Best Home Gym Equipment for COVID-19 Lockdown & Beyond

Spurred into a fitness equipment shopping frenzy by COVID-19 self-isolation orders, I’ve narrowed down some of the best equipment to purchase for living room, garage, or bedroom fitness.

I stopped training exclusively at home over 10 years ago, and I sold all my equipment back then. But now that all gyms have closed because of national stay-at-home orders, I’m forced to rebuild my home gym. Instead of getting a bunch of weights (because I was a bodybuilder the last time I had a home gym), I purchased a handful of choice fitness tools to support me as the functional athlete I am now. The primary equipment I ordered are Olympic rings and a foldable pull-up/muscle-up station I can do various bodyweight exercises on. Below are other affordable home gym options that won’t kill your living space by quantity or with bulk.  For convenience, I’ve categorized each piece of equipment by exercise goal.

Strength

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Pull-up Stand

Do pull-ups, muscle-ups, hanging ab exercises; attach rings and do ring movements. This indoor exercise stand enables you to do more than the traditional exercise stations at local gyms, which often don’t permit free movement to do muscle-ups, kipping, or aerial movements.

 

 

Olympic Rings

Rings can help anyone build a strong, functional body with as little equipment as possible and are perfect if you have a tight budget or little room to setup a home gym.

 

 

Bands for Full-body Exercise

Resistance bands are often underrated for their strength-building capabilities and are often relegated to warm-up and rehab movements. But resistance bands can be used to build muscle and strength. Various resistance levels enable you to incorporate progressive overload in your training with no need for a complete weight rack.

 

 

Booty Bands

Stackable Weights

With stackable weights, you can train your upper and lower body without consuming too much space in your home. The set pictured below is affordable and from the reputable brand Les Mills.

 

Don Oliver BODYPUMP® WEIGHT SET WITH BAR

Entry level bar and weight system for strength and cardio training. [More]

Body Weights

Maximize calorie burn by incorporating resistance to multi-joint movements or cardio. See some affordable options below that won’t take up more than a corner of space in your home.

Ankle Weights

 

Weighted Vest

 

Sand Bags

 

Adjustable Sandbags with Filler Bags

 

Stability

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A workout that incorporates stability and resistance builds strength and muscle, so you won’t have to worry about losing hard-earned muscle during however many COVID-19 stay-at-home orders we’re subjected to.

Bosu Ball

 

Stability Ball

 

Balance Board

Flexibility

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Yoga Block + Mat Combo

 

Stretch Helper

Fat loss

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Rebounder

 

Jump rope

 

Battle rope (garage fitness, backyard fitness)

Because businesses deemed “unessential” by world governments are closing, I suggest getting your home exercise equipment orders in as soon as possible. I just put in my order, and (fingers crossed) I should get my equipment later this week. I have a feeling many of us will be trying new exercises and gaining new skills due to our need to get creative to stay fit. I know I will be pushing myself. I wish you all the best of fitness during this strange period in our history.