat can go a long way for building a sustainable home fitness routine. Ideally you want something sticky enough that you won’t slide into disaster when you’re sweaty, and thick enough to absorb any shock you might incur from jumping-style movements. This mat has been the mat of choice at every single studio that I’ve worked at.
BOSU balance trainer - $100 The BOSU Balance Trainer forces you to maintain your center of gravity while performing any exercise and is an excellent way to prepare and tone your body for everyday life, athletic skills and help prevent injury. This is actually a great tool for yoga teachers as well looking to strengthen challenging balancing poses.
Yoga bolster - $50 Yoga bolsters are essentially very firm pillows designed for slower, more relaxing styles of yoga. Bolsters provide support during long holds, like propping your head up in a position on your back. I like using a bolster in child’s pose (see picture) for extra low back support.
Yoga blocks - $22 I used to think that yoga blocks were for beginners only, but have since changed my tune. I like using yoga blocks for both my vinyasa and my restorative yoga practice. You can use them to work on perfecting alignment, practice inversions, or to access a much deeper stretch in Yin poses. These cork blocks hold up well with regular use and are easy to clean.