Top 5 Must Have Home Gym Equipment

Over the last 8 years I have trained clients in and out of the gym. I am confident that combined with body weight exercises these must haves will keep your at home workouts interesting! Let's be honest, equipment makes the workout a bit more fun and challenging.

We are going to dive into the 5 must have pieces of equipment for your home gym. I like these suggestions because they are not only affordable but they travel well! Each item will be evaluated for versatility, effectiveness, and affordability. Take them on vacation with you, keep them in your dorm room, or pack them in your bag to use at work! Squeezing a workout where every you are is vital and consistency is the key! Let's look at the top 5 items!

Each piece of equipment will be rated out of 5 stars:

Versatile - (Can you perform a variety of exercises, does it accommodate different fitness levels, is it easy to use)

Effective - (Does it work well, build muscle, worth the money)

Affordable - (how expensive is this item)

5 - Flex Bars

Versatile - 4/5

Effective - 3/5

Affordable - 4/5

Flex bars are light weight but come in several different levels of difficulty. I love them because they are perfect for strengthening wrists, fingers, and upper body. You can squeeze, twist and bend them and they offer more versatility than stress balls. They are great on their own but I personally enjoy upping my game by adding them to lower body workouts and creating combo exercises. Down side is that to perform all of the different exercises you do need to have multiple Flex Bars with you. However, they usually come in a small travel bag and aren't difficult to port around. Checkout this video. I demonstrate how to use them at home in combination with squats, wall sits, and lunges. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DGljl_BukPP/?igsh=bWRlY2ZicjM2MHJ2

Check out the Flexbars

4 - Sliding Discs

Versatile - 4/5

Effective - 4/5

Affordable - 5/5

Gliding discs are often overlooked but they are perfect for a variety of surfaces. They come with a guide so you have a list of exercises to try. They are a wonderful way to build core and create stability. Sliding discs are very compact and can be used to take exercises to the next level. Mountain climbers, speed skaters, and countless other exercises go from average to advanced with sliding discs. The price range is on the low end and taking them with you is easy. They are wonderful for both cardio and core but can amplify upper and lower body workouts too. They can be an effective piece of gym equipment that all members of your family can benefit form! Sliding Discs

3 Jump Rope

Versatile - 3/5

Effective - 4/5

Affordable - 5/5

Jump roping is a great tool for cardio development, eye and hand coordination, building endurance and even strength training. There are a variety of types of jump ropes from simple ropes, weighted ropes, and speed ropes. This is a good at home gym equipment because it's small and easily stores in a drawer or on a hook. Most family members can make a jump rope a part of a robust workout. Jump ropes are perfect to take with you where ever you go and is excellent at getting that heart rate up and getting the blood pumping at the beginning of a workout. Jump Rope

1 Resistance Bands

Versatile - 5/5

Effective - 4/5

Affordable - 5/5

I personally think resistance bands are a must have for everyone. They are small enough to fit in your purse, gym bag, or cargo shorts. They have hundreds of uses, and come in a variety of difficulties. Resistance bands can be used as an essential part of core work but perfect for upper body and lower body resistance as well. My favorite way to use resistance bands have been to take them on the Stand-up Paddle Board and get a total body workout in! They are water proof of course! As an in-home gym items, they have 100's of uses and can be paired with body weight exercises to move you to the next level. You will never be bored with a bag of resistance bags and when you purchase they come with several thickness which changes the difficulty. Resistance bands can be cloth, latex, or rope like. Get a variety and see how you can start enjoying your at home workouts! Resistance Bands

2 TRX Straps

Versatile - 3/5

Effective - 5/5

Affordable - 3/5

TRX Straps can be attached to a door, tree branch, fence or pull-up bar for a highly effective workout almost anywhere. Created for military to stay mission ready you can trust that these straps will get you in great shape. This equipment can be stowed in a small bag and travels well. Light weight and easy to use straps can replace several large pieces of equipment and leverages your own body weight to increase or decrease difficulty. Perfect equipment for all levels of fitness. The straps are the most expensive item I am recommending but when compared to dumbbells, cable machines, kettlebells, med balls and other gym staples they are affordable. TRX straps are absolutely perfect for core, upper body and lower body strength as well as an essential tool for stretching. TRX is especially good for form and helps get clients to try difficult exercises with success. TRX Straps