Home Gym Equipment Ideas for Women
Face it, public gyms suck. Depending on where you go, they’re always crowded, playing some lousy music, and there seem to be too many rules to count. For women who are looking to get away from the public gym scene, the logical alternative is to build your own gym at home. But how do you turn that empty garage into the gym of your dreams? Simple, we’ve developed a list to help you get started!
Building a Home Gym
For those who are looking to build a home gym for the first time, it can be tricky to know exactly what to look for. If you’re building on a budget, it can be even harder. The first thing you’ll need to do is make sure that you have enough space. While it can be perfectly acceptable to do your workout on a back deck or corner of the living room, it’s far more helpful to be able to dedicate a spare room in your house to all of your gym needs. Also, you’re going to want to look for equipment that is diverse.
If you’re looking to build a home gym, you’re probably concerned about your overall fitness, and this needs to be taken into account when shopping. You’ll want to be able to build diverse workouts for all of your muscles as well as include a few cardio options for good measure.
Gym Equipment Ideas
Once you’ve got a space laid out in your home, the next thing you’ll need to do is shopping. While we know that we are looking for different yet powerful equipment, it can be hard to know what to buy. Keep in mind that the beauty of building your own gym is you can completely tailor the experience to what’s best for you and your body. Hate elliptical machines? Sub them out for a treadmill.
For those who are in need of some inspiration, we’ve collected a list of the top picks for your home gym:
• Power Rack
It’s called a power rack for a reason, and if you’ve seen it in use, you may already know why. These racks allow you to do intense strength training for just about any part of your body, including squats, deadlifts, bench presses, overhead presses, rack pulls, shrugs, rows, leg raises and more. These racks are also fantastic because you can train without a spotter as well as enjoy the peace of mind with the safety catches.
• Resistance Bands
If you’re looking for a piece of equipment that packs a punch and can also be stored in your purse, pick up some resistance bands. These little and inexpensive pieces of rubber allows you to perform strength-training exercises without using any weights. They’re fantastic for full body exercises and will work wonders for those who tend to workout alone.
• Kettlebells
Also requiring minimal space, kettlebells are absolutely amazing for a home gym. Kettlebells tend to run pretty cheap and can be purchased in weight increments that can challenge any fitness level. For women, kettlebells are a great way to tone and improve your strength without adding too much bulk. An average 20-minute workout, can burn as many as 270 calories.
• Cardio Machines
Whether you love it or hate it, cardio is an essential part of a balanced lifestyle. To make sure your gym will keep you in the best shape possible, you’ll have to add some options for cardio. While there are options for outdoor cardio, it’s always a good idea to have a few indoor options for when the weather is less than perfect. For those looking for the best comparison of spin bikes in 2018, check out this comparison guide.
• Step Up Box
Also known as plyometric boxes, step boxes are a fantastic addition to your gym. Box jumps may seem easy, but these exercises are notoriously difficult. The adjustable box heights make these fantastic for everyone from beginners to experts and will give anyone a fantastic lower body workout.
Whether you’re building your very first home gym or simply trying to improve your current home gym, there are plenty of options out there for women looking to get in shape. Always remember that the key is diversity. You won’t get a balanced workout with only weight racks in your gym. Aim to build a well-rounded gym, and you’ll be well on your way to achieve that strong body you’ve always dreamed of!
