Gone are the days of large metal chains and rusty benches in a garage as the only option for a home gym. With the fitness industry more popular than ever, it has (in theory) never been easier to start a home gym. I say “in theory” because with the increased popularity comes increased competition and more options on the market than anyone knows what to do with. Below are some recommendations for popular products to outfit your home gym. They vary in not only their applications but price points, so mix and match to find what works best for your workout routine and budget.
The list of equipment below is listed by price, starting with the lowest cost and ending with the highest. All products will use this key to indicate which types of exercises the equipment is typically used for.
Cardio🏃🚴
Strength 🏋️💪
HIIT (high intensity interval training) ⏱️💨
Stretching or Flexibility 🙌
Yoga Strap 🙌
As low as $4
Great for increasing your flexibility through stretching.
Yoga Block 🙌
As low as $5
Great for help moving into that more difficult yoga pose. Yoga blocks can assist with perfecting your favorite yoga poses through the support it offers to your range of motion.
Jump Rope or Weighted Jump Rope 🏃🚴 and ⏱️💨
Starting as low as $5
Great for cardio or HIIT (high-intensity interval training) and easy to mix into any workout. Studies have shown that just 10 minutes of jumping rope can be equivalent to a 30 minutes jog.
Yoga Mat 🙌
Starting as low as $7
Obviously great for yoga, and also a massive upgrade from that towel that slides around when you are stretching or doing abs.
Massage/Foam Roller 🙌
As low as $7
Great for working out muscle soreness. The foam roller works by applying pressure to a muscle group by moving the roller under your own bodyweight. They help to increase mobility by loosening up trigger points and increasing blood flow into the muscle.
Exercise Sliders, Gliding Discs or Fitness Sliders 🏋️💪 and 🙌
As low as $8
Great for increasing the difficulty of any bodyweight exercise. Exercise Sliders, Gliding Discs, or Fitness Sliders allow you to enhance many bodyweight exercises by making it more difficult to stabilize during the movements as they cause you to glide and slide across the floor.
Mini Resistance Bands 🏋️💪
As low as $8
Great for toning and strengthening your lower body. Add resistance to any bodyweight exercises to increase the difficulty of your workout.
Balance/Stability Ball 🏋️💪
Starting as low as $10
Great to increase balance and stability through increasing abdominal and muscle strength.
Free Weights 🏋️💪
Starting as low as $11 a pair - price increases as the weight increases
Great for full-body strength training. Can purchase a set with multiple weight increments or buy each weight as a pair. As you build a complete set of free weights, the cost and space it takes up can add up.
Balance Board 🏋️💪
Starting as low as $11
Great for core strength. The main focus is on engaging your core muscles and using your legs to stabilize while standing on the board. Stand on the balance board while performing any number of free weight or bodyweight exercises to engage your core and get a full-body workout.
Medicine Balls 🏋️💪
Starting as low as $12 - price increases as weight increase
Great for ab work and overall strength. Medicine balls can be lifted, thrown, or slammed to increase your strength and conditioning training, or you can add this to bodyweight exercises to add weight. Add it to pushups or any number of abdominal exercises to increase the difficulty of your workout
Kettlebells 🏋️💪and ⏱️💨
As low as $13 - price increases as the weight increases
Great for full body and overall strength training. Kettlebells can be used for a wide variety of exercises, from swings and squat press to single-leg deadlifts.
Pullup Bar 🏋️💪
As low as $15
Great for pullups and a variety of other bodyweight exercises. Even though these are called pull up bars, most can serve multiple purposes and are great for tricep, ab workouts, and pullups.
Resistance Bands 🏋️💪
As low as $20 for a set
Great for full-body strength training. Resistance Bands are an inexpensive and portable alternative to weights or dumbbells. Thickness, resistance levels, and colors often vary by manufacturer, but generally, the thicker the band is the greater, the resistance will be, and the more difficult the exercise will be.
Suspension Training Systems 🏋️💪and ⏱️💨
As low as $25
Great for full body workouts. Suspension Training Systems are straps that can be anchored to a wall, sturdy door, or pipe. You use the tension between your body and the straps to perform a variety of bodyweight exercises and to workout your muscles. You can adjust the degree of difficulty by changing the angle of your body.
Exercise Bench 🏋️💪
As low as $51
Great for strength training and increasing your range of motion for many exercises. Benches are available as flat, incline, decline, or adjustable. Consider purchasing an adjustable bench to increase the ways in which you can use it in your home gym.
Treadmill 🏃🚴 and ⏱️💨
Starting as low as $120 for Manual Treadmills
Starting as low as $300 for Electric Treadmills
Perfect for walking or running indoors. Adjust the speed and incline to increase the difficulty of your workout. Change the intensity and duration of your workouts to incorporate some HIIT or interval work.
Stationary Bike 🏃🚴 and ⏱️💨
Starting as low as $125
Cycling is low impact and a great way to get your heart pumping. Stationary bikes can also be used for HIIT training by changing the intensity and duration of the intense portion of your workouts.
Rowing Machine 🏃🚴, 🏋️💪, and ⏱️💨
Starting as low as $130 for a Trac Glider
Starting as low as $290 for a Magnetic Rower
Truly a full-body workout as it works multiple muscle groups (upper and mid-back, legs, core and biceps and forearms). Rowing machines can take up a lot more space than some other equipment, so be sure to look for one that folds up if space is a concern.
Squat Rack/Free Weights 🏋️💪
As low as $200 for rack, bar and weights
As low as $119 for the squat rack
As low as $80 for an Olympic Bar - Bars will higher weight load limits will be more expensive
As low as $6 for a pair of plate weights - price increases as the weight increases
Great for a variety of strength exercises, including upper body and shoulder workouts (not just squats).
No matter what your go-to workout routine is or if you are looking to try something new, there are a number of affordable equipment options on the market that can make working out from home easier than ever. We listed the starting price on our list, but just like any products, the price and quality can vary greatly depending on the company or manufacturer. We recommend that you read descriptions and reviews to determine what is the best fit for your needs.
If you prefer equipment or weight free exercises check out our blog Best Bodyweight Home Workouts - No Gym and No Equipment Needed!