Training at home may seem difficult but we will show you that with the right equipment it can be very easy to keep fit and have your own home gym essentials. Because good body health and a strong immune system have a direct impact on our psychological strength, we can assure you that. And you can improve it just from home.
Especially during coronavirus pandemic, at least training at home you will not need to wear that hideous facemask that makes it so hard to breathe (and is so horrible to wear while exercising), nor will you have to go around cleaning or worrying about who touched what.
Not to mention that cheap gin-smelling gel on your hands every 5 minutes.
You’re probably thinking that it’s not the same, probably don’t know where to start or think that with home equipment you can’t get the same results…
Hesitation is normal, but you know what? It is also true that with creativity and the right tips you can achieve a great level of workouts to stay strong, physically and mentally.
What is the best home gym equipment to buy?
If you are wondering what are the essentials for a home gym, first thing your need to know is that the equipment you are going to need can be both affordable and valid for many different uses.
So here we are going to present you with some options (from the most basic to the most complex), that include the home gym essentials according to the type of training you want to do and the level of investment you are willing to make.
Option 1: Gym essentials for beginners
To set up your home gym essentials without machines you don’t need much space.
In fact, you can do it in your bedroom, in your living room, in your garden… Even your garage can easily be converted into a home gym.
All we will recommend is equipment that you can easily carry in a bag or keep in a drawer.
Who doesn’t have at least that?
The most affordable option that all home gyms can include consists of only the following few pieces of equipment.
Mat
The best options for buying a mat are here:
Why? They are resistant, they do not take up too much space and their price is very affordable.
The mat is the padded base on which you can place yourself for all exercises that involve contact with the ground, so you protect your knees, elbows, back, etc.
It’s great for stretching and if you like yoga, you’ll get much more out of it.
Elastic bands or resistance bands
To progress in your strength training you need something to add resistance and make the exercises more difficult.
Different elastic bands offer different resistance, so it’s best to get at least 3 bands that you can use depending on how developed your different muscle groups are.
For example, you probably need a lot of resistance for glute exercises (since the gluteus is your strongest muscle), but if you try to use the same band for your shoulders… You will feel tired after the third repetition.
To choose open or closed bands, just keep in mind that open bands need to be able to be hooked or tied to something, like a door or a railing or yourself.
The best choices of elastic bands we have found are these:
Table or Chair
We trust that you won’t have to buy this, unless you are a super alternative minimalist person who eats on the floor.
The chairs will be useful to you as steps or benches on which to stand, while the table will serve you for arm and back exercises that you can hang under.
Stability ball or yoga ball
This type of ball brings instability to the exercises and this is a good way to progress quickly without needing to add elements of resistance.
In fact, you’ll see a lot of gym “hunks” who are very strong but when you put them on a yoga ball… They can’t even hold it for two seconds.
The stability ball is a great ally for functional training, and especially if you do a sport such as off-road cycling or motorcycling where balance is key… You need a stability ball among your basics!
These are the best stability ball options we have found:
Although we highly recommend that you get this equipment, using a roller or some cylindrical element that you have at home can also work to add instability to some exercises.
Option 2: Crossfit-like gym at home
If you have space and want to go a step further, you’ll love this home gym essentials option.
We are not going to go for anything too crazy, all these options can complement your workout quite well, without spending too much money or turning your whole house into a pseudo-training center.
Each one of these equipments fulfills many important functions and will demand a little more from you.
TRX
The TRX is one of the kings of functional training and also of the home gym. The variety it offers to our back work is tremendous.
But you won’t stop there either.
While it’s true that the back is the main star in many of the TRX’s exercises, the whole body will be put to work with this ultra-simple piece of equipment.
The core area will be your ally, either with specific exercises for core and abdominals, or by holding your back in a neutral position while your eyes are pointed upwards and you do some back or arm exercise.
In addition, the adjustments to the TRX, from the easiest to the most difficult are super intuitive. So it doesn’t matter if you’re just starting out, or if you have Brad Pitt’s abs in “Fight Club”, the TRX works for all of us.
The TRX’s strap is simple to use and you can adjust it according to the level of intensity and position required for each exercise. This natural adaptation will help you avoid injuries.
This is our best selection of TRXs for suspension training:
Kettlebells or dumbbells
Both are home gym essentials and help us work on our strength. Besides being more practical, they give us something that big machines will never give us, it’s the free weight.
Lifting and moving dumbbells will not only bring your large muscle groups to action but also your stabilization muscles. This will help you develop your strength in a more balanced way.
And for off-road riders, in the actual correct way.
Kettlebells or Russian dumbbells will also make you step up in your home gym. This type of rounded weight has a strong grip and with it, you will be able to do very dynamic exercises.
They are indispensable if we are going to take a step forward in our equipment. The best options are here:
Pull-ups bar
Here we have a classic of home gyms, and not in vain, because a pull-up bar is one of the easiest equipment to install in your home.
In fact, we usually see them in any park.
But as simple and practical as they are, we should not think that they can be taken lightly.
The pull-ups will clearly put the focus on our back and will mainly enhance your dorsal and biceps depending on which exercise you choose.
You can also be sure that you will feel it in your trapeze, pectorals, deltoids, forearms and the always present core.
With these pieces of equipment, you will be able to make many different movements and work your body in a somewhat more comfortable and global way.
Slam ball
The slam ball is part of our crossfit home gym essentials without a doubt. It is an excellent element to work the muscles of the whole body.
With it you can work on strength, cardiovascular endurance and even lose weight.
A typical functional training element, it has many advantages and can be used for many different exercises.
With this slam ball that is part of the gym essentials you can also work the core muscles, essential to stabilize our entire body.
Olympic Bar
The Olympic bars are a yes, no matter what, when it comes to finishing building a complete home gym for CrossFit. Why do you need the machines, if with the bars you will work in all dimensions?
You are going to involve a lot of muscles in your training, because you need to balance every time you lift a weighted bar.
And here come the stabilizing muscles, which often don’t get much credit, nor do they appear on the covers of magazines, but they make a difference because they help us with much more everyday movements than we do with a machine in the gym.
The intensity that you will generate by training with bars is really tremendous and very effective for sports practice, or even for purely aesthetic objectives.
But be careful, you must know that they are not so easy to maneuver and that you have to pay a lot of attention to your form.
Otherwise, you could get injured. Thus, for the emphasis on doing each movement the right way and make sure you don’t get ahead of yourself in your progressions.
There is no point in adding load to the bar if you do not fully manage the proper movement technique.
Weight Plates
Weight plates (2 of 5 lbs + 2 of 10 lbs + 2 of 25 lbs + 2 of 45 lbs), you do not need more for the moment. As you progress, you may buy some more weight.
Here are some options:
Rubber Floor
You will only need 1 square of 1′ x 1′ to put under each disc on the bar and protect the floor. With this, you will take care of your house and even have the more consistent support of your feet on the floor.
Here are some good gym floor options at amazon:
What is the best home gym equipment for riders?
For our riders, in POWERING we recommend a slightly different list of equipment, because we focus on the pieces that allows us to develop the 8 skills that all off-road bike and dirt bike riders need in disciplines such as enduro, mtb, motocross, rally, downhill…
In short, an amateur off-road rider needs this equipment for his home gym essentials:
01 Mat
02 Elastic band or resistance band
03 TRX
04 Yoga ball and / or bosu ball
05 Handlebar
06 Agility lader
