The Workout Essentials You Need to Have the Best Home Gym

5 gym equipment essentials, and 4 exercise optional tools.

I started workouts for the first time ever in 2019. I joined gym because I wouldn't have had a clue on how to go about it otherwise. I now have a bit of a foothold on where to go from here. So I can think of investing in at home gym props. Can you relate to this? If you are to start afresh, this post on 'the workout essentials you need to have the best home gym' would still be relevant to you. I'll tell you why in the second half. Because this is how Covid changed everything by 2021, so think home fitness.

As gyms are indoors, there is physical contact with gym equipment, a potential risk of disease. Many prefer gym to get active with expert instructions. But what if you had to quit gym over other preferences or change in routine. That is where you can think over your choices, and invest in some workout props for home gym! After all, bunkering is the current idea. You want your house to be the hub of all things entertainment, home office, kids’ entertainment, book library, entertainment room, and a gym room. So let's get on to some home fitness equipment. I don't intend to cover every exercise equipment you could get your hands on. This post is about a few gym essentials, but also the best home workout equipment you would want to invest in to get you motivated enough to use them daily. Keep reading your way to the best home gym equipment. The ones I also used and would consider.

Photo by Elena Kloppenburg on Unsplash

Home Gym Workout Essentials

1. Treadmill

The only big investment you might need is the treadmill. This is also the first workout essential. According to studies, treadmill wins the top spot in gym machines, for all the reasons I explained in my previous post staying fit after an inactive lifestyle. You're right; it's walking and running, the major cardio exercises at home! The major cardiorespiratory exercises a human needs for a good heart and lung health, and longer life. This is your whole body workout at home, and also an all in one gym machine. It is the best exercise machine for toning whole body. When you look for features, choose the best treadmill for home use. Start at speed 3mph and raise it up to fast walk on 4.5mph. Anything above this speed is running. Walk for up to 20 minutes. Don't overdo any exercise at home unless on a strict diet, or prescribed by your doctor. 

However, don't stress if you don't want to invest in a treadmill. Doesn't matter if you don't have one, replace it with nature! The ultimate soul and mood uplifting outdoor walks and runs during the day and night. Get fresh air and sunshine vitamin D. Going outdoors to lush greens and waters is sufficient to boost mood and health. Personally I prefer outdoor walks. But if I ever decide to add daily running to my routine, I would consider getting a treadmill.

2. Bicycle

I would not suggest you to buy a stationary bike for every saving and pleasure you can get from riding a regular bicycle. The best part is that it is cheap and you might already have it. Cycling is a great cardiorespiratory exercise. It strengthens and increases muscle size of your lower body. It targets front quads and rear hamstring muscles of thighs, and gastrocnemius and soleus in the calf.

Cycle to a nearby park, do groceries, other outdoor chores and activities on your bike. If you still intend to buy a stationary bike for a rigorous workout, your choice.

3. Gym Mat

Gym mat is the first workout essential you need to start your home exercises. You need workout mat for floor exercises involving core strength training at home e.g. pelvic floor exercises, abs, crunches, curl ups, pilates, planks, push-ups. As workout mat is an essential for lower back exercises at home, it comes in various thicknesses to suit individual comfort. The thickness varies from 3mm to 1/2 inch. 8mm is a popular choice. 3/8" is used more for commercial purposes as in gyms. But around 0.5 inches is a good thickness choice for a workout mat.

Me? I can never do thin mats at all! Hard floor hurts me. So I prefer thick exercise mats and use 2 inch thickness, the tri-fold folding exercise mat.

4. Dumbbells

Dumbbells are required for muscular endurance, strength, and resistance building. They strengthen, tone and increase muscle size. You can use them for weight training at home. If you've been to the gym, you might have noticed that different exercises involve different set of weights. I used weights from 1 kg dumbbells to 3kg dumbbells for different workout routines. Get a pair of weights for home gym of your choice you think you can safely manage. I would also personally suggest not to get heavy weights. Unless you're sure you need heavy dumbbells. If there is any need for that, your gym instructor would ask you to do those specific workouts. You can even do whole body dumbbell workout at home if you pick the right exercise routine.

But for home you don't need to overdo anything. Cap at 5kg dumbbells. Go light.

5. Large Exercise Ball

Yoga ball is great for core home fitness. Exercise ball is used for muscular strengthening and targets skill related physical fitness component i.e. core stability and balance. This balance involves the ability to maintain a certain posture. Exercise ball workouts include core, Abs, and full body strengthening. You can use it for whole body workout to target hamstrings, glutes, triceps, biceps etc. Exercises such as squats, planks, and push-ups also involve gym ball.

The many names it goes by, this stability ball became my most favorite and fun exercise prop. On the days I used this, I had the best of the time. But, a heads up! Most people find it difficult to use exercise with gym ball. If you believe you have good balance or are willing to take the challenge, go ahead and buy it.

If you're setting up a home gym or thinking of starting workout at home, any of these could be the essentials to consider investing in. Also, out of these, only the treadmill is expensive. But like I said earlier, I assert that you go out to walk, as that would improve your overall wellness. Also, buy a regular bicycle which you can use anytime. You would get remaining equipment at reasonable prices from online or local sports stores. These are more than enough for your full body workout at home! From cardiorespiratory to muscular endurance, strength, and balance, you name it.

If you want more options to props and tools to up your workout game, you may choose any of these below to your preferences.

Optional Workout Equipment

6. Skipping Rope

Skipping rope is a great cardio exercise that gets your lungs active and builds stamina. It is also good for toning calves and core.

Get a traditional skipping rope. If you have a space constraint in your house, get cordless skipping rods. It is available on Amazon and many other stores. When I went to gym, they did not give me jumping rope exercise. But I saw some other people instructed to use it. If you are walking, jogging, running, swimming even, you may not need it. It isn’t a need but a great want.

7. Fitness Sandbag

Fitness sandbag training aims towards muscular strength, stability and motion. It strengthens 3D planes of your body involving forward, backward, side to side, and twisting movements, and prevents injury.

You can think of fitness sandbag a replacement for water kettle. The plus is it has no sharp edges. You can hold it easily while doing any exercise. As with dumbbells, these come in various weights. I used 3kg sandbag. They are flexible to use for aerobic workouts. Sandbag workouts involve lunges, squats, rows, burpees, bridges, and curl ups. However, it is optional. If you want, skip it.

8. Medicine Ball

Medicine ball is a weighted ball used for muscular strength. It differs from stability ball as it is heavy, shorter, and doesn't roll. It especially involves upper body workout. Medicine ball workout includes squats, lunges, circles, pushups, deadlifts, etc.

It is again great exercise equipment but also, like sandbag, a bit vigorous. I didn't use medicine ball, others did.

9. Resistance Bands

Resistance bands are used for muscular strengthening and building muscle mass. These are mostly recommended for muscle rehabilitation. They provide muscle building tension i.e. your muscles fight the tension by going against the resistance.

You can do resistance band workout at home. A few exercises include bicep curls, squats, hip abduction, lateral walks etc.

When you decide to invest in gym equipment, consider a few factors. If you've never done exercises before, the way I didn't, then the best you can do is to join a gym for around three months. Because once you go there, you detail your health requirements to a fitness instructor, and get body composition tested. He or she then engineers a routine for you. If you only start with aerobic DVDs or YouTube, you would find great exercises, but would not know which ones meet your needs. After a specific time at the gym, you'd be more confident over what to do from then on, and be able to take it from there.

I would also suggest you also see a nutritionist. Considering both a gym and nutritionist would be the foundation to good health and body. A good YouTube fitness instructor to check is HASfit catering a vast audience. His workouts cover beginner and advance level, and are for both men and women. Or look up your own preferences.

If you are familiar with exercise routines, then don't hesitate to buy any of the above exercise equipment of your choice. This way you'd also be able to confirm if a specific exercise routine you saw on DVD or YouTube suits your needs.

That’s all for this post. I hope you enjoyed it. Let me know your thoughts in the comment section below, and subscribe to my blog. Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.

Disclosure: I am not endorsing any referred external YouTube link. It is only my personal choice.