Before we get into the topic “Best home exercise equipment for beginners” let me ask you a question.
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Why do you want to exercise?
Take a minute or two to think about it. Is it because you want to get compliments from people you like or to please other people in your life? If so, don’t do it. You have to do these things for yourself. To be healthy, strong, disciplined, and a better version of yourself.
Even if you have the right and focused mindset, sometimes you don’t have enough time to go to the gym. We all are too busy with our work and everything. It could be difficult to make time to go to the gym for your daily workout. Who knows when we’ll be free, right?
So the best way is to get some exercise equipment and keep it in the house. In that way, you can work out whenever you want. Here we give you some of the best home exercise equipment for beginners.
1. Yoga mats
Amazon: Gaiam yoga mats
A handy and good home exercise equipment for beginners to have, even if you are not into yoga. You need these to do some stretches, warm-ups, and warm downs. I know some people say that yoga mats are unnecessary. You could use a blanket instead and save some money. But if the floor is slippery, you could even hurt yourself. Yoga mats are anti-slippery and provide a comfortable cushion for your body.
There are a lot of yoga mats to choose from and they come in different price ranges, ranging from $20 to $90. If you are a beginner and need yoga mats occasionally, I suggest you go with Gaiam yoga mats. They are lightweight, provide a good grip, come in unique designs and get the job done.
2. Resistance bands
Amazon: Full-size resistance bands
Amazon: Mini resistance bands
You can gain strength without heavy equipment using resistance bands. Resistance bands can activate every muscle in the body. They help you prevent injuries as well as recover from them. The constant tension from the bands helps you strengthen your core muscles. Also, resistance bands help with your flexibility too.
There are different types of resistance bands available, like loop bands, flat bands, bands with handles, leg and arm tube resistance bands, and power mobility bands. Assess what type of resistance bands you need and buy them accordingly.
3. Adjustable Dumbbells
Amazon: Adjustable dumbbells
As you all know, strength in the upper body is really important. Usage of dumbbells has a lot of benefits. Dumbbells create two types of overload: mechanical and metabolic overloads, which result in muscle growth. It is also a great tool for greater muscle activation, created by both intramuscular and intermuscular coordination. It also benefits us with both contractile and elastic components of the tissue.
Adjustable dumbbells are more suitable for beginners than fixed dumbbells because they are cheap, take less storage space, are easily portable, and are highly versatile.
4. Jump rope
Amazon: Jump rope
If you are looking to burn calories or lose weight, jump rope is useful equipment to have. A 200-pound person can burn up to 360 calories in 20 minutes using a jump rope.
Along with weight loss, there are other benefits, like improving cardio fitness, strengthening muscles, building stronger bones, and improving coordination and balance.
5. Pull-up bar
Amazon: Upper body workout bar
Pull-up bars are the best home exercise equipment for beginners to have if you are looking to improve your upper body strength. It strengthens your back, arm, and shoulder muscles, improves grip and pulling strength, and is also great for core and chest muscles. Nowadays, lots of people suffer from bad posture and slouching. Pull-ups are a great way to regain your posture and to be free from back pain.
You don’t need to go to the gym to get access to those pull-up bars. Nowadays, you can install a pull-up bar in your doorway. I know what you are thinking, ” what if it breaks or messes up my door? “. No, it won’t, if it is fitted properly in your doorway.
6. Exercise bike
Amazon: Indoor cycling exercise bike
A great home exercise equipment for beginners to have who are looking to lose weight. It burns around 260 calories in a 30-minute session. Also, it strengthens and tones your legs, thighs, and lower back muscles. You know what they say, ” Don’t skip a leg day”.
7. Foam roller
Amazon: Foam roller
Too many people overlook foam rollers. After an intense workout session, you may feel the soreness for up to 2 days or even more. This affects your daily workout routine. Foam rollers help you reduce this soreness, which makes it the best recovery home exercise equipment for beginners to buy.
Foam rolling is a self-myofascial technique. It helps in relieving muscle soreness, tightness, and inflammation by increasing blood flow to the tissues. An increase in blood flow enhances the viral nutrients in the muscle, which results in quick recovery. It is also a great tool for warmups and cooldowns.
8. Kettlebells
Amazon: 35 lbs kettlebell
Amazon: Adjustable kettlebells
Kettlebells are versatile home exercise equipment for beginners to have and also give you a full-body workout without taking up much of your space. Kettlebells give you a firm grip and powerful forearms. They also help with your cardio, core power, flexibility, and coordination.
Of course, kettlebells come in different sizes and weights. It is important to choose the right kettlebells for your body. So, before buying kettlebells, you might want to consider these factors, the type of exercises you want to undergo, your weightlifting experience and handle diameter. There are also adjustable kettlebells available on the market if you are looking to have different weight options.
9. Exercise balls
Amazon: Exercise ball
Exercise balls are fun home exercise equipment with amazing benefits for beginners to have.
Exercise balls help reinforce the muscles that support the spine, which results in good back and spine health. It also helps with your core stability and posture. And, by the way, did you know that these balls come in so many different colors too?
10. Sliders
Amazon: Sliders
If you are looking to improve your core strength, sliders are a splendid choice. When working out, you place your sliders under your foot, hands, or knees to improve tension.
When you are pressing on a slider, you are essentially pushing force into the ground. Since the ground doesn’t move, it puts the tension back on you. By keeping the muscles in tension, you not only increase the strength of the muscles, but also the lengthening of your connective tissues.
11. Treadmill
Amazon: NordicTrack treadmill
Treadmills reduce the impact on your foot better than streets and outdoor surfaces when it comes to running. There is a greater possibility of twisting your ankle in the streets than running on the treadmill. Also, these low impacts when running on the streets might not be harmful now, but in old age, they will come to haunt you.
When it comes to cardio training, treadmills are one of the best equipments to have. Nowadays, treadmills come with screens that will track your performance and give you daily tasks to complete. You can watch the news, and movies, and listen to music, all at the same time while running. I know it can be expensive but it is so much fun to have a treadmill. So if you have a budget, buy one.
12. Rowing machine
Amazon: Indoor rowing machine
The rowing machine is my favorite of it all. It is a great alternative to a treadmill and exercise bike. Rowing is a full-body workout that can improve our strength, endurance, and cardiovascular functions.
Rowing targets are quadriceps, calves, glutes, arms, pecs, obliques, and abdominal muscles. The one thing that puts rowing machines apart from treadmills and exercise bikes is their enhanced ability to activate and strengthen your core muscles.
Conclusion
I hope you got some idea on what equipment to buy before starting your fitness program. I suggest you should start the intensity of your workouts slowly and build gradually from there. It is always important to do your warmups before you get into your exercise routine to avoid any potential injuries. To reduce your muscle soreness after the workout, do some stretches or a cooldown routine depending on the muscle you targeted. It is essential to have a proper and healthy diet along with at least 7 to 8 hours of good night’s sleep when you are on your fitness program. Don’t overdo it, be patient with your results, and always don’t forget to follow the basics.
Frequent FAQ’s
There are a lot of things to consider when you get older. You cannot train with the same intensity as you did before. Even the slightest injury could be fatal. I recommend an elliptical trainer or walking treadmill for people above 70 years. They adjust these types of equipment for old people to protect you from falling.
According to the research conducted by Harvard University, Elliptical trainers burn more calories per hour than any other machine. More than 800 calories are burned per hour when using elliptical trainers. Treadmills, cycling, and rowing are also some of the best home exercise equipment for beginners to burn their calories.
Overall, both treadmill and exercise bikes help you stay fit. But if you want the one, then I suggest you should go for the treadmill. Because the treadmill burns more calories per minute than an exercise bike.