I am a proponent for developing habits and routines that work uniquely for you according to your likes, needs, and lifestyle. This means that your routines may look different than mine. I may enjoy working out at a big gym with every type of exercise equipment you can think of, but you may not! Or, you may enjoy frequenting a gym, but also need to be able to complete workouts at home because of time constraints, finances, need for privacy, you name it. 

I started my own fitness journey as a teenager in my parents garage with a pull up bar, dip bar, and a small variety of dumbbells. Nothing fancy and no gym access for years, but I developed consistency, a knowledge of many variations of exercises with few pieces of equipment, and a desire to further my knowledge. Nowadays, I enjoy a mix of gym, at home, and outdoor park workouts. I appreciate variety in my workouts and when in a time constraint,  the ability to exercise from home.

So, what kind of equipment would you need at home to feel that you have the variety necessary to maintain your fitness? Well, that largely depends on your goals. However, with some creativity, it is possible to get A LOT of bang for your buck with certain equipment which would allow you to maximize your money and space! The BEST equipment you can buy is the one that you’ll use consistently. Here are my top 10 pieces of equipment that I like to have and recommend for anyone looking to start a home gym or simply implementing more at-home workouts.

1. Exercise Mat Or Floor Mats

While working out on carpet, hardwood, or a concrete garage floor may seem like an okay idea, it may not be conducive to a great home “gym” space. Largely, within the home spaces you are at risk of damaging your floors, especially with any heavy equipment, and the last thing you want is to feel restricted in your attempts to exercise in hopes of not damaging your “gym” space. Instead, get yourself some exercise mats to cushion your floors and prevent damage. Also it can give you some cushion for yourself if for example pushups on the floor hurt your wrists, or planks hurt your elbows to name a few.

Pro's:

• protects floors, improves comfort with floor-based exercises and bounce performance

Con's:

• fitting an entire room can be a little pricey

3. Free weights

There are many types of free weights, from dumbbells or adjustable dumbbells, to kettlebells and barbells. Adjustable dumbbells are both versatile and space-saving. They allow for a range of exercises, from bicep curls to shoulder presses, and can be easily adjusted to suit your strength level. They are in my opinion hands down the best option on this list for home exercises, allowing you the most amount of variability and need for control and stability as you use them. The problem can sometimes be that they may take up a lot of space, or can be expensive to buy too many. However, there are options such as adjustable dumbbells which reduces the space needed to store them, and actually costs less than buying up pairs of weights of the same amounts!

Pro's:

• can be portable and utilize little space for adjustable sets, cheaper than barbells and plates, high versatility and many uses for fitness and rehab

Con's:

• can be pricey if buying many dumbbells, many dumbbells can require a lot of space to store, adjustable dumbbells are themselves expensive

6. Ankle weights

Often overlooked, ankle weights can go a long way to making hip and other strengthening exercises effective. 5 pounds can make for heavy resistance when used properly. Some may not even need 5 pounds, especially for early rehab exercises, even 1 to 2 pounds can be enough. When lifting weight far away from your body like at the ankles with legs extended fully, it can be much more challenging with much less resistance. An example would be like doing a straight leg raise versus bending at the knee. They can be used for open chain strengthening, isometric stability exercises, even plyometric and explosive training.

Pro's:

• Very affordable, small and portable

Con's:

• only go so heavy, limited in utility

7. Stability ball

This tool can be quite bulky depending on the size you get, but it can also be deflated when not in use and taken on the go if needed as long as you have a pump. They are great for abdominal and lower body exercises, can make many regular exercises more complex if looking for a challenge, and can be fun to incorporate into a workout to spice it up and keep it interesting!

Pro's:

• Affordable, can be deflated if needed for space, adds complexity and variation to exercises

Con's:

• Can be bulky if not deflated, can get ruined if punctured

8. Ab wheel

While the ab wheel is primarily designed for abdominal exercises, I enjoy discovering unconventional methods to utilize equipment beyond their intended purpose. Certainly, ab wheel rollouts can provide an excellent abdominal workout, but they can also be used to build shoulder strength, and with a bit of imagination, even be employed for lower body exercises by using them on your feet.

Pro's:

• Useful for core strengthening and stability, portable

Con's:

• Mostly limited to abdominal exercises, learning curve and high starting difficulty 

9. TRX system

I have utilized TRX straps for years to adapt exercises for therapy patients, clients, and personal use. They expand the range of exercises accessible to those without gym access. By adjusting the attachment points, strap lengths, and body angle, exercises can be modified to become achievable or more challenging. As with all free weight resistance, thse require the user to stabilize their body or the weight, utilizing more stabilizers and making the exercise more challenging. The versatility of TRX straps, with their various attachments and add-ons, allows for customization to different environments, whether it's a doorway, steel post, or tree. 

Pro's:

• Adaptability, portable, good engagement of stabilizers, cheaper off brand options

Con's:

• Learning curve, expensive up front cost, anchor point availability

TRX set on Amazon

10. Weighted vest

Weighted vests are an underutilized yet highly valuable tool that can enhance running and plyometric performance, explosiveness, and more. They are excellent for bodyweight exercises like pull-ups or for executing complex movements without free weights. There are few methods to increase the difficulty of exercises such as pull-ups, and weighted vests offer one of the few solutions. Available in a range of weights from 12 to over 40 pounds, the heavier vests often allow for customization by removing individual weights.

Pro's:

•  Useful for cardio and body weight training or calisthenics, hands free, can customize weight of individual vests

Con's:

• Can be pricey depending on brand, or bulky with the cheaper brands with higher weight vests

Weight vests 20-150lbs on Amazon