The events of 2020 have impacted how we workout. No longer able to go to the gym, most of us are accessing online workout programs such as the 30 Day Fitness app.
Exercising outdoors is lovely in the summer, but with autumn on its way, we need to bring our workout indoors. If you have space in your home, you might like to set up a home weight room. Here's how...
Home Weight Room Essentials
How much equipment you choose to have in your home weight room depends on your budget and the amount of space you have available. At the bare minimum, you need room to lay a yoga mat to do mat-based workouts with resistance bands. If you have a larger space available, you can customize it however you wish. Here’s a list of equipment for you to consider.
Yoga and Pilates:
- Yoga mats
- Yoga blocks
- Yoga straps
- Blankets
Cardio:
- Treadmill
- Cross-trainer
- Exercise bike
- Rowing machine
- Step or box
- Jump rope
Resistance training:
- Kettlebells
- Dumbbells
- Barbels
- Weights bench
- Medicine balls
- Swiss ball
- Resistance bands
Additional items:
- Foam rollers
- Bluetooth speaker
- Fan or aircon unit
- Storage boxes and shelves
How to Set Up Your Home Weight Room
Consider what type of exercise you like to do at the gym and recreate this as best you can in your home weight room. Do you prefer yoga, or are you a resistance training junkie? Are you an indoor or outdoor cardio person? Maybe you enjoy a balanced workout with a little bit of everything? Think about these questions and use them to help you plan out what equipment you need.
Cardio
If you want to do your cardio indoors and have space, you might consider investing in a treadmill or exercise bike. There are expensive items, but you can usually find second-hand equipment in excellent condition for a fraction of the price of buying new.
Don't have room for a full-sized cardio machine? No problem. If you have space to jump rope, then you have space for cardio. You can buy a jump rope for under $20, making it an affordable and compact form of indoor and outdoor cardio.
Weights
Again, the amount of space you have and your budget are critical factors in choosing your resistance training equipment. If you have minimal space, opt for resistance bands and a kettlebell or a pair of dumbbells. If you have more room, you can get barbels, a range of dumbbells and kettlebells, and even a weights bench. But remember, your body weight counts as a resistance training tool, and that is free.
Extras
If you enjoy working out with music, you can get a Bluetooth speaker for your phone. Foam rollers are great for aiding recovery, while blankets and eye pillows are luxurious post-yoga extras to help you relax.
Storage
Think about how you will store all your equipment. At the very least, get yourself a simple shelving unit or storage box. That way, you can keep your space tidy and inviting. You don't want to be put off using your home weight room because it's cluttered and untidy.
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