These affordable home gym must haves are basic supplies that you need to get in a good workout from home.
I prefer going to the gym, but when I first started working out I had to do it at home. These essentials were key and luckily, budget friendly.
Home Gym Must Haves
Essentials to add to your home gym so that you can get in a great workout!
2 sets of dumbbells
Dumbbells are essential. I currently have 3 sets and I use them all. I have 5 pound, 10 pound, and 15 pound. I would say 2 sets are the bare minimum. If you start to progress past those weights, you can always find new ways to push yourself. For example, I love switching up normal dumbbell deadlifts by doing single leg deadlifts-- the weight becomes challenging all over again. There are a lot of single leg variations for lower body work, for upper body you can get creative with supersets and triple sets.
Extra Thick Exercise Yoga Gym Floor Mat
Yoga mats are great for a lot more than just yoga. I love using it to add a little extra cushion while doing ab exercises, stretching pre & post workout, and various abduction exercises on leg day like fire hydrants and banded clam shells. You can also fold it up and use it as a barbell pad while doing hip thrusts.
Adjustable Bench
An adjustable bench is a great addition because it is so versatile. Incline chest presses, bent over row, step ups, hip thrusts, there are so many different muscle groups you can work if you have one
Loop Exercise Bands
Loop Resistance Bands are a great way to add extra resistance to leg exercises. Pair them with dumbbells or just use them alone.
Foam Roller
Foam rollers are great for stretching your muscles before and after your workout. We bought ours to also help with getting knots out of our muscles and to help with back pain.
Jump Rope
Jumping rope is a great, inexpensive way to add in cardio. Another bonus is that it takes up hardly any room to store.
Stability Ball
Stability balls are great for balancing or sitting exercises. They definitely add a new challenge to chest presses and are my favorite for ab work.
Exercise Sliders
Sliders are a fun way to make ab work extremely challenging. Plus, they are super inexpensive to add to your home gym.
Bosu Balance Trainer, 65cm - Blue
I wouldn't say these are essential, but they can add another element to your workout.
Full Length Mirror
Large Mirrors are often overlooked, but are so great for keeping your form in check. This is especially handy while mastering new exercises.
Kettle bell
Although I'm not a huge kettle bell fan, I know it is a staple for a lot of people. It is probably a good idea to get a couple different weights or an adjustable one.
Squat Rack
Once you start adding in barbells and plates, things start to get expensive. But if you are serious about weight training, it might be worth it to invest in. I still haven't bought one of these yet, but it is on my wish list!
Benefits of a home gym
The convenience has got to be the biggest benefit of working out at home. This is especially key for anyone who has a busy schedule.
After Farrah was born, I used my home gym to workout during the kids’ naps. I was able to get in a great workout with very limited space and equipment (shown above).
Another benefit would be for those who are beginners and may be nervous to step foot into a real gym. This is a great space to practice different exercises and really nail down the correct form. It is a great way to build the confidence to go to a gym. (The mirror I mentioned is perfect for practicing form!)
Affordability can be a benefit, but there is a small investment you need to make initially. However, you can just add equipment as you go. You don’t have to buy everything all at once. When I first started, all I had were a couple sets of free weights and I slowly added to my collection.
We recently built a garage gym, check out which equipment we stocked up on here!
How to make a home workout more challenging
When working out from home, you are a little limited in your equipment. Unless you have a full set of weights, you will have to get creative with your workouts to make them harder as time goes on.
This is where the loop bands I mentioned earlier come in handy. They add in extra resistance in addition to weights. You can also double up on loop bands.
Also, try adding in supersets and trisets and higher rep ranges. Another great tip is to be very deliberate with your reps. Go slow and controlled during each phase of the rep. Slowing down makes it a lot more challenging.
