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The 14 Best Must Haves in Home Gym Equipment

With the new year creeping up so quickly, we (like almost everyone else we know) have started making New Year’s resolutions about fitness. Having purchased wasted gym memberships in the past, however, we’ve learned not to waste our money there when we know perfectly well that we don’t like to work out in public! That’s why we’ve decided to invest in our own home gym equipment.

Deciding to work out at home and actually choosing which equipment to purchase, however, are two completely different things! We’ve been researching a whole range of options online lately, so we thought we’d share some of the best options we’ve seen, just in case it might help someone else make their home gym choices a little easier too.

1. 3G Cardio Elite Runner Treadmill

3g cardio elite runner treadmill

Even fitness beginners know that treadmills are great for cardio, and cardio is great for the body no matter your workout goals! We’ve looked at a lot of treadmills in our day, but this one from 3G Cardio seemed like a front runner when it comes to well-rounded machines with the best things to offer right in the home.

This treadmill has… well, essentially everything. Our favourite features were the high range of speeds and “courses”, which lets the treadmill rise and fall to challenge you like a simulation of hills. We also loved the shock-absorbing suspension, which makes running on this machine a little kinder on the knees. As if that’s not enough, it’s got its own built-in bluetooth speakers for great workout tunes to keep you motivated!

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2. Survival and Cross Jump Rope

Survival and cross jump rope

Do you actually live in a very small apartment, so you already know that you don’t have room for a huge piece of equipment like a treadmill? Well, that doesn’t mean you can’t still keep fit inside until the winter months let up and you can get back out in the parks and on the running tracks! We’d suggest checking out this simple, space efficient fitness jump rope by Survival and Cross to keep you moving!

We like the idea of keeping this rope on hand because, besides the fact that it’s more durable and more subtle than the average toy rope, it’s super easy to keep conveniently stashed so that you can pull it out any time throughout the day when you suddenly have a convenient moment. It’s a great option for a person with a busy work schedule and only small chunks of free time!

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3. Marcy Multifunction Steel Home Gym

Marcy multifunction steel home gym

Do you feel like you already get enough cardio in because you like to go for runs and walks all year round, but your weight training and muscle strengthening game could use a little more work? In that case, maybe you’d get along a little better with a multi-functional, weight based workout machine like this one from Marcy!

For us, the best part of this machine is the ease with which it works. Making changes to shift the functions from one position to another in order to work out different muscles or parts of your body is straightforward and easy to do, giving you more time to work out because you’re spending less time struggling with the machine itself. Its pulley system is also incredibly smooth, making sure you don’t get any extra resistance.

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4. ATIVAFIT Indoor Cycling Bike

Ativafit indoor cycling bike

Are you actually in search of workout techniques that are a little gentler on the body in certain ways because, rather than weight training, you’re just hoping to work on low impact cardio or improving range of motion? Then you might benefit more from something that definitely still works your body out well, but in a way that lets you control the toll it takes on your joints a little more. We’d suggest this exercise bike from ATIVAFIT!

What struck us most about this model in particular was how adjustable the seat is, allowing you maximum comfort while you get your cycling in. It also has a superior data keeping and calculating system that will help you keep track of your progress. Given all of its features, we think it’s very reasonably priced as well.

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5. TRX All-In-One Suspension Training

Trx all in one suspension training

Are you still in the market for something supplemental to your workouts because you want to, say, work on your flexibility when you’re still warm after a run or improve your muscle tone after you’ve cycled hard on your stationary bike? In that case, we think you might benefit from learning how to do stretch and strength exercises on suspension bands like these ones from TRX!

We love the way the hooks and handles on this set make it essentially completely diverse for any space or workout. Rather than pulling the weight of something else, you’re pulling against that weight with your own power, making the workout you get better for toning and gentler for certain joint needs. It’s also another awesomely adaptable solution for very small spaces.

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6. Fitness Reality 810XLT Super Max Power Cage

Fitness reality 810xlt super max power cage with optional lat pull down attachment and adjustable leg hold down

Do you have a little more experience in gyms than the average person but now you’re looking to bring some of that into your own home without losing out on your favourite professional machine capabilities? In that case, we have a feeling you might just get along a little bit better with something like this weight machine from Fitness Reality!

The unique cage structure of this machine makes it not only easy to use, but also very easy to change and adapt depending on what you’re working on. The process of figuring out both the workouts and how the machine can be shifted to benefit a different part of your body is straightforward and quite intuitive, making it accessible even though it’s a machine geared towards people looking for more advanced workouts.

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7. Weider Ultimate Body Works Bench

Weider ultimate body works

Are you more of a classic weights person with a preference for a slightly old school workout compared to these larger adaptable and fully equipped machines? Then we’d be willing to bet that you’ll get along a little better with something like this fully body workout bench from Weider!

The bench is adjustable in order to allow you to situate your body at whatever angle you need during your free weights workout. Beyond that, however, it also comes with its own resistance straps and handles that might take the place of your weights in certain types of exercises as well, making it a surprisingly diverse piece.

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8. WOD Nation Pull up Assistance Bands

Click image to open expanded view wod nation pull up assistance bands best for pullup assist, chin ups, resistance band exercise, stretch, mobility bench work & serious fitness

Whether you’re looking for supportive assistance during body lifting exercises you’re just learning or perhaps a bit of resistance that will amplify the effect of another move, you might benefit from stretch bands like these ones from WOD!

Although these will provide you with enough resistance to give you a full workout on their own, they’re actually not intended for that in the same way as the handled bands you saw earlier were. These ones are actually meant to augment or help you with other exercise on things like your workout machine. They are, however, also quite useful for getting back into the game with simpler, gentler starter exercises after, say, and injury, a surgery, or lengthy time off.

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9. Power Tower Workout Dip Station

Power tower workout dip station

Perhaps the idea that appeals to you the most in the home workout world is that of using your own weight as leverage for strengthening your muscles, rather than pulling up or down on steel weights? Then we’d suggest considering something like this “power tower” workout station from Relife!

Although it has a very usefully adjustable height, which makes it an accessible piece for people of any size, a lot of the magic that this strong steel frame provides is up to you. In order to help you take the best advantage of it, however, the machine does come with an instructional workout guide as well, giving you a point of reference to build off of.

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10. CAP Barbell 150-Pound Dumbbell Set with Rack

Cap barbell 150 pound dumbbell set with rack

Did we catch your attention when we started talking about weights that you might use at home for your own training routines? Well, whether you use them in combination with the bench we showed you earlier or not, this full dumbbell set from CAP Barbell is an awesome at-home option.

Besides their durability, perhaps the best feature of this weight set is its sheer range. It’s beginner friendly because it reaches the lower weights, starting at five pounds, but it also has heavier hand weights that more experienced trainers might use as supplemental to certain exercises. A full weight set is also a great, space efficient way to make sure you’re still working out in a small home!

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11. Marcy Flat Utility 600 lbs Capacity Weight Bench

Marcy flat utility 600 lbs capacity weight bench

Rather than getting a resistance bench that’s also great for angled weight training, would you rather just keep things simple and purchase a classic workout bench? Then we’d suggest taking a look at this solid, comfortable design from Marcy!

The cushioning on the top of this bench and the solidly capped and weighted feet are the primary reason to invest in something like this versus using regular surfaces already in your home. This piece provides comfort and specific surface for you to move, bear your weight on, and use in a whole range of diverse ways while you weight or body train. It also doesn’t take up much space!

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12. ThinkFit Anti Burst Yoga Exercise Ball 65cm & Resistance Exercise Bands

Thinkfit anti burst yoga exercise ball 65cm & resistance exercise bands

Have you, like us, heard about all the different awesome exercises and benefits that come along with owning a workout ball and you’re just not sure you can wait any longer to try it out for yourself? Then we’d suggest taking a look at this fully equipped option from ThinkFit!

Besides being anti-burst and therefore rarely needing to be reinflated, this ball comes with a few perks that make its price extra reasonable. Firstly, it provides you a whole range of ball specific workouts on a poster that you can hang on the wall near your workout space. You’ll also get a series of resistance and workout bands that will help you take the exercises you use the ball for to the next level!

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13. OYO Personal Gym Full Body Portable Gym Equipment Set

Oyo personal gym full body portable gym equipment set

Are you living in a small space, absolutely determined to start working out more efficiently in your home, and totally open to the idea of investing in a seemingly trendy workout device so long as it really works? Then you just might be the perfect person to give this full body portable gym set by OYO a try!

It might sound like a fad, but this piece of equipment is actually quite innovative (and impressively priced for all that it does). The full package provides you know only with the shockingly small but correctly heavy weights and the frame that can be adapted to work any part of your body, but also a video and pamphlet that walks you through its use and ways to get the most out of it. It’s like having an entire gym in your home, but you really only need this one piece of equipment.

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14. Bowflex SelectTech 552 Adjustable Dumbbells

Bowflex selecttech 552 adjustable dumbbells

Have you long been considering investing in a hand weight set or a full range of dumbbells but even the idea of having so many weights lying around the house around your kids stresses you out and takes up too much space? Well, what if we told you that you could get the full weight range in a much more compact and efficient way? These adjustable dumbbells from Bowflex are precisely what we mean!

This innovative piece of workout technology lets you add or remove weight from one set of hand weights much the same as you’d see professional weightlifters adding rings to the end of their large dumbbells. This time, however, you’re staying in the home workout range (which is still impressively large). We really appreciate the safety mechanisms set in place on these weights, locking each removable plate into place so nothing slips while you’re working out.

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Conclusion

Do you know someone else who has been on the hunt for great home exercise equipment lately but who feels like they could use a little but of guidance? Share this post with them so they have all kinds of information to consider and designs to choose from!