Home Gym Essentials: 4 Easy Steps to Creating the Perfect Workout Area

With exercise being vital to a healthy lifestyle, many tenants and homeowners create their own gyms at home. But what are the home gym essentials that will ensure you reach fitness goals? How do you create a dynamic exercise space? 

A home gym is a great investment for anyone, whether you live alone or with your family. For one thing, negating the fees for gym membership is an excellent way to save money! The equipment you choose for a home gym will depend on your fitness goals and preferences, so taking the time to research and select the equipment that is best for you is great place to start. 

Which is probably why you clicked on this blog, right? So, let’s begin by looking at some home gym essentials, and how you can create a gym that works for you. Done correctly, you’ll never need to purchase a gym membership again!

 

Step 1: Evaluating Your Fitness Goals

Selecting the best equipment for your home gym starts with an evaluation of your goals. Begin your home gym creation by listing at least five areas within your body that you wish to work on. Once you’ve established your fitness priorities, you’ll be able to research the best equipment for the job.

Here are some directions you can take with this process:

• General cardio fitness
• Chest development
• Arm and shoulder strength
• Leg strength
• Relaxation and balance
• Core strength
• Muscle definition

 

Which of these would be milestones in your fitness journey? 

 

Step 2: Home Gym Essentials: What Should You Get?

The second part of establishing a workable home gym is to match your goals with the equipment needed to reach those goals. A little research will go a long way to doing this, since many types of gym equipment can be used to achieve multiple goals.

Here are some of the home gym essentials that deliver various overarching benefits to reaching your fitness goals.  

 

Basic Strength Training Equipment

Strength training is not only beneficial for men, but women are also recommended to partake in regular strength training. Weights such as dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells, etc. all fall under this category. 

Kitting out your home gym with a variety of weights is a great way to get started. However, because you can accumulate different types of weights—as you get stronger—you can collect your home gym essentials over a period of time, without breaking the bank by buying it all in one go. 

 

A Good Bench

A bench that accommodates your size and weight can prove invaluable for a number of training activities. Prices for training benches vary greatly depending on size, brand, and adjustability. 

If you live with a roommate, check with them to see if they’d be willing to divide the cost of a bench so that you can both use it while staying together. Or if the whole family will be using your home gym, see if everyone can chip in to make the cost more bearable. 

 

Advanced Strength Training Equipment

When it comes to strength training, there are a myriad of more advanced machines that target all kinds of muscles. Some of them are super affordable, while others are rather expensive. Actual machines that have been designed for home gyms can set you back up to hundreds of dollars, so the one you pick will depend on your budget. 

On the other hand, there are a lot of online videos that can help you use basic strength training equipment in a way that targets the same muscles as these sophisticated machines. So, it’s up to you to decide which of these could be classified as essential to your goals. 

 

Affordable Cardio Workout Equipment

Cardio training can be done is many different ways. Many people simply hit the road with a pair of sneakers to get their cardio fix, while others prefer to buy cardio gym equipment for their homes. 

Either way, cardio training definitely counts as one of the home gym essentials for everyone in your home. After all, cardio exercises help with everything from boosting your mood and working those muscles to helping to regulate sugar levels and maintain heart health. 

 

Affordable cardio equipment can include:

• Steppers or blocks for leg workouts
• Light weights
• Resistance bands
• Medicine balls
• Small kettlebells

 

Advanced Cardio Equipment

For those who can afford to really stock up their home gym, it’s possible to source the same or similar cardio equipment that’s found at a gym. Treadmills, elliptical trainers, and stationary exercise bikes. 

If you have the space (see step #3), you can fit one or more of these into your home gym. Many advanced cardio machines track your progress, meaning you can personalize them to suit your current-to-goal fitness levels. Others are simply basic machines that allow you to exercise at your own pace. 

 

An Exercise Mat

An exercise mat can not only be used for yoga and Pilates, but it’s one of those home gym essentials that’s a true all-rounder! Stretching is an important part of fitness training that helps to improve flexibility, mobility, and range of motion. It also plays a role in injury prevention and post-workout recovery. 

Here are some of the benefits of stretching in fitness training:

• Improved flexibility: Regular stretching can help to improve flexibility by increasing the range of motion in your joints. This can lead to better posture, reduced muscle tension, and improved athletic performance.
• Injury prevention: Stretching can help to reduce the risk of injury by preparing your muscles and joints for physical activity. It can also help to prevent muscle strains and sprains by improving flexibility and reducing muscle tightness.
• Improved circulation: Stretching can help to improve blood flow to your muscles and joints, which can help to reduce muscle soreness and improve post-workout recovery.
• Stress reduction: Stretching can help to reduce stress and tension in your muscles, which can help to promote relaxation and improve your overall sense of well-being.
• Improved balance and coordination: Stretching can help to improve balance and coordination by improving your body awareness and proprioception.

 

Jump Rope 

According to the “8-minute rule”, if you spend 8 minutes doing something every day, you will become super proficient at it within one year. The same can be said for jumping rope—something many adults did when they were children, but have become much less proficient at in their adult life. 

Using a jump rope for 8 minutes a day will not only increase your heart rate significantly, but will tone your muscles and strengthen your core. A definite item to add to your home gym… and it’s affordable too!

 

Stability Ball

When it comes to home gym essentials, a stability ball is a must have! Especially if core strengthening and balance are part of your fitness goals. Stability balls, also known as exercise balls or fitness balls, are large, inflatable balls that are used in fitness training and physical therapy. They are typically made of PVC material and come in a range of sizes and colors.

Stability balls are designed to challenge your balance, core strength, and stability by providing an unstable surface for exercises. By sitting, lying, or standing on a stability ball, you engage your core muscles and other stabilizer muscles to maintain balance and stability.

 

Step 3: Plan Your Ideal Layout

Now that you have an idea of what equipment you want for your home gym, it’s time to fit it all into the space you have. Ideally, a home gym should have a whole room dedicated to it. Placing gym equipment into an office, bedroom or lounge area may prove disruptive to yourself and those living with you such as family or roommates. 

Choose a room that has enough space for all the equipment you have chosen, and also plan where you will put each piece of equipment. Remember to factor in enough room for the exercises themselves, as a cramped space could make some exercise routines difficult.

If you know you enjoy doing exercises in a set routine, try and organize equipment in that order around the room. Streamline your workflow in the home gym, so you can move from one activity to the next without losing momentum. 

Tip: don’t forget a source of water in the room, whether it’s bottled water or installing a tap. Keep hydrated!

 

Step 4: Adding Your Workout to a Chore App

Now that you’ve invested in a home gym, it’s time to make sure you actually get the most out of it!

Using the Enzo chore management app, include your training sessions together with your chores, so it’s part of your weekly schedule. Prioritizing it as much as your day-job and home chores is how you benefit from this new investment you’ve just made.

Thanks to reminders, Enzo will assist you in creating a set routine and help you to stick to it. 

Happy training!