Essential Home Gym Equipment

Hey everyone!

Let's dive into my top picks for home gym equipment. Whether you're accustomed to home workouts, practice yoga at home, or are just starting to think about setting up your own movement space, I've got you covered.

Today, I'll walk you through my essential top three pieces of equipment that are perfect for beginners and experienced athletes alike. These items are user-friendly, space-efficient, and versatile, making them ideal for anyone looking to establish or enhance their home gym setup.

Thanks for joining me! I'm Linnea Rothenmaier, owner and founder of Limber Arts Pilates and Personal Training in Olympia, Washington. Streaming to you online from wherever you may be.

Building a consistent home workout routine has been a journey for me, there can be more distractions at home, and it can feel hard to get started or stay motivated.  There are also many advantages to working out at home.  For one, it’s a huge time saver, imagine if you used the 20 minutes you spend commuting to the gym to instead go towards your workout time. For some, that time saving factor will be significant, and for others it will be less important.  One of the biggest benefits to working out at home, in my opinion, is the fact that you are comfortable and relaxed in your own home.  There’s no comparing yourself to the stranger next to you, or feeling self conscious about how you look while connecting with your breath and body.

Here’s a question for you.  Would you commute to the dentist on a daily basis simply to brush your teeth? I highly doubt it. In just the same way you shouldn't rely solely on gym visits or group classes for your physical fitness routine. Daily activity is key to overall health, akin to brushing your teeth regularly. What’s more, is that if you are maintaining a simple home workout program on a more daily basis, then on the days when you do commute to the gym for a longer workout, or show up to take a group class, your body will already feel strong and resilient and ready to work harder. 

The following list of my top three equipment essentials is selected with the idea of self care in mind.  These pieces of equipment with help your body stay flexible and strong at the same time, supporting your body to maintain a functional baseline that’s less about having a perfectly trimmed waistline, and more about keeping your body pain free and balanced. 

So, let's delve into my favorite home workout equipment! First up, the foam roller.

A Full Length Foam Roller:

A foam roller is a versatile tool for mobility, flexibility, core strength, and posture improvement. Its user-friendly design makes it perfect for beginners, providing a gentle introduction to home workouts. I highly suggest you look for a full length foam roller (36” long) this will allow you to lay lengthwise along the roller, which is a game changer for posture, neck and shoulder pain, and core strength combined. 

A Big Ball, aka Swiss Ball or Physio Ball:

The big ball, while slightly more space-consuming, offers many wonderful benefits. Serving as both furniture and a fun toy, it enhances flexibility, coordination, balance, and strength. Plus, it pairs well with resistance bands and weights for a full body workout.  Similarly to the foam roller, a big ball (also called a swiss ball or physio ball) is a great option for those of you who sit at a computer a lot, have posture concerns, or experience neck or shoulder tension.  

Resistance Bands and Adjustable Free Weights:

Resistance bands are inexpensive, space-saving, and beginner-friendly, making them a great addition to any home gym. Meanwhile, adjustable free weights offer versatility and space efficiency, allowing for a wide range of exercises in a compact setup. If you are just setting up your space at home I would suggest you start with 3 resistance bands of varying resistance, and if you are ready to expand your options from there then consider investing in a set of adjustable free weights. 

Quick Tip on Habit Formation:

With these essentials, you can kickstart your home fitness journey, focusing on flexibility and strength without sacrificing space or versatility. And speaking of brushing your teeth everyday… you could sit on the big ball and work on balance while you brush your teeth!  This is a simple example of 2 key approaches to effective habit formation. First, focus on creating tiny habits that are super easy to implement, such as sitting on the big ball while you brush your teeth.  The second approach is to habit stack.  Take a habit that you already do very consistently, such as brushing your teeth, and stack a new habit on top of it, such as sitting on the big ball.  

Let me know what you think!

Drop your comments below, and stay tuned for more tips and insights. See you next time!