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When you don’t have a lot of space, it makes it hard to build a home gym with a squat rack, barbells, rowers, etc. But that doesn’t mean you can’t get a good workout in. You can still invest in some home gym equipment to take your workouts to the next level.
Here are my favorite pieces of home gym equipment that can easily fit in your apartment, living room, or even be taken on a trip.
TRX Suspension Trainer
The TRX is portable in that it can be packed into a small pouch and it can also be set up anywhere with a door, a pole, a beam, or a pull up bar, etc. The fact that it can be packed up into a pouch makes it so that it doesn’t leave a mess or take up any valuable space in an already small apartment or living room. There’s also a wide variety of exercises you can do to target different areas of your body as well as an online platform for exercise classes should you need or want guidance. Here’s a YouTube video I did about it:
Since I’m an ambassador for them, I have a 20% off discount code for you: TRX20KN
Pull-Up Assistance Resistance Band
Originally used to assist pull ups, these bands can be used for a workout themselves. With some creativity, you can figure out different ways to hit your legs, back, chest, arms, and core. These bands also can fit into a bag when not in use. They usually come in a set, so if you need to increase or decrease resistance, you have options. I got mine from WODFitters and they’re still going strong. Here are some videos I made on these bands:
Hip Bands/Mini Bands
These bands are most commonly used for hip exercises but could also used for shoulders, ankles, and knees with a little ingenuity. I mainly use it for my glutes and rotator cuff to keep my hips and shoulders healthy. These bands fit in small pouch as well and come in a set for varying resistances. Here are some examples of how to use them:
Powerblock Adjustable Dumbbells
These are the highest priced item on here, but arguably the highest value. Instead of paying for a whole rack of 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, and 50 pound dumbbells that essentially take up an entire wall, you could just have a pair of these. They look like toaster ovens, but really they’re 9 pairs of dumbbells in one. You simply select which weight you want by taking out and inserting the clip to the corresponding stack. And changing weights takes a matter of seconds. Here’s a video I made about it:
I hope this article was useful in helping you find the best home gym equipment for your space. What equipment did I miss that needs to be on this list? Let me know in the comments!