Best Home Exercise Equipment You Need To Have

Although home workouts gained a lot of popularity when we had little choice, I think plenty more people came to realise how convenient home workouts actually are.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re new to the whole fitness scene, or a seasoned fitness enthusiast, having the right equipment at home makes a huge difference. But with so many options being available, it can be hard to know where to start, huh?

So I put together this list of the 10 best pieces of home exercise equipment – my actual favourites – to help you achieve your fitness goals.

Benefits Of Exercising At Home

Not having to think about travelling to a gym, being able to exercise at your own pace, in your own time, and in the privacy of your own home are some big wins, but they’re not the only ones.

Working out at home can also be cost-effective and much cheaper than a gym membership or studio classes in the long term. There is the initial outlay for any equipment you buy to be considered but you can always start with bodyweight workouts so you don’t need any equipment.

In addition, home workouts are flexible so can be tailored to your specific goals and preferences and you can wear whatever you want and you don’t have to worry about feeling self-conscious or being judged by others.

And of course, you can buy whatever equipment you choose, to suit your requirements.

10 Best Pieces Of Home Exercise Equipment

Here are my favourite pieces of home exercise equipment, in no particular order:

1. Yoga Mat / Exercise Mat
2. Skipping Rope
3. Resistance Bands
4. Dumbbells or kettlebells
5. Medicine ball
6. Exercise ball or BOSU
7. Foam Roller
8. Pull-up bar
9. Treadmill or stationary bike
10. Rowing machine

Yoga Mat / Exercise Mat

Having a mat to do your workout on is crucial and really, it’s kinda health and safety. Moving around on a hard floor scan be slippery and rugs make it hard to balance at times. A good mat should offer grip and cushioning at the right level for your workout, whether that’s yoga, pilates, or other floor based sessions like my core classes.

Skipping Rope

Now I have two skipping ropes – mostly from my CrossFit days – but if I’m honest, I don’t use them as much as I should or could. Skipping is great for cardio and coordination but I think it’s best done in a garage or garden, or if you take your workout to a local park (but that defeats the point of a home workout, right?!).

Skipping can be a fun activity to do with friends or check out some of the crazy stuff people do on social media. Generally being inexpensive and portable, skipping ropes are a pretty convenient piece of equipment for home workouts.

Resistance Bands

Resistance bands are just great for rehab and prehab exercises, they are also great for your workouts. I use them mostly when I travel as they’re light, compact and portable. They’re also rally versatile and can be used for strength workouts or even stretching.

Dumbbells Or Kettlebells

There’s no way you can workout at home and not have any dumbbells or kettlebells. I’ve accumulated quite a nice collection and recently I even bought an adjustable dumbbell for greater variety in weight, to build some serious strength.

As with most of the home exercise equipment on this list, they are versatile and compact – you just need a small corner, or like me, pop them under a table.

Dumbbell / Kettlebell Workouts On The Blog:

Medicine Ball

A medicine ball is a weighted fitness ball often used for strength training, conditioning, and rehabilitation exercises. It comes in various sizes and weights, usually with a textured surface to provide a better grip during workouts.

Again, they’re super versatile and can be used to perform a wide range of exercises, including throws, twists, lunges, squats, and core exercises. These exercises help improve core strength, power, balance, and coordination.

Add a couple medicine balls to your collection of dumbbells and kettlebells and you’re gonna smash your home workouts.

Exercise Ball Or BOSU

Although an exercise ball and a BOSU are not the same, I kinda think it’s one or the other, not both, that should be on your kit list. An exercise ball is basically a large inflatable ball whilst a BOSU – which stands for “Both Sides Up” – is rounded on one side and flat on the other.

Both offer countless workout possibilities, helping you target various muscle groups and improve balance and stability. Typically, whilst both can be used for core-strengthening exercises, like crunches and planks, a BOSU ball is especially great for also targeting legs and glutes.

BOSU / EXERCISE BALL WORKOUTS ON THE BLOG:

Foam Roller

A foam roller is a cylindrical piece of foam that is used for self-massage and muscle recovery. It is typically used to help relieve muscle soreness and tension, improve flexibility and range of motion, and increase blood flow to the muscles.

To use a foam roller, you place the roller on the ground and position your body so that a specific muscle group is resting on the roller. You then use your body weight to apply pressure to the roller as you slowly roll back and forth over it.

This can help to massage and stretch the muscles, promoting relaxation and recovery. Foam rollers come in a variety of sizes and densities, and can be used on different parts of the body, including the back, legs, and arms.

more foam rolling:

Pull-Up Bar

Now I don’t own a pull-up bar (yet) but I think it’s a must-have for your home gym. A pull-up bar offers versatility and effectiveness in one compact piece of equipment. You can perform a range of exercises targeting various muscle groups, from pull-ups and chin-ups to hanging leg raises, strengthening your upper body and core.

As you progress, you can even make exercises more challenging by adding weight or using resistance bands. All with the added benefit of improving posture and grip strength.

Treadmill Or Stationary Bike

I wanted to keep this list to 10 so I stuck these two together. Personally, I use a turbo trainer with a regular bike for indoor cycling and also have a Walking Pad. Both of these options are useful when you’re short on space.

They’re also both great for when the weather isn’t great and just as a way to save time by not needing to leave the house. Both a treadmill and a stationary bike allow you to do structured workouts which means you can get the best fitness gains in a shorter space of time.

Rowing Machine

This Echelon rowing machine is the latest addition to my home gym set up. If you’re not a fan of running or cycling, then rowing is a great alternative. Much like running and cycling indoors, you’re able to do structured workouts as well as longer, steadier endurance sessions.

The one drawback of the rower though is the space it takes up, but I’m keen to hang onto this for when I have more space in my home to utilise it more regularly.

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I hope you’ve found the inspiration you need to decide the best home exercise equipment for your needs. Got something that you think should have been on this list?!

Leave a comment below and let us know!

Elle