Can’t get down to the local gym? Don’t worry — we got you. If you still want to keep up the fitness progress even when you’re stuck inside your house, then you might also need the equipment to do it. Exercising without the proper tools is no fun, so if you’re struggling to find at-home alternatives, let’s look at the best home workout equipment to get your hands on.
1. Grip strengthener
So, you can’t deadlift, but you still need to be ready for when you do.
Grip strength is always playing catch up and it can slow your progress on some of your major lifts like deadlifts, pull-ups, or rows. In fact, it might be one of the first things you notice when you’re back in the gym — shaky hands. Even if your legs and back can handle the load, sometimes your wrists and fingers just can’t. You’ve got another rep, but if you go for it, your hands might just fall off.
There’s a simple solution to this problem — a grip strengthener. All you have to do is squeeze. With time, you’ll be pulling the bar up with no effort. Grip strength comes into a load of exercises: rows, deadlifts, pull-ups, pull-downs and even bench. The grip strengthener also has adjustable resistance from 9kg-40kg, so you can start low and progressively overload.
You can even do it when you’re sitting watching TV, so it’s the lazy man’s exercise for strongman lifts. Programmes often forget to add grip strength in, but it’s pretty important for your progression. So, with this exercise at home, you’re coming back to the gym stronger.
2. Recovery ball
We know the importance of recovery and there was never a better time to start taking care of yourself. All this time at home is ideal for allowing your muscles to recover — and the recovery ball’s going to help you. It’ll help remove tightness and hit your knotty muscles to ease some of that tension. With your muscles well-recovered, when you get back into the gym, you’ll be ready for some new PBs. You might even come back to the gym feeling stronger, looser, and better than before.
3. Ab roller wheel
Being inside with limited space is the perfect chance perfect some ab exercises and get that six-pack. The ab roller wheel will humble you — it’s a great way to overload your core. Just remember proper form on this one because, like any exercise, you can hurt yourself if done improperly. Since this is an exercise at home, you can whip it out anytime you’re bored, do a couple minutes, and put it back until later. It’s a great add to a great ab workout routine and since most are small, you can bring it to the gym once you’re back, no bother.
4. At home pull-up bar
Your back: the hardest muscle group to hit when you exercise at home. Because of the leverages needed to hit your back, it’s a little harder to find home gym equipment that you can row or safely do pull ups from. So, instead of rowing from under your table or pulling up from scaffolding (you know it’s dodgy), get yourself an at-home pull up bar.
The back is such a powerful muscle group and doing pull ups is a powerful way to grow it — and you’re really not limited either. You can focus on your back and your biceps — pull ups, chin ups, close grip, wide grip — there’s so many variations and it’s such a versatile piece of home gym equipment. It’s going to round out your at-home routine and give your back an effective workout to complete your physique. You don’t even need to leave your room — you can fit a lot of them in your bedroom’s door-frame.
Possibly the best home gym equipment you can find yourself, so make sure you find one that fits in your home safely. And when you’ve got the bar, get yourself on a great pull up progress plan.
5. Rest day hoodie
Now you’re stuck at home, maybe every day’s a rest day.
While resting, you want to feel comfy and gym clothes are most definitely comfy. So, while you’re resting and recovering, get some new clothes you can lounge about in. In fact, we’ve designed a collection especially just for that. Check out our lovely loose and soft outfits to keep you warm and cozy through your recovery. They’re both simple, stylish. And locking down as a couple? Rest day hoodie for him, rest day hoodie for her, so you’re going to be comfy together.
Take home message
These home fitness products are going to cover your fingers, forearms, abs, back and bis and balance your at home fitness routine to fill in the gaps. Not forgetting the all important rest day wardrobe.
Things start to look better when you have the best home workout equipment. See it as a great chance to develop and change your workout forever.
Evangeline has taken part in competitive sports since a young age. As a qualified RYA Dinghy Instructor, she understands the importance of proper nutrition for fuelling extreme and endurance sports, especially due to her experience in Team GBR Squads and captaining and coaching her University first team.
In her spare time, Evangeline loves running – especially marathons. On the weekends, you’ll find her taking on water sports or hiking up a hill. Her favourite evenings are spent taking on a HIIT session or squats in the gym before digging into some spicy food and a ton of vegetables – yum!
Find out more about Evie's experience here.
