5 Home Workout Essentials

If you are unable to make it to a fully stocked gym or you just have a busy day, these 5 items will ensure that you still get a great workout!

A gym full of equipment is always nice to have, but sometimes a home workout is more convenient and will still get the job done. Don't get me wrong, you could do a great home workout with just your bodyweight and a couple random heavy objects, but a few small pieces of equipment will make your life easier. The 5 items in this post below are perfect for ensuring that you have everything you need to feel the burn without going to the gym. Not to mention, all 5 of these items are fairly cheap to buy and easy to store too! Also, there will be home workouts posted very soon using the same exact equipment I am bout to show you.

Some people may own these items already, but if not, then here are some recommendations for you to start your own fitness gear collection!

#1 - Medium Dumbbell Pair

The number of exercises you can do with just a pair of medium weight dumbbells is endless. You can work your entire body from head to toe if you get creative enough. Dumbbell exercises are considered "free weights". Free weight exercises are highly beneficial because, along with the target muscle group, they also cause a number of different stabilizer muscle to activate during the movement. Dumbbell exercises help with improving muscle force and flexibility.

Most fitness related stores carry dumbbells. Here are a few that I recommend from Amazon:

#2 - Medium Kettlebell

A kettlebell is a nice compliment to dumbbells because the shape is ideal for many exercises. When performing movements like kettlebell swings or deadlifts, the grip of the weight is much easier to hold compared to a dumbbell. Only one medium to heavy weight kettlebell is needed to get the job done. Kettlebell exercises are mostly geared towards improving strength, speed, and power.

Kettlebells, like dumbbells, can be found at most fitness stores. Here are some good options:

#3 - Jump Rope

All this talk of lifting weights, but we can't forget about cardio! Jumping rope is a simple, cheap, convenient, and extremely effective way to get your cardiovascular exercise done. A jump rope is a high intensity exercise too, so that means you will burn a ton of calories in a small amount of time. Jumping rope also improves balance, stability, and core strength.

A nice jump rope will last forever. Here are a few good options:

#4 - Large Water Bottle

If you are anything like me, then you drink a lot of water and spill things easily. Luckily a large water bottle can help with both of these things! Personally, I use a giant lime green water jug that is insulated so the water will stay cold. One fill up ensures that I will have plenty of cold water, no matter how long of a workout I am doing. It is very convenient to have for the gym, hiking, home workouts, or even just to carry with me throughout the day.

Don't be a dehydrated little raisin. Here are some good options:

#5 - Exercise Mat

Many exercises like planks, crunches, and push-ups are done on the ground. Yoga and many stretches require getting down on the floor too. The solution? A nice exercise mat! Mats are the key to sparing your body some pain from the hard floor. A mat also makes floor activities much more comfortable and enjoyable. Make sure you have a nice thick mat, but not so thick that it gives in and causes you to lose your balance when using it.

No, a rug is not the same. Here are some high quality options:

Congratulations, You Can Now Workout Anywhere

Owning all or even some of these items will come in handy for staying committed to your fitness. I look forward to creating more minimal equipment workouts that use the items above. Feel free to email me at amandagaryfitness@gmail.com with any suggestions that you may have, I always respond. Thanks for reading, please leave a like and comment if you enjoyed!