5 Home Gym Essentials That Won’t Break the Bank

If you’re currently stuck in lockdown again, or reluctant to return to the gym but still keen to improve your overall fitness, we’ve got just the solution.

You can complete a rigorous workout at home — as long as you have the right equipment. Before you start making an extensive list of all the things you may or may not need, it really just comes down to five.

Here, we’ve listed out the essential pieces of equipment for your home gym that’ll have you working up a sweat without breaking the bank.

What to consider in a fitness budget

The key aspect beyond how much you’ve actually got to spend is the kind of result you’re looking for, and a certain degree of knowledge about your own psychological makeup when it comes to exercise. If you’re a social exerciser, consider investing in a good pair of sneakers and hitting the local pavement with a housemate. You’ll still get your social sweat on and maintain that motivation during times like this.

Running outside is essentially free, but for many of us the outside world isn’t where we want folks to see us at our sweatiest worst. You’ll need to sort out what kind of space you’ve got to dedicate to exercise, and what results you’re looking for.

This doesn’t have to be a large space or even its own distinct room if you’re happy to pack away your exercise gear as part of your cool-down routine. At the same time, trying to count squats while the clothes dryer rattles next to you or the roommates pester you about taking the bins out is rarely conducive to the best results.

Cheap home gym essentials

Fitness Passion 15mm Yoga Mat $24.99

Yoga itself is an exceptionally good workout but a yoga mat can also be the basis for any number of additional exercises, while also allowing you to clearly and safely define your exercise area so that other household inhabitants don’t intrude on your space while you’re working out.

Gana Professional Jump Rope $12.95

If you’re after high cardio exercise – and cardio work should be part of your routine, period – then a skipping rope workout is an easy and highly affordable bit of home gym kit, with the added benefit of being easy to pack away when you’re done.

Meteor Essential Solid Cast Iron Kettlebell $68.00

Kettlebell workouts can improve your entire body, so investing in one (or a complete set) could really deliver that full workout you’re after.

SBASE Resistance Loop Bands – $10.99

If you don’t have the budget or the space for a full weight set, a resistance band set can provide much the same workout, as well as giving you a range of exercises that can tone your core and improve your strength. Again, they’re also good for folks who want equipment they can use and then pack away when done. SBASE’s set provides a range of resistances and clips to enable a wide range of exercises even in the smallest spaces.

Black Mountain Products 2000lbs Static Strength Exercise Stability Ball $11.83 – $149.04

The range of exercises you can do with an exercise/stability/Swiss ball is quite varied and they’re a great and highly affordable way to expand your at-home gym equipment. They’re also truly multi-purpose devices, because when you’re not using them for gym work, they can also double as a superior alternative to the traditional office chair.

Editor’s note: Descriptions and features are as taken from manufacturer/seller claims on Amazon.

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