• Skip to content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Shop ModernMom
  • Become An Insider

ModernMom

The premiere destination for moms

  • Parenting
    • Pregnancy
    • Baby
    • Kids
    • Tweens and Teens
    • ModernMom Monday Videos
  • Cooking
  • Living Healthy
    • Breast Cancer
    • Health & Fitness
    • Body after Baby
    • Beauty
    • Relationships
    • Love
  • Lifestyle
    • Crafts
    • At Home
    • Education
    • Travel
    • Pets
    • Decorate
    • Money
    • Brooke Burke
  • Celebrate
    • Holidays
      • Easter
      • Valentine’s Day
      • New Year’s
      • Christmas
      • Hanukah
      • Halloween
      • Thanksgiving
    • Birthdays
    • Parties
  • Must Have
  • Contests
  • Entertainment

With Gyms Closed, Here’s How To Create (An Affordable) Home Gym

May 21, 2020 by Ashley Marriott

Covid-19 hit the fitness industry hard. Gyms have been closed since mid-March and in many states they will be in the last phase of reopening. As a personal trainer and group fitness instructor, I have been inundated with texts from clients, family and friends asking how they can work out effectively at home. I want to help and despite the reality that I miss my classes, my clients, my coworkers and high fives and hugs there are real alternatives! I, like many of you, miss the variety of equipment and classes gyms offer but want to assure you that with a few simple and affordable pieces of equipment you can keep your training on track.

I guarantee everyone has at least one piece of resistance equipment already – YOU! Your own body weight provides excellent resistance. Think of a push-up; many top trainers regard this as a near-perfect exercise. Take a look around you– what other things are already in your house, like stairs, a chair, or water jugs? Be creative. I often train clients at their homes, and some of them do have beautifully equipped home gyms, but I also train people with nothing but the little bag of tricks I bring with me – below are my top 5 inexpensive training equipment.

Top 5 At Home Resistance Training Tools

Resistance Bands (with door anchor)

Resistance bands are excellent for upper body exercises like chest fly’s, rows, triceps extensions and biceps curls.

Stability Ball

Stability balls are excellent for core work, hamstring extensions and you can use it like a bench for exercises like dumbbell chest press. If you’re between 5’ and 5’5” you’ll want to get a 55-cm ball, it you’re over 5’6” get a 65-cm ball.

Dumbbells

Dumbbells can be expensive, but you may only need one or two pairs depending on what type of training you are doing. I recommend getting one light pair (3 lbs.- 5 lbs. and a heavier pair 8 lbs.- 12 lbs.). If you have already have a heavier lifting program you may need add heavier weights or a bar with weight plates.

Fabric Loop Bands

Unlike rubber loop bands that can get twisted, fabric loop bands are great for squats, glute kickbacks and lateral step outs.

Gliders (or paper plates)

Using gliders or paper plates will increase the intensity of exercises like lunges, hip bridges and knee tucks. Using a glider is also a good way to mimic exercises you do on the Pilates reformer like.

*The items listed above come with exercise instruction charts and with a quick search on Instagram you will find a variety of workouts for each piece of equipment.

Cardio Training

Cardio exercises like walking, biking, swimming and hiking are obviously ideal options if your climate allows. If you need to do cardio training at home you can find many cardio workout options online, everything from kickboxing to cardio hip hop dance. One of my favorite free online workout sites is Pop Sugar.

It is important in these times (and always for our mental health) to focus on the good and what we have to be grateful for. To stay positive focus on these benefits of working out at home:

  • No $$$ membership fees.
  • Nobody cares what you look like (you can work out in your pajamas).
  • No wasted time driving to and from the gym.
  • No waiting in line to use sweaty equipment.
  • No excuses that the gym is closed – if you’re up at 3 a.m., you can do it then.

Comments

comments

Filed Under: At Home, Living Healthy Tagged With: fitness, home gym

Reader Interactions

Primary Sidebar

Search

Tell a friend

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

ModernMom TV

Featured

10 Things I Want My Daughter To Know

The other day one of my teenage daughters told me she was … [Read More...] about 10 Things I Want My Daughter To Know

Must Have

STEM-related Toys to Include in Your Child’s Easter Basket This Year 

April has arrived which means it’s time to pull out the food … [Read More...] about STEM-related Toys to Include in Your Child’s Easter Basket This Year 

Did you know?

Functions of Flour in Baking

What Are the Functions of Flour in Baking?

Married Man Hides His Feelings For You

How To Know If A Married Man Hides His Feelings For You

stop a new piercing from itching

How to Stop a New Piercing From Itching

safe to color Your hair while breastfeeding

Is it Safe to Color Your Hair While Breastfeeding?

How Many Calories Does 10,000 Steps Burn

How Many Calories Does 10,000 Steps Burn?

strep throat symptoms in babies

Strep Throat Symptoms in Babies

How to Ask a Guy You Are Seeing Where You Stand

How to Ask a Guy You Are Seeing Where You Stand

Baby Brain Development in the Womb

substitution for oil in baking brownies

Substitution for Oil in Baking Brownies

Different Kinds of Textures for Children

Different Kinds of Textures for Children

Footer

  • About Us
  • Contact ModernMom
  • Advertise With Us
  • Press
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Contributors

Copyright © 2023 Modern Mom. All Rights Reserved.

Reproduction of any portion of this website only at the express permission of Mom, Inc.

The information provided on ModernMom is for educational use only. It should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.