This week’s Q&A session comes from a message I received via Facebook:
Hey Susan! I am a single working mother of 2 young children and, over the years, have neglected my health and fitness. I am 25 pounds over weight but am ready to make a lifestyle change. I have been searching for home gym workouts that would best suit me and I find that your fitness philosophy really speaks to me. My question is, what equipment do I need to purchase to take full advantage of your home gym workouts? Thanks for your help!
This is a great question – one whose answer is many often wrongly perceived.
Many people I have consulted who are looking to lose weight and increase their fitness by doing home gym workouts think that they have to have those expensive and bulky pieces of equipment that take up a ton of room in their home.
That, my friends, is false.
You CAN purchase a treadmill, a stationary bike, a Bowflex, or Olympic weight set and racks. But those things are rarely the best for losing weight and increasing your fitness. But they are expensive, take up a ton of room in your home, and will most likely double as a clothes rack within a few short weeks.
The good news is that there are smaller and less expensive pieces of equipment that are best for home gym workouts.
In fact, if you are penny pinching these days (and who isn’t) you can get away without buying any equipment at all.
Nothing – doing bodyweight exercises and bodyweight cardio makes for spectacular home gym workouts, especially if you are a beginner or have been doing a lot of strength training with weights.
Here is the best equipment for home gym workouts:
- Dumbbells – no light weights, ladies. Play with the big boys and use a weight you can lift only about 8 times.
- Kettlebells – LOVE them! Functional and great for cardio intervals and strength building.
- Stability ball – outstanding for core work, balance training, and making all bodyweight exercises even more challenging.
- TRX suspension system
- Resistance bands
- Rebounder – non impact cardio. I used this to help me lose 20 pounds when I suffered a sever running injury.
- Jump rope
- Battling ropes – for using your upper body to do cardio intervals.
- Gym Boss Interval Timer – to time your cardio intervals.
- Medicine balls
- Foam roller – for doing self myofacial release.
Now obviously, you can buy all of these items or just one or two to get you started.
You can add a new piece of equipment to your home gym workouts whenever you want to. And the good news is that most of this stuff can be tucked away under the bed or stored in a closet.
My personal favorites are the stability ball, kettlebells, interval timer, and foam roller.
In fact, in the home gym workouts I designed, Ultimate Home Workouts, I incorporate dumbbells, stability balls, foam rollers, and some kettlebells along with highly effective bodyweight exercises and cardio intervals.
That’s how much I love these pieces of equipment. I believe in them because they work – and I use them myself.
Train safe!
Your Friend & Coach,
Susan Campbell, MS, CSCS
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