When the lockdowns started, many of us didn’t have access to the gym for months. The wait for gyms to reopen probably dampened your spirits and affected your ability to maintain a daily workout routine. Perhaps you even considered trying to work out on your own at home.

If you are one of many who have decided that an at-home gym is just as effective and can actually save you time and money, then get ready to set your space up for success.

First things first though, one of the best home gym ideas is to be consistent when working out from home. Far too often, people purchase expensive gym equipment only to use it once or twice thereafter.

That is why it’s important to fully commit to your decision and consistently use the equipment that you will purchase so you can get your money’s worth. Also, avoid buying overly expensive gym equipment that you may never get to use. Try going for basic gym equipment that caters to a vast array of bodily movements and you’re off to a good start!

Alright, now that we’ve got the pleasantries out of the way, here are 8 essential items that can turn your home gym into the most effective workout space for you.

1.   A Good Quality Exercise Mat

One of the essential items for every home gym is an exercise mat. If you want to do floor exercises, such as push-ups and sit-ups, having a cold and hard floor is never ideal so it’s important to invest in a good quality exercise mat.

2.   Dumbbells

Dumbbells are a staple in every gym and that’s because they are the most versatile exercising equipment that you can have. You can use them when performing almost every exercise. Hex shape dumbbells are considered to be the best and most durable because they’re made to last and comfortable to use thanks to their rubber coating and unique shape.

3.   Kettlebells

In addition to dumbbells, it’s important to add variety to the type of exercises that you’re able to perform. Some exercises can be better performed when you use kettlebells than when you use normal dumbbells.

The ideal types of kettlebells to invest in are ones with bigger handles. In comparison to dumbbells, kettlebells are far more expensive but worth every penny spent in terms of the exercise routines that you can perform using them. Plastic kettlebells are cheaper to use but may cause sores on your hands if not used carefully, so keep that in mind when shopping for this piece of equipment.

4.   Good Old-fashioned Skipping Rope

Skip your way towards a leaner you. Invest in a basic skipping rope for your at-home gym so you can enjoy hours of fun while you exercise.

5.   Exercise Medicine Ball

One of the best ways to enhance your lunges is to pick an exercise ball filled with sand or gel. A 75cm softball can be easily thrown against the wall or floor and throwing is a very good skill to improve upon. A bigger gym ball is also a great tool to use for lunges and presses. The bigger ball, however, cannot be thrown and it is easier to perform abdominal exercises with a smaller medicine ball.

6.   Adjustable Aerobic Stepper

One of the purposes of exercise is to step up to the plate and take the steps necessary to burn fat and calories, and most importantly, get in shape. Walking on a stepper can help to get rid of excess belly fat by strengthening your core muscles which is great news for maintaining that lean physique.

7.   Pull Up Bars

Let your inner gymnast out with some pull-up bars. Pull-up bars work well in an at-home gym if you can attach the bars to an archway and you can perform a large number of exercises with them.

8.   The Treadmill

If you are keen on getting your at-home gym to resemble the gym that you used to go to, you need to invest in a treadmill. A treadmill is an excellent machine that enables a full cardio workout and gets your heart racing.

It also enables you to run from the comfort and safety of your own home, which makes it a worthy investment considering the current climate we’re in.

Final Thoughts...

The idea behind building an at-home gym is to create an optimal exercise environment. So, in addition to all of the epic gym equipment mentioned above, you should also consider investing in a stereo system that you can use to beat tune and keep yourself motivated. The most important thing is to do what works for you in order to stay motivated and exercise consistently. We hope this will help you to create the best at-home gym possible so you can enjoy your workouts.