Essential equipment for a home gym
Physical fitness can stave off numerous illnesses. It can reduce the risk of developing heart disease, osteoporosis, high blood pressure, and obesity. It boosts confidence and helps manage stress. The best part is that keeping fit does not have to cost you much in the way of equipment. There are essential products that you can get for your home to turn even small spaces into gyms. Here is a list of equipment to get started with.
Jump rope
One of the best ways to get your heart rate up is by jumping ropes. Top athletes regularly incorporate it into their workouts, as it’s an effective way of building agility and strength. Jump ropes are cheap too. You can get a basic rope with no frills and fancies or go for one that has a display, highlight the calories burnt and the number of jumps you’ve made.
Medicine ball
A medicine ball is used for strength training and building speed. It also improves balance, hand-eye coordination, and is great for warming up.
Note: It shouldn’t be confused with an exercise ball, which is inflated and larger.
Pull-up bar
Pull-up bars are regular equipment at gyms and they should be at your home too. Aside from building strength in the arms, they improve grip strength and condition the body to perform other strength exercises more easily.
Dumbbells
No gym is complete without dumbbells. They build strength and are used to accompany other exercises. Get them in different weights so that you can vary the intensity. Use them for exercises like bicep curls and shoulder raises as well as for full-body workouts.
Resistance bands
Resistance band training provides numerous benefits. It can assist in full-body exercises and resistance exercises. The bands also let you use them on their own, which is useful when there’s no one around to help with weight training.
Punching bag
They cost a little more but are a good way to get in some extra cardio workout. Add a pair of punching gloves and wraps to keep your hands protected.
Push-up stands
Push-up stands or push-up bars are very useful pieces of equipment. They increase your range of motion and protect the wrists from bending too far back. However, if you have problems with your shoulder, you may want to do regular push-ups first and slowly work your way to push-up stands. This is because they force the shoulders to move farther.
Treadmill
This is a bit of an investment, but you can reap rich rewards. Treadmills provide excellent cardio workouts and improve heart health. Many models also feature extra exercise equipment like steppers, push-up stands, and twisters. You can choose between basic and affordable treadmills and motorized models with feature-rich functions.
Home gyms provide the perfect workout environment for people who don’t have the time or the inclination to join a gym. Having essential equipment nearby means you can exercise as and when you want to. The products mentioned above will get you started on your way to fitness.