So you’re working from home…are you also working out from home? Wondering how to equip your “home gym”? I say that loosely as I know most of us are working out in our underwear in our bedroom. Far from glamorous but certainly does the job. Covid isn’t going anywhere this winter, so we must adapt and overcome. That starts with a decent home set up where you can bust a move and break a sweat like no one is watching - which is exactly why home gyms are so great because literally no one is watching.

SO WHAT EQUIPMENT DO YOU ACTUALLY NEED TO GET A DECENT WORKOUT IN FROM THE COMFORT OF YOUR LIVING ROOM?

I’d like to tell you that you don’t need anything. And while it is true you can get a great workout using just your body weight….at some point you may want to consider adding a few pieces of equipment to keep your routine fresh and challenging.

The first thing I would recommend is a set of resistance bands.

They are cheap - readily available (even during the pandemic!) and go a long way in creating variety in your routine. I recently bought these from Amazon and am really happy with the quality and price! It came with handle bands as well as loop bands - you will want both. It also included some sliders for fun on a carpeted surface! What’s neat about this set is that each band connects to one set of handles via carabiner so you can layer on multiple bands to increase the resistance. It also included a door anchor so you can mix up your workouts with a variety of pulling exercises.

The next thing you may want to consider (if you can get your hands on them) is a set of adjustable dumbbells.

I have this set from Bowflex. The weight range goes from 5-50lbs in 5lb increments. I could not be happier with the quality of these, and 50lbs is all I really need in a DB set. If you are super strong they do make a heavier set. They take up minimal room, great for small spaces and are very easy to adjust mid-workout. I like using dumbbells for heavier leg exercises and upper body pushing and pulling. Also great for increasing forearm strength (just holding heavy weights for each exercise is a challenge in itself!).

A PIECE OF CARDIO EQUIPMENT.

If you have the dough you might really like a spine bike, treadmill, or rower. If you are a cycling enthusiast I highly recommend getting yourself a bike trainer to ride all winter indoors. (Sidebar: as proper cycling enthusiasts….we have the tacx flux and I highly recommend it. Also get yourself on Zwift and let’s meet up for a virtual ride!). However if you are on a budget like the rest of the world, a simple skipping rope can be a great addition to your warmups and interval training. Keep in mind, you do not need a piece of cardio equipment to have a good workout, there are a lot of great ways to do cardio with just your body (jumping jacks, running on the spot, jump squats/lunges/skaters, metabolic conditioning with weights etc.). It’s just something to consider if you really want to round out your workout options.

Splurge items for those who have the dough to spend: squat rack, barbell, plates, and a bench. We bought our squat rack, bench, and bar from Rogue. Their gear is super high quality and will last us a lifetime. The bumper plates we bought are from Eleiko and were a special treat, you definitely don’t need fancy competition discs like these if you are just doing normal power lifting type movements like bench, squat, and deads. Keep in mind….if you are thinking you’ll be getting a squat rack/barbell you’ll want to consider investing in some proper flooring. Our gym is in our garage (concrete floor) so we wanted to protect both the floor and our weights. We opted for barn stall mats, they are super durable and the price was right. We have been very happy with these ones from Canada Mats.

Extras you may or may not want to include:

A stability ball, TRX, parallettes, battle ropes, sled/prowler, kettlebells, slam balls, foam roller, and plyo box. What you do NOT need to include: a bosu ball. I could write an entire blog article about the uselessness of the bosu ball but I don’t even want to give it that much attention. Just promise me you won’t buy one ok? There is nothing you could do on/with/around a bosu ball that is better than doing it without a bosu ball at ALL. Don’t get me going ok?

IN SUMMARY:

MOST BASIC:

• Resistance bands + loop bads

LEVEL TWO

• Resistance bands, loop bands + adjustable dumbbells, bench

LEVEL THREE

• Resistance bands, loop bands, adjustable dumbbells, bench + squat rack, barbell, bumper plates

LEVEL FOUR

• Resistance bands, loop bands, adjustable dumbbells, squat rack, barbell, bumper plates + rower/ski erg/spin bike/treadmill

LEVEL FIVE

• Resistance bands, loop bands, adjustable dumbbells, squat rack, barbell, bumper plate, rower or ski erg/spin bike or treadmill + TRX, battle ropes, slam balls, parallettes, kettlebells, plyo box etc.

LEVEL SIX

• Just go to an actual gym ok?

Not a level of ANY kind: bosu ball.

Keep in mind, you don’t have to buy all of it at once.

Consider your home gym like any other kind of long-term investment. Over time you add a piece here and a piece there until one day you are charging memberships to your neighbours to use your fancy AF garage gym. THIS winter though? Get yourself a set of resistance bands and get down to business with my IGNITE program…..

If you are looking for workout inspiration and a killer program to follow that will actually have you feeling stronger check out my Ignite program! 12 weeks, all you need is a set of bands! There is also a 12 week gym option if you are one of the lucky ones that has a decent selection of equipment at home. Did I mention it includes a killer playlist guaranteed to keep you motivated and cursing my name while you do your burpees?! Yep it does.