9 Fitness Essentials You’ll Actually Use
If you’re looking for tried-and true fitness essentials, look no further!
When it comes to fitness equipment, I’m all about the basics. I don’t think you need a fully decked out home gym with tons of gym equipment and accessories to have a successful fitness routine. Just a few fitness essentials can set you up for success when working out from home, or on the go. In this post, I’ll share with you a few basic pieces of home gym equipment and other workout essentials I think everyone can benefit from.
This post is all about fitness essentials!
Best Fitness Essentials
1. Water Bottle
It’s so important to stay hydrated while working out. Whether you’re working out from home or heading to the gym, make sure to have a water bottle on hand at all times!
This water bottle has every feature I look for. It has a wide opening so you can add ice. Triple insulation keeps your drink either hot or cold. It also comes with 3 different lids (a straw, mouthpiece and twist off cap) so you have something to meet all your needs whether you’re exercising at home or on-the-go. It’s also a bit on the smaller side (25oz), so it’s not huge and heavy to lug around.
2. Yoga Mat
Next, yoga mats are definitely a must-have for home gyms. Yoga mats are multi-functional and can be used for lots more than just yoga. Use your mat as a soft surface for any fitness routine including HIIT training, pilates, resistance training, or stretching.
My apartment has hardwood floors so I definitely pull out my yoga mat for all my home workouts! This yoga mat is extra thick so it will protect your knees, but also has a handy travel strap in case you’re running out the door to a class.
3. Resistance Bands
Resistance bands are an essential piece of home gym equipment. Resistance bands are a low-cost piece of equipment to add to your gym, and are also so easy to store and travel with. You will get a challenging full-body workout in with just this one piece of equipment! My blog post on Best At Home Workout Videos has a few of my favourite workouts that incorporate resistance bands!
This set of 3 is perfect because it gives you options to have light, medium, or heavy resistance. They’re also made with a soft fabric to prevent the bands from rolling up.
4. Ankle Weights
Don’t be fooled by the fact that these ankle weights are only 1lb each! Adding these weights while doing pilates adds an extra burn to level up your workout. Just like resistance bands, since they’re small and lightweight, you can throw these in your bag for travel or doing workouts on the go!
Recently I’ve been doing Melissa Wood Health workouts. In her videos I also learned you can slip the ankle weights over your palms for a killer arm workout!
5. Dumbbell Set
If you think an ankle weight set isn’t quite enough for you, try out this basic set of weights. A set of weights is a great staple for your home gym if you’re interested in strength training. The set comes with a small rack so it can easily be stored in your home gym. Having a set of different weights instead of just one allows you to vary the weight and intensity of your routine.
6. Exercise Ball
Adding an exercise ball to your home gym will make you feel like you’ve transported to a pilates class! Exercise balls are great for working on balance and stability. This exercise ball has a non-slip grip to prevent you from sliding around.
7. Foam Roller
Recovery is just as important as exercise! Foam rollers help massage your muscles. Plus, this set comes with a massage ball too.
8. Wireless Headphones
Good music is essential to have a good workout! Wireless headphones are an absolute must-have when working out, to avoid tripping over cords. When I’m doing home workouts, headphones are also necessary so I don’t wake up the whole household! Apple Air Pods are my go-to wireless headphones for working out.
9. Fitness Tracker/Watch
Lastly, a smartwatch is great to keep you motivated and stay on track while you exercise. As a runner, I’ve always been interested in tracking numbers when I’m working out. Although I don’t usually track calories, I love my Apple Watch to keep an eye on my heart rate and other stats during exercise. If you’re not a fan of Apple Watches, a FitBit Smartwatch is a great alternative.
That was my roundup on fitness essentials! Is there anything I missed? Add it below in the comments!
This post was all about fitness essentials!
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