8 Must Haves For the Perfect Home Gym (Plus Workouts!)

Does the thought of sliding into your workout clothes and driving to the gym make you shudder?

Are you a busy parent who would actually love to go to the gym but can’t seem to find a babysitter or enough time?

Never fear. You can workout at home and it’s more affordable (and time effective) than you may think.

With a home gym you can….

• Get that killer bod you’ve always dreamed of
• Save money and cancel your gym pass
• Workout in a judgement safe free place without any “bros” checking you out
• Save time by getting rid of any commuting
• Be that super productive awesome person who gets a workout in every day

Sound pretty fantastic?

But seriously, I love working out at home. I don’t mind gyms, but I HATE paying for them. That’s my “why” for investing in a few pieces of equipment.

Here are 8 pieces of equipment that will help you get an effective workout in the comfort of your own home.

The Perfect Home Gym: 8 Must Haves

Resistance Bands

You really can’t go wrong with resistance bands. They are cheap, super effective, and can be used anywhere!

You can pack them along in your suitcase for workouts on the road, bring them to the park (when you’d rather be outside), or use them in your tiny studio apartment.

Free Weights

A little bit more expensive, but if you prefer lifting metal may be worth the price tag.

Think of it this way…if you’re saving $20 bucks each month from ditching your gym pass, you’ll be able to save up enough for your own dumbbells in no time!

 

Pull Up Bar

I LOVE my pull up bar, and I don’t think there is a better way to build a strong back. You can also use it for hanging ab work.

You can set up your pull up bar in pretty much any doorway and it doesn’t take up a lot of room.

Bosu Ball or Balance Disk

Balance work is a HUGE component of fitness, one you really shouldn’t ignore.

Balancing on things is also a great way to burn double the calories during your workout. Why? Balance requires more muscle recruitment. More muscle recruitment = more calories burned. WIN!

Bosu balls or smaller balance disks can help you take your balance to the next level.

Suspension Trainer

You’ve probably seen the commercials for TRX suspension trainers, you know the one with all the ripped dudes?

Well, the truth is a suspension trainer really can get you ripped. It’s one of the most effective tools out there!

Suspension trainers are effective because they utilize multiple components of fitness including strength, endurance, balance, and core strength. This helps you burn MEGA calories and target lots of muscles.

Plus, suspension trainers can be easily modified for any fitness level. Simply hook it into your door, or secure it onto an overhead beam or bar and you are good to go!

You can invest in the TRX brand, or get a cheaper knock off brand. I’ve had the VOSS version for about 2 years now and it’s holding up great!

Yoga Mat

If you have hard floors, a yoga mat (whether you are a dedicated yogi or not) is a must.

Yoga mats cushion your joints and protect your floors.

And you need one for yoga. Duh.

Ab Roller

Want to build an incredibly strong core with ONE exercise?

Get yourself an ab roller!

Ab rollers are awesome because they really help you target multiple muscles in the core (as opposed to sit ups that only target a couple.)

Ab rolling can even help you with your pull-ups! It’s quickly become one of my favorite exercises.

 

Jump Rope

No treadmill, no problem. You’ll still get a super effective cardio workout with what was once a childhood favorite at recess. 

It’s super compact too so you can bring it anywhere, even on your trips across the world. 

Now that you have all the equipment you need for a home gym, you better get busy! Here are the best at home bodyweight exercises to try if you don’t have much equipment. 

Need any workout tips or help? Feel free to ask in the comments! And as always, share with your friends!