Best workout equipment for creating a home gym

20 January 2022, 09:58

By Emma Gritt

@emmagritt

The coronavirus pandemic sparked a new interest for getting a sweat on at home - and it looks like it's a trend that is here to stay.

If one of your resolutions for 2022 was to overhaul your lifestyle and improve your fitness, then you’re not alone.

But sometimes family and work commitments can make it hard to get to the gym, so having a few bits of home gym equipment can help you stay on track and keep up momentum, or just give virtual workouts a bit of oomph.

If you have the space, you might even have earmarked a spare room or an unused corner to double up as your home gym.

Have more space? Stokemont.com and the experts from Garage Gym Reviews have shared some great tips for setting up your garage as a designated exercise space.

1. Put your flooring down before your equipment, especially if you are bringing in heavy bits of kit.
2. Store as much equipment on the wall as possible - barbell gun racks, plate storage that is screwed into wooden studs, resistance bands and chain holders, etc. 
3. Buy inexpensive equipment but do your research. Check second-hand marketplaces for the best deals near you.
4. Get a good sound system. An Echo Dot hooked up to powerful speakers means that you can pause or change music with your own voice – so you can control the music during your workouts!
5. Invest in a mini fridge so that cold protein shakes and drinks are always available.

But regardless of if you've got a corner, a room, a garage or a shed, these weights, bands and gym kit will help you keep on top of your fitness and exercise goals.

* All of these products were independently selected by Heart’s digital editorial team. Just so you know these product links are affiliate links which means if you click on a link and buy a product we may earn revenue.

Neoprene dumbbells

The hexagonal shape makes them easy to store and stack anywhere.

The anti-roll design and hexagonal shaped edges do not let them roll away or cause damage to the floor if you drop them accidentally.

Buy now: Amazon, prices start £9.99

Treadmill

The RUN100E CONNECTED brings everything you need right to your feet - great for still getting a run in despite dark mornings and evenings and chilly, wet weather.

It has a compact folding design and 30 built-in programmes created by a team of coaches.

Buy now: Decathlon, £499.99

Punch bag

This inflatable punch bag is perfect for letting off a bit of steam and working on your punching and kicking techniques.

Its setup is simple, in a few pumps you’ll have your own punch bag which can be packed up within seconds once you’ve initiated your final blow. Folded down it can be stored under any bed or sofa till you’re ready to go another round.

Buy now: Decathlon, £59.99

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Smart Skipping Rope

The RENPHO is an adjustable digital jump rope for that lets you count your jumps, and provide data analysis for both indoor and outdoor workouts.

Pairing it with the app means that you can measure your skip time, total skip number, calories burned, and tangles.

It has three smart skipping rope modes: (Free Jump/Time Countdown/Numbers Countdown).

Buy now: Amazon, £16.99

Legmaster

The Leg Master was designed for mum-of-five Fiona Summer by her husband, after she asked him come up with a way to strengthen her pelvic floor muscles.

The resulting 'gadget' is now a QVC best-seller, an at-home exerciser designed to target your legs, abs, hips, glutes and pelvic floor.

As it was designed for a busy mum, its unique lateral gliding motion offers an intense workout that can be done in as little as 60 seconds, with newbies claiming they can barely manage 10 seconds to start with!

Buy now: QVC, £76

Les Mills

30-Minute At-Home Strength Training Workout | BODYPUMP | LES MILLS X REEBOK NANO SERIES

Enjoy the endorphin rush of a Les Mills class (like Bodypump) in the comfort of your own home by signing up to a virtual subscription.

But to really feel the full effect, their TOTAL BODY REINVENTION PACK includes everything you need for a class:

• SMARTBAR barbell (x1) 
• 1kg weights plates (x2)
• 2.5kg weight plates (x2)
• 5kg weight plates (x2)
• SMARTBAND™ 
• SMARTSTEP™
• MBX MAT™
• Bonus 12 week workout calendar

Buy now: Les Mills, £560 or £24-a-month

Pilates ring, exercise bands, sliding discs

A Pilates ring (also known as a magic circle) is commonly used in Pilates to add intensity to floor exercises but is also suitable for other types of stretching and floor work, too.

Other bits of cheap kit that can make a big impact are resistance loop bands – available in a range of colours which represent how strong they are, and sliding discs which build core strength and can be used to make mountain climbers more intense.

Buy now: Ten Boutique, pilates ring, £26; exercise bands £4; sliding discs, £10

QUATTRO speaker

This powerful Bluetooth speaker packs a lot of bass. Whether you're working out at home or taking your exercise al fresco, this powerful speaker is a great bit of kit.

Made by Irish audio specialists ONESONIC, it has QUATTRO HD Audio and superior bass, packed in to a portable and compact Bluetooth speaker.

If you love to wok out to music extra loud, two QUATTROs can be paired which creates a phenomenal surround sound music listening experience.

Buy now: ONESONIC

LNDR

LNDR's collection of seamless gym clothes are designed to sculpt and shape. 

The Aero Dynamic Sports Bra (above) is super sculpting and seamless, and made from 100% recycled yarns.

It has a high neckline and is knitted in a double layer for coverage and support, making it perfect for intense gym sessions.

See the whole range at LNDR

Grenade bars

Grenade protein bars taste as a good as a chocolate bar, but instead of being void of nutritional benefits, are packed with 20g whey protein.

Their newest flavour is Peanut Butter & Jelly, joining Chocolate Chip Salted Caramel, White Chocolate Salted Peanut, White Chocolate Cookie, and Fudged Up.

Buy now: Grenade.com, £2.59 each