7 Home Gym Essentials for Success

Now more than ever, it’s important to consider a home gym as an alternative to going to the gym to stay healthy.  Gym memberships, along with everything else these days, are getting expensive.  With the rise of inflation, people are having to work more to keep up with expenses, so time is valuable.  The Covid 19 scare gave many people another reason to not go out.  So, lets look at the home gym essentials to set you up for success.

Home Gym Breakdown

• The Essentials – Necessary cost-effective items for a rounded-out fitness routine
• “Get them if you can” – Larger equipment with big benefits if you have the space and budget

Why a Home Gym

Big gyms provide a lot of options and a certain energy that you can’t get at home.  But an at home workout space can provide a lot of benefits that other workout facilities can’t.

First off is convenience.  There is nothing easier than just going to a different area in your home to workout.  It’s always open. There’s no showing a membership card. You just walk into the room and get to it.

Next is time savings. With a home fitness area, you don’t waste time driving to another facility, walking to and from the building, and checking in at the front desk.  You also save time getting in and out of a locker and gym bag and then having to unpack those gym clothes when you get home.

Another convenience of a home gym is that you get the environment you want.  You decide what music is playing. You decide what’s on the TV. You decide your dress code without anyone judging you.

A couple other advantage are that you don’t have any creepers watching. You can try new exercises without feeling self-conscious. You can also know without a doubt the sanitary condition of the equipment you are using and who used it previously.

7 Home Gym Essentials

1. Mats

The first thing you need for a home fitness area are mats.  Whether your floor is wood, tile, concrete or even carpet, it’s important to have something down to pad and protect your bones and joints  through different positions and movements. These mats also protect your flooring from heavier equipment and sweat.

2. Jump Rope

We are going to need to do some cardio and there isn’t much more of a cost effective piece of cardio equipment than a jump rope.  Just check for ceiling height and light fixtures before you start.

3. Dumbbells / kettlebells

Next, we’re going to need something for strength. Dumbbells and kettlebells offer a lot of versatility in the number of exercises that can be done with them. You don’t need to get a huge set of them in order to get started as long as you know your strength level that you’re starting at.  You can always add more weights to your set as you progress in your journey.

4. Weight Bench

Along with those weights, it’s always a good idea to get a weight bench.  A good weight bench allows you more positions to do exercises with well supported, proper form.

5. Stability Ball

A lot of people don’t realize the benefits of a stability ball. This piece of equipment helps to train core and stabilizing muscles. It also helps with training balance which adds real world function to your routine.

6. Aerobic Step / Plyo Box

This is a multi-use piece of equipment that can be incorporated into many aspects of your workout routine. It can be used for cardio or you can add weights and make it part of your strength routine.

7. Foam Roller

To round out our home gym essentials, we can’t forget about our cool down. Foam rollers are great for working out pesky tight areas and sore muscles

2 “Get Them If You Can”

If you have a little more space and budget, we highly recommend adding the next 2 items to your home gym

1. Cardio Equipment

There are a lot of different quality pieces of cardio equipment on the market today. 1 solid treadmill, bike, elliptical, rower or stair stepper can contribute a lot to your exercise routine.  The key to picking the right one is first figuring out what type of equipment you will actually use.  Rowing and stair steppers provide a huge calorie burn but if you hate doing them, then you’re just throwing money away on equipment you won’t use. The next key is to find the piece that is of sufficient quality for the abuse that you are about to put it through. Also, make sure that it is backed by the company selling it to you. You don’t want to train for a marathon on a treadmill that is only built for 5k’s and you don’t want to buy from a company that can’t provide service on it when you do wear it out.

2. Power Rack, Smith Machine, or Cable Gym

The next step in leveling up your strength training would be to add a power rack, smith machine and weight plates or a cable gym.  This combined with your weight bench allows you to really step up the intensity in your strength program. Which one to get depends on where you are at in your fitness journey and your goals. Make sure to talk to a professional to help figure out what is the best for your routine.

Putting It All Together

Okay, so you’ve decided that a home gym is the way to go for you. The first thing to do is to figure out what kind of routine you are going to have.  Then plan out your space so that you can move from one exercise to the next easily and efficiently.  Finally, make sure your space motivates you.  Get that music that gets you going. Put up motivational posters. Play something on the TV that inspires you.  Do whatever it takes to set yourself up for success.

And of course, if you need any help with your home gym essentials, the professionals at Priority 1 Fitness are here to help.