Get proactive and smash your goals! And what better way to start than setting up your own workout space? Exercise whenever you want, for however long you want. With a basic home gym you can reap rewards for low investment.
It doesn’t require a lot of space, nor expense. You can create it however you want. That’s the beauty of having a home gym – it’s all yours.
When starting from scratch, there’s some basic home gym essentials you simply can’t go without. Check out the essentials below.
Benefits of a Basic Home Gym
- Convenient and accessible whenever you want.
- Save time and the stress of travel.
- Less interruptions and no line-ups.
- You can wear what you want without feeling self-conscious.
- Easier to squeeze in a quick workout between errands.
- No interference from weather, traffic etc.
- The money you save from a yearly gym membership can go towards quality equipment that’s yours forever.
Why This Gym Equipment?
This equipment isn’t just about exercise, it’s about keeping you motivated and making it fun.
You don’t need a lot of fancy equipment to begin with. The aim is to work different muscles groups, and have enough variety so you don’t get bored. This can be easily achieved with some simple equipment focused on core exercises and strength training.
Other advantages of these basic home gym essentials:
- Able to use in small areas.
- Easily transportable.
- Practical and affordable.
- Easy to use and versatile for many types of activities.
- Good for your cardiovascular system.
- Quality products that will last you for years.
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Basic Home Gym Essentials
*Note: prices may be subject to change.
Product: Bi-Fold Folding Exercise Mat
Price: $39.99
Size: 72 inches L x 24 inches W x 1.5 inches H
Best Place to Buy: ProsourceFit
Guarantee: ProsourceFit lifetime warranty
An ideal choice for both comfort and practicality.
Made with sturdy foam, the Bi-Fold Folding Exercise Mat provides cushioning for your knees, wrists, elbows, ankles and back. It protects you from dust on the floor and keeps your carpet free of sweat.
Exercise mats are great for stretching and core exercises. They can keep you in place as you perform certain activities.
Features
- Cushioned surface for improved comfort.
- Folding and portable.
- Coated with durable vinyl for easy cleaning.
What’s especially good about this mat is that it folds in half and comes with a carry handle, perfect for transporting and storing away. No matter what your surroundings, you can easily perform you exercises. This comes in three colours: blue, grey or black.
Product: Non-slip Coated Neoprene Dumbbells
Price: Starting from $9.99
Size: 4.5 inches L x 1.8 inches H, weight ranges from 1lb to 12lb (0.45kg – 5kg)
Best Place to Buy: ProsourceFit
Guarantee: ProsourceFit lifetime warranty
Build your strength and get that toned physique you’ve always wanted.
Weights are an absolute must for any gym. With dumbbells, you can perform strength training exercises, as well as integrate it into your cardio routines and core workouts. Using free weights doesn’t just increase muscle, it improves your balance and control.
ProsourceFit offer quality Non-slip Coated Neoprene Dumbbells. These are perfect for beginners; there’s a wide range of suitable weights to gradually build up your strength, or buy a complete set. They’re made of iron for durability but have a soft comfortable grip to protect your hands.
Features
- Increases cardio intensity.
- Designed for toning and defining muscles.
- Comfortable and safe non-slip grip.
- Wide range of weight levels.
What I love most, is nothing goes to waste. Even as you advance in weight, the light dumbbells are still handy for cardio and other fast movements. They give an extra challenge, keeping the body constantly guessing.
These dumbbells are an all-around tool you can’t go without!
>>check out strength training equipment for home for kettle bells and more<<
Product: Multi-Grip Lite Pull-Up Bar
Price: $19.99
Size: 12 inches L x 36¾ inches W x 9 inches H, weight 5.5 lb
Best Place to Buy: ProsourceFit
Guarantee: ProsourceFit lifetime warranty
Ideal for forming shapely arms, shoulders and firm abs.
Pull-ups are an effective compound exercise, working many muscles at the same time. It strengthens your arms, upper-body and core, making it a great fat burner as well as muscle builder. The best thing about body weight exercises are they’re versatile and require little space.
The Multi-Grip Lite Pull-Up Bar caters for this and more, including dips, leg raises, sit-ups and push-ups. You can use it on the floor and slip it onto any standard door frame (mounting hardware included). It’s made of sturdy steel, holding up to 300 pounds.
Features
- Fits all standard door frames.
- Sturdy and durable.
- Perfect for pull-ups, push-ups, dips and abdominal training.
- Various cushioned grip positions.
- Convenient for the home.
ProsourceFit offer several variations, but this one is great for beginners. It’s a simple design with eight cushioned grips for three positions: wide, narrow and neutral. While this bar is a great space saver, it’s certainly still challenging!
Product: Garmin Vivofit 4 Activity Tracker
Price: $79.99
Size: width 0.75 inches, thickness 0.37 inches, weight 0.96 ounces, regular size (circumference 4.80-7.40 inches) or large size (circumference 5.83-8.46 inches)
Best Place to Buy: Amazon
Guarantee: one year warranty
An efficient way to track your progress.
Fitness trackers are excellent for monitoring your efforts and keeping you motivated. The Garmin vívofit Activity Tracker does exactly that. It tracks steps, distance and calories burned as well as monitor your sleep, and provide you a personalised daily step goal. It’s waterproof and you can keep on the move without needing to recharge it. You can even use it to challenge your kids in a step challenge!
And did I mention it tells the time too?
It’s IQ Feature syncs activity to Garmin Connect Software. On this app, you can save and plan activities, share progress and participate in challenges. You can also sync its data with weight-loss apps like MyFitnessPal. This watch fits various wrist sizes and comes in elegant white, practical black or a trendy black speckle.
Features
- Always on with 1+ year battery and no charging necessary.
- Customisable colour display.
- Safe for swimming and showering.
- Silicone strap.
- Automatically detects activity.
- Accurately syncs with activity software.
- Toe-to-Toe feature – your activity tracker can wirelessly connect to your child’s for an instant timed step competition.
- Comes in two sizes and three colours.
Garmin products have proven to me to be good quality and long-lasting. I’ve found this tracker highly effective and I can’t live without it now.
Product: TheFitLife Exercise and Resistance Bands Set
Price: $23.68
Size: 7 cm H x 23 cm L x 23 cm W, weight 660 grams
Best Place to Buy: Amazon
Guarantee: TheFitLife one year warranty
Stamina meets versatility with this product.
TheFitLife Exercise and Resistance Bands Set covers a whole range of motion, working on your shoulders, arms, backside, legs and more. The tension from the bands forces you to stabilise your body, improving your balance and coordination while building muscle. Plus you can change positions to try new challenges (giving more variety than some traditional weights).
These anti-snap bands are made with natural latex and range in different resistance levels. They come with attachable handles, ankle straps and door anchor so you can practice isometric and isotonic exercise.
Safety isn’t neglected, with sweat-proof handles, strong fabric and D-ring buckles. Space is no issue; they’re lightweight and portable. They cater for all fitness levels, allowing you to add intensity to standard moves as you progress.
Features
- Effective for burning fat and building muscle.
- Very versatile.
- Great space saver.
- Made with premium safety material.
- Set includes: 5 anti-snap latex bands (ranging from 10-40 lb), 2 x cushioned handles, ankle straps, door anchor, a waterproof carry bag and user guide.
It’s an affordable product offering a wide range of exercises; you can’t go wrong.
Product: Stability Ball
Price: Starting from $14.99
Size: 55 cm, 65 cm or 75 cm
Best Place to Buy: ProsourceFit
Guarantee: ProsourceFit lifetime warranty
Improve posture and develop your core muscles.
This is a super way to improve balance and tighten your abs. As we age (from 30+) the spinal discs harden, and muscles deteriorate leading to senile kyphosis. Maintaining strong core muscles and a good posture can combat this. That’s where this stability exercise ball shines – it strengthens your core in a variety of ways that keep you challenged.
It can be incorporated into any workout including strength training, Pilates, Yoga and general stretching. It’s made to last with thick anti-burst PVC material. You can easily inflate and deflate with a foot pump, making it handy for transportation and storage.
Features
- Durable, versatile and easy to clean.
- Improves a wide range of motion and strength.
- Perfect for toning the abs.
- Comes with a foot air pump and spare plug.
- Available in three different sizes.
It’s greatest feature is its versatility. I was amazed how effective it is on balance, flexibility, posture, coordination and muscle strength. Excellent for core muscles – use it in your workouts, even in the office!
Product: Professional Adjustable Steel Wire Jump Rope
Price: $6.98
Size: 2.8M(9.8ft), rope length 2.8m (280cm, 10 inches)
Best Place to Buy: Amazon
Guarantee: lifetime warranty
Skip your way to sculpted success.
Burn a ton of calories with this cardiovascular endurance exercise. Jumping rope is a simple exercise that gives immense results.
Aside from the obvious, it helps with eye-hand coordination, agility and speed. It’s an excellent way to raise your heart-rate quickly and it can be incorporated into HIIT and CrossFit routines, as well as boxing.
Avoid any strain with comfortable foam grips. The handles are built with speed ball bearings for smooth rotation. The wire cable ensures no kinking or tangling and it’s PVC coated to resist wear and tear.
Best of all, this is suitable for men, women and children. It’s adjustable for heights from 4’9″ to 6′ tall. If you are taller, YZLSPORTS can customise it for you.
Features
- Lightweight design to avoid strain.
- PVC coated to avoid wear and tear.
- Fully adjustable.
- Highly effective in torching calories.
- Comes in a variety of colours.
It’s suitable for low impact exercise as well as hard-core. A few minutes of this exercise every day can make quite a difference.
Product: PUMA Womens Tazon Cross-Trainer Shoe
Price: $32.80 – $150 (depending on size)
Size: Ranging from 5.5 -11 US
Best Place to Buy: Amazon
Guarantee: Refer to Amazon Return Policy
*Amazon’s Choice*
Get some extra bounce in your workout.
To avoid injury, it’s important to have something that cushions and supports your feet. You’ll want to protect your soles from foreign objects (like debris on the road or kid’s Lego in the house). The PUMA Women’s Tazon Cross-Trainer Shoe is suitable for both environments.
Features
- Comfortable multi-purpose shoe.
- Rubber sole and breathable material.
- TPU shank for increased stability.
- Suitable for all types of activity.
- Great for stability.
- Comes in a range of sizes and colours.
It has a simple elegant design, yet it boasts durability. It’s a multi-purpose design, suitable for many activities including CrossFit. It has a comfortable lining to cushion impact. Save yourself from slippery feet and sprained ankles!
Product: Andie Reversible Bra
Price: $68.00
Size: XS, M, L, colour black
Best Place to Buy: EvolveFitWear
Guarantee: Refer to Evolve Return Policy
A functional creation with a fashionable twist.
Having quality clothes that stand the test of time is important. After all, your gym clothes get a workout themselves with all the sweating, bending and stretching!
For this reason, you want a product that’s absorbent, comfortable and durable – and hey, stylish too – we feel good when we exercise, so why not look good too? Aside from that, it’s good to have visual awareness of your body for the mind-muscle connection.
Take advantage of the coupon GIVEME10 and get 10% off anything store-wide. 
The Andie Reversible Bra is a timeless style that boasts class and flexibility. Make no mistake, it’s more than the average sports bra. It’s made from ultra-soft organic blend fabric and has a reversible design. If you like full coverage, you can wear it with the high neck in the front. Or you can go the opposite way with the V-neck at the front.
Features
- Highly functional.
- Reversible wear.
- Comfortable material.
- Fashionable style.
Wear it as a bra or a crop top – that’s 2 stylish looks in the one product!
Really stuck for space? Then check out the BodyBoss Home Gym 2.0. It is a single device that similates several exercise machines, covering over 300 types of exercises!
Start Smashing Your Goals
When it comes to your goals, there’s no better time to start than now. A little bit of effort every day will have you in a very different place in 12-months-time. Get more motivated here, and find easy workout channels to follow with your basic home gym equipment.
Is there any type of equipment that works best for you? If you have any questions or want to leave your own personal review, please leave a comment below.
Start your progress to a healthier future and you will not regret it!
Oh my gosh! You’ve shown me how I can set up my own home gym cheaper than a gym membership. You’ve done my homework for me by finding affordable options for home exercise/gym equipment.
Totally awesome!
And I totally agree with having a good pair of shoes. For someone my age we definitely need the support.
How important do feel it is to actually wear a bra?
Thanks for creating this post.
I found it very comprehensive and informative which was very helpful for me.
This post was very motivational for me to get back in shape. I also like how you mentioned the fitness tracker because I actually find those pretty helpful when exercising.
Thanks, I’m glad you found this motivating! It’s important not to neglect our health, and the convenience of a home gym can really help with that. Fitness trackers are great, all the best with your fitness journey.
Hi Suzanne, I’m glad you found it helpful. You should wear clothes that support you during your workout. Thanks for reading.
This is awesome, I am so glad I found this. My husband and I have been looking for affordable ways to set up an at home gym.
We both love fitness and exercise, however, we would love to work out together, like we did before our daughter was born. Unfortunately, we don’t have a babysitter so we have to go separately. I know if we had an at home gym I would be more motivated because I would have my work out partner back.
Thank you for showing me how to do this in a way that doesn’t break the bank. I also want to add I LOVE resistance bands, they are great for strengthening and toning. The exercises with resistance bands are endless. I can’t wait to buy some of my own and start working towards an at home gym!
Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Madysen, I’m glad you found this helpful. Having a workout buddy sure helps and it’s another great convenience to owning a home gym. Resistance bands are awesome. Isn’t it amazing how much you can do with such a small product? You’ll love having your own, as you said the exercises are endless. Enjoy your new gym.
Hi! Thank you so much for sharing this essentials – totally a good list for home workouts.
I can totally have a complete exercise program using all these tools. I am also glad you mentioned about wearing proper bra and shoes.
I am just wondering about the Pull-up Bar. Is it foldable?
Anyway, thanks again for this post.
All the best!
Hi Hanna, I’m glad you like this list of essentials. As you can see, it doesn’t take much to have a complete exercise program! The pull-up bar isn’t foldable however it’s lightweight, easy to assemble and store away. It can also be mounted to almost any doorframe. Hope you enjoy, all the best to you too.
Hi CJ,
Great motivation to begin to exercise again. I taught aerobics for many years but since retiring I have slid into bad habits.
Thank goodness, I do have some of these items which I took with me when I moved out of the house.
Sadly some of the equipment won’t fit into the flat but I can make do with what I have and get back some of my former fitness.
Thank you again for your motivation.
Hi Jill, I’m glad you’re feeling motivated! A home gym can definitely help prevent sliding back into bad habits. That’s what’s great about this equipment, you can use it in small spaces. All the best, thanks for reading.
This is a fantastic article, and one I will definitely link to through my own blog in future.
I makes perfect sense to build your own gym at home. I always imagined it would be really expensive and that you would need a big spare room with lots of space, but you have proven this wrong with your fantastic tips on home equipment.
You’re right, a lot of people can’t afford expensive gym memberships; or they are too self conscious to go in the first place. Buying your own equipment is a one off cost that will last for many years and you will get your money’s worth time and time again.
It’s also pretty easy to find different workouts to do online these days, and most of them are free and easy to follow.
Thanks Stefanie, I appreciate the support. Healthy eating is just as important as exercise, as your website clearly demonstrates. Combining it with the convenience of a home gym is a win-win!
What a nice post you wrote! I really enjoyed reading it and I could not be silent about your post so I decided to leave my comment here and say Thank You! For sharing this quality post with others.
Actually this is exactly the information that I was looking for about home fitness and when I landed to your website and read this post, it answered all my questions in details.
So I’m happy that you decided to write about this topic and share it with people. It’s very useful and can definitely be used as a great source for basic home fitness training.
I will come back to your website again for sure and I’m looking forward to reading your new posts.)
Thanks!
I’m glad you enjoyed it Ali and found it useful! Thanks for reading.
I am really happy to say it’s an interesting post to read . I learn new information from your article , you are doing a great job . Keep it up
Thanks so much Jack, I’m glad you found it interesting.
Great post, so useful in this lockdown. Thanks for sharing
Thanks for reading, I’m glad you found it helpful.