Now more than ever, a home gym might be at the top of your wish list. Whether that’s an elaborate, fully stocked gym, or a humble box of home gym essentials to help amp up your home workout, no home gym is complete without these 9 things.
We’re covering the basic home gym essentials you need, which includes everything from:
- before the workout,
- during the workout, and
- after the workout
Keep reading for our list of top 9 gym essentials to set up your ideal home gym!
Before the Workout: Home Gym Essentials
First things first, let’s break down the essentials you need before the workout.
1. Sufficient space
Though it may seem like an obvious one, making sufficient space for your home gym is key. There are a few ways to do this. If you have enough room in your home, create a dedicated space where all your equipment, gym essentials, and weights can be stored — and where you can workout. Some people use a garage, others use an empty room. Having a dedicated static space is of course, the ideal situation.
That being said, not everyone has the option of creating a dedicated gym space in their home. If you’re nodding your head right now knowing you’ve only got a bit of space to work with – fear not, we’re here to help!
In smaller living spaces like apartments, find an area in your home that can become your dynamic home gym. Meaning, you can assemble and disassemble it in a matter of moments.
The most important thing you’ll need is floor space. Make sure you create a space where at least 2 yoga mats can fit side by side. Ensure there are no other obstructions in your way like furniture, paintings on the wall, etc., and set your space up every time you’re about to go in for a workout. Once you’re done, tear it down, put your equipment away, and repeat.
2. Noise-cancelling, wireless headphones
This one might be up for debate, but to us – there’s nothing like crushing a workout while you’re jamming out to your favorite tunes!
Noise-cancelling headphones really help you get in the zone, cutting out all distractions and noises that could otherwise get in the way.
Couple that with wireless headphones, and you’re all set. Wireless headphone save you the hassle of working out with your phone attached to your body (literally), and you can avoid any mishaps with the cords while you’re moving. Hands free is the way to go!
3. Cellphone cover / arm band
Speaking of your phone! Purchasing a workout phone cover is a great way to protect your phone from any sweat or water damage, while keeping your phone clean and germ-free during your workout.
If you’re someone that touches their phone often while working out (whether it’s for use of the timer, watching a workout video, changing music on Spotify, etc.) – you’re spreading more germs to your phone than you realize.
The perspiration on your hands from touching your face, the dirt on your hands from doing push-ups on the ground, etc. are all transferred to the surface of your phone when you touch it without a cover during your workout. So, unless you’re immediately disinfecting your phone after you workout, you might be carrying a bit more dirt around on your phone than you realize! (Let’s not put that phone on our face afterwards, yeah?)
Getting a workout phone case is a great home gym essential, keeping your phone protected and germ free.
During the Workout: Home Gym Essentials
Next up, let’s chat our favorite home gym essentials during the workout.
4. Resistance bands
Light, easy to transport, and simple to store – resistance bands are the silent killers that’ll get you toned in no time! Resistance bands are great as home gym equipment for a few reasons:
- They barely take up any room. You can throw them in a bag, toss them in a drawer, and they’re out of sight.
- They’re super cheap – you can get a full set for $20!
- You’ll get a serious workout in with resistance bands. These bands create resistance (hence the name) that your muscles have to fight against, and can help with everything from recovery to strength.
There are a number of different resistance bands – ranging from low resistance to high resistance, each providing a different outcome. Think of them as a bigger version of the rubber bands you used to play Cat’s Cradle with as a kid – except these ones just may help you grow a booty. 🙂
5. Jump rope
For the home gym lover, a jump rope is a total must. A jump rope workout is such a good way to get cardio in from the comfort of your own home. Not only does the motion engage your entire body, but it helps improve coordination overall. And, it’s ACTUALLY fun!
Take a trip down memory lane to the days of double dutch and hopscotch. Grab a skipping rope and burn, baby burn with some HIIT cardio — jump rope style!
6. Free weights
Every home gym isn’t complete unless you’ve got at least some form of free weights. Whether that means a kettle bell, dumbbells, or a 5lb jug of water – as long as you have some source of weights to access, you’re golden.
Incorporating strength training into your routine is important for building muscle, maintaining a healthy weight, and increasing your metabolism. Using your body weight is another great alternative, but having some free weights on hand is a good way to mix things up in your workout routine.
After the Workout: Home Gym Essentials
With every good workout, comes a great recovery session. Always, and we mean always, be sure to stretch and take care of your muscles after using them. Here are the home gym essentials you need for after your workout.
Yoga mat
You might not need a comfy surface when you’re doing a jump rope workout, but when it comes time to stretch, make sure you set up a yoga mat to alleviate any pressure you’d feel from hard surfaces.
If your joints prefer more cushion, opt in for a thicker yoga mat versus a thinner one. Not only does it help protect your joints, but it serves as a great grip mat as you start stretching.
Yoga tip: to avoid sweaty and slippery hands on your yoga mat, place a towel on your mat before your stretch. And to make sure your worlds don’t mix, avoid using one of your bath towels and opt in for a designated workout towel instead. Tesalate, the Australian designed towel tech company, recently launched an antibacterial workout towel that’s perfect for any sweaty workout.
Foam roller
Ever get that feeling after working out, where your muscles are tight, sore, and you can barely bend? Of course you have.
And that my friends, is where foam rolling comes in. Foam rolling is a practice where you pin point pressure onto your muscles to help reduce soreness and tension in the muscles. Not only should you foam roll after your workout, but it’s suggested you incorporate foam rolling before working out as part of your warm-up routine.
Avoid foam rolling if you have a serious injury and don’t use it over joints like your knees, ankles, and elbows – instead focus on your muscles (like your quads, calves, etc.). A foam roller is another staple in your home gym essentials you don’t want to miss!
Yoga strap
During your post-workout recovery session, you might find yourself tighter in some spots than others as you stretch. And cue, your favorite yoga strap. Yoga straps can help increase flexibility and improve your range of motion.
Great for alignment and posture, a yoga strap is another home gym essential that’s cheap, light, and easy to store.
