Serious Fitness Equipment for the Home

If you are anything like me, you probably don’t like going to the gym. Seriously, I know that exercise is very important and there’s no way you can stay slim and maintain a healthy weight unless you work out a couple of times a week, but I see no fun in wearing old clothes (or even gorgeous Reebok outfit!) and locking myself for hours in a sweaty room crowded with people and loud music… I’d rather do all my training at home! Luckily, today I can! You don’t need to invest in some mega home exercise gym, but there are some individual items that any serious home fitness buff should have…

Serious Fitness Equipment for the Home: Resistance bands, medium and heavy

A good set of resistance bands are great for working out and toning your arms and legs! With this piece of equipment, you will burn some calories and build stronger muscles and bones. They are a great alternative to weights, and unlike those, bands are light and easy to carry around. Thus, they are ideal if you feel like working out in the park, or taking them with you if you travel. You can use them with an exercise video, as there are plenty that use resistance bands. They are totally safe, as they are even implemented in rehabilitation. However, you should make sure you pick them with a soft, comfortable handle, or you’ll end up with painful blisters on your palms…

Serious Fitness Equipment for the Home: Pull-up bar

The perfect product for those who have little room left at home, since a pull up bar can be installed in seconds and fit opportunely in most doorway frames. It is ideal for many different exercises, such as pull-ups, push-ups, crunches, etc. It basically combines all the different exercises you need for a strong, powerful upper body. With a regular workout with the pull up bar, you will get a straight back, stronger biceps and more. If you choose to place it on the floor, you can use it for sit-ups or triceps dips.

Serious Fitness Equipment for the Home: Adjustable dumbbells

Dumbbells play a major role in gaining strength and building muscle. Compared to the regular dumbbells, these babies have many advantages: they are easier to store, of course, but also, a pair of adjustable dumbbells allows you to increase the weight you lift according to your training, and switching between the different exercises of your routine. Therefore, instead of buying many different pairs, you only need to invest in one good set. They are not as easy to carry around as the resistance bands, but they are certainly more powerful.

Serious Fitness Equipment for the Home: Exercise Ball

Ever since Pilates became worldwide popular, many people has bought an exercise ball to work out at home. It is ideal for improving your balance and your coordination, as well as your general flexibility. An exercise ball will help you achieve a healthier posture, and it can even be used as a desk chair: for those of us who work in front of the computer all day, its benefits can be priceless! It also helps you work your abs and tone your lower body. The best brands manufacture their exercise balls with burst-resistant PVC plastic, which is really easy to clean.

Serious Fitness Equipment for the Home: Ankle Weights

They are inexpensive, they are easy to carry around wherever you go, and you can use them whether for indoor training or for going for a walk –even if you are just walking your dog! Ankle weights are a simple and practical piece of equipment that allows you to obtain maximum profit from your daily walk or jogging. However, you should be careful the first couple of times you use them, since they add force to the joints –if you had a problem, it would only make things worse. Just in case, stop using them and ask your doctor if you experience any pain at all.

Serious Fitness Equipment for the Home: Kettlebell

A small and simple, yet powerful piece of home equipment you’ll use and use! I bought the ones from Gaiam, but there are different brands available and they are all pretty much alike. These kettlenetics slim and tone workout swings come with a whole workout program that was created by the international fitness sensation, celebrity trainer Michelle Khai. Inspired by dance, you will sculpt your body by swinging and burning fat, without the heavy weights of traditional weight lifting. The program comes in two different versions: basic and advanced. The advantage of the Kettlebell is that it feels light enough not to get you too tired, but at the same time, its effects are really noticeable in time. It will help you gain resistance and increase your strength with a minimum workout time. You can use them at home with the DVD or outdoors.

Serious Fitness Equipment for the Home: Treadmill

No other machine in the gym allows you to burn as many calories as the famous treadmill. No wonder why it is so popular! When I bought my treadmill many years ago, it was so expensive that few people could afford it. Now it is way more reasonably priced, and even though I love going for my daily walk, when I’m at home or if the weather does not permit it (as we do get heavy rain form time to time that last for days), I love walking on my treadmill for 30 minutes first thing in the morning (well, after my coffee, of course). I have tried many different things, but it is still my favorite piece of equipment. It is ideal for those who run out of patience when working out: sometimes I like to walk on it while watching a movie if I think I ate too much or did not get a chance to go for a walk.

So even though I have all the above and more even, treadmill is my favorite and a must have in my opinion. If you were going to buy one single item, I’d definitely suggest a treadmill.

Serious Fitness Equipment for the Home Conclusion:

When you can’t get to the gym, or if you prefer to work out at home, you can get a serious workout with the equipment listed above. There are no excuses, so get up from the couch and start moving!