Are you looking to build a cheap home gym? These 10 essential home gym equipment pieces are the perfect essentials for a home gym. And the best part is none of them will cost you more than $30!
Essentials for a Home Gym
Ab Wheel
Want to have ripped abs without having to do 100 sit ups? The ab wheel will be your new best friend. When I first got one for Christmas a few years back.. no kidding.. I couldn’t even do 1! Even after the attempt of 1 rep, my abs were SO sore.
I now can do 3 reps of 10, and some days if I am feeling extra ambitious I will go for reps of 15. I promise you this, you will be sore! Don’t say you haven’t been warned. Another huge benefit is that this workout takes almost no time, but ultimately is super effective. You can complete your sets in a couple quick minutes.
The Ab wheel is one of the best gym equipment to lose belly fat.
When doing the ab wheel you want to kneel on the ground keeping your waist up in the air and roll down the floor.
Another added bonus is that this will also work out your triceps.
Tip – make sure whenever you workout your abs to also make time to workout your back. If you have a weak lower back this will add pressure to that so make sure to work on strengthening your lower back.
Perfect Push Ups
Hate working out at home? My husband definitely hates the at home workouts, but the Perfect Push Ups are one of the few things he will do at the house. The push ups are definitely harder than normal ones, but it is great because you can do less reps and get more more of a workout. Who doesn’t want that?
The push ups with the Perfect Push Ups are killer. I’ll be honest and say I typical start from my Knees, but After being bedridden for 4 years I don’t consider that too bad! The push up motion is normal, except the handles twist as you go down, requiring more from your body.
Hand Weights
The best overall investment to your home gym are these dumb bells – If you buy anything on this list besides the ab wheel (that’s my number one recommendation) this is a close second and no cheap home gym will be complete without a dumb bell set.
I started with these 5 lbs weights; the possibilities are endless with ways you to use them. Seriously, so many amazing at home workouts are possible with these.
I now have 5 lb, 8 lb, and 12 lb. Love them all!!
Jump Rope
Want a good cardio workout without running? Jump rope is it. You don’t even have to do it for very long to get your heart rate up. Three minutes jumping, rest three minutes then jump again and you are then done.
You can also buy a weighted jump rope if you want an even more intense workout. This one if my favorite and for only $12 it really is a great deal.
This one has almost 6,000 positive reviews on Amazon. And Amazon reviews never lie. Plus, who doesn’t want a jump rope with a skull on the handle. Haha!
Resistance Bands
These are the exact ones I have and love. They come with an instruction guide, Ebook, and online workout videos. With over 7,000 positive reviews and for the price, these are the best I have found.
The best part about elastic resistance bands are that they are incredibly easy to use while doing something else – conversation with my husband, watching tv, etc.
Folding Mini Trampoline
Another great choice that doesn’t have to be expensive – I got mine mini tramp (Stamina 36-Inch Folding Trampoline) at TJ Maxx for super cheap. This is another one that sat in my garage for a few years because I wasn’t sure how to incorporate it into my workout. I know I know, just jump on it. Haha!
As I was recovering from being in a wheelchair and stuck in bed I realized I needed to get my body used to not only walking again but jumping again.
I busted out the trampoline, dusted it off from years of sitting in our garage, and started jumping and OMG, it is shockingly intense. If you want to get your heart rate up FAST, this will be your new best friend. All you need is 5 minutes to get a super intense workout.
I actually have mine sitting in my home office and whenever I feel my energy draining and my butt going numb from sitting for too long, then I know it is time for me to hop on the mini tramp!
I put on some pump up or inspiring music and go for 3-5 minutes. It is amazing how quickly my energy goes from being a zombie to feeling full of life again.
Side note – has anyone tried those rebounders? I have not, but it seems like it could be a scam, mean $1000 for a mini trampoline??? How different can it be than the one I bought for about $20 at TJ Maxx?!
The only downside is it is a little bulky and awkward to store. I have put it in my downstairs closet or in my garage to get it out of the way, but overall it is still definitely worth it. But that is just another reason why I love this one. It folds for easier storage.
Tip – When I started I just wasn’t sure exactly how to get a full workout in using the trampoline besides from just jumping up and down. So I went on Youtube and followed this Body by Simone video until I could do the entire sequence without stopping. It is just 4 minutes but it took me some time to build my endurance up. I found it much easier to put my headphones in, watch the video on silent and just follow her steps. GREAT WORKOUT!
Kettle Bell
I’ll be honest and say I bought kettle bells and even went to classes utilizing them, but still hated them. They sat in my closet collecting dust for years!
I finally realized the reason I hated using them was because it was emphasizing one my weakest points: my shoulders. My shoulders have always been weak so it makes sense that shoulder workouts would be especially painful and awkward for me.
I mean, what girl wants to workout her shoulders? Haha. I want a 6 pack abs and a butt that doesn’t sag. But now I have realized that working out all parts of your body are so important for your overall health and I love getting in a good shoulder workout now.
I have now realized that most of the time the workouts we dread doing the most are the ones we probably need the most.
I forced myself to embrace the kettle bells and I now love them! Once again YouTube is full of ideas on how to best use them, with many focusing on your shoulders.
Boxing Gloves
You don’t actually need a punching bag at home to use these. You can punch the air, punch a pillow, or you can even get these punching mitts and have your friend or husband put them on and punch away. It is very therapeutic.
Sometimes I will have my husband hold out his hands and I will punch them as fast as I can for as long as I can. Let’s just say it doesn’t last long as this workout is deceptively intense.
If you try out boxing and find you enjoy it I recommend some accessories to go with it. You will want to buy wraps for your hands (even with the gloves your knuckles will get messed up if you don’t wrap your hands)
Extra Thick Yoga Mat
This is the best yoga mat on Amazon for the price. A yoga mat can be used for some many things other than yoga. I use mine to get a quick workout in outside when the weather is good. It keeps me from having to lay on the cement or itchy grass.
I have also really grown to love yoga. And when I say love Yoga, I mean the 5 minute Yoga workouts I find on YouTube. Check out my fitness YouTube channel here.
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