My Home "Gym"

A lot of people find it hard to believe that it is possible to lose a substantial amount of weight without ever stepping foot in a gym. It is possible! Of course I have thought about going to a gym, but my biggest obstacles to make that happen are time, money, and my child. So, instead of making excuses I made a way for myself and my circumstances. For those that are able to attend a gym that is great! But there are a lot of us out here who simply cannot make that happen. I just wanted to share some of the things that I have in my home gym that are helping me to get the body that I want.

It's important to note that I did not purchase all of this equipment at one time.

1. HAND WEIGHTS

Hand weights are great to have in your home gym because they can be used in many different ways. I have different sized hand weights that I use for difference exercises. When I began my fitness journey I actually started out using THREE pound weights!!! Yes you read that right. 3 pounds. I have since moved up to larger weights (still not much) and intend to keep moving up in order to achieve my fitness goals. I currently own sets of 3's, 5's, 8's, 10's, and 25's. I will more than likely purchase 12's and 15's (or somewhere in that neighborhood) in the near future. 

I use the lighter hand weights for arm exercises (i.e., biceps, triceps, shoulders), chest exercises, ab exercises, and back exercises. I use the larger weights (25's) for lower body exercises (i.e., calf raises, squats, single leg deadlifts).

2. KETTLEBELL

I currently own one 10 pound kettlebell and intend to purchase heavier ones in the future. I honestly currently do not use my kettlebell very much, mainly because I have outgrown it! Kettlebells are really great for using for the lower body. In the past I have used my kettlebell for kettlebell swings and kettlebell snatches. There are also many other great things that kettlebells can be used for. Although I currently don't use a kettlebell I do recommend them for anyone who has a home gym.

3. RESISTANCE BAND(S)

I have to say. My resistance band is one of my favorite items in my home gym! Like the hand weights, resistance bands are very versatile and can be used in many different ways (see the picture). A good set of resistance bands can replace certain gym equipment that you may not be able to have in your home.

4. ANKLE WEIGHTS

I also love my ankle weights. I use them mainly when doing lower body exercises, specifically those that target the glutes. However, ankle weights can also be worn while walking or running to add some extra resistance to your workout. I currently am using 5 pound ankle weights and intend to move up to ten's in the near future.

5. EZ CURL BARBELL & BARBELL PLATES

Barbells are another great versatile piece of equipment. Barbells can be used for lower body exercises (i.e., squats, deadlifts), as well as upper body exercises (i.e., barbell curls, chest press). I would recommend buying multiple sized plates to use for different muscle groups.

Barbell plates by themselves can also be used for other muscle groups, including shoulders.

6. THIS THING (Not sure what the name is!)

Not sure what the name if this thing is, but it is used for doing pull-ups (and assisted pull-ups for those of us who cannot do pull ups!). It's also great to use with your resistance bands as well.

7. Treadmill

Now, of course a treadmill is not necessarily something that is vital to your home gym. Prior to getting my treadmill I ran (and walked) many a mile at the local parks in my area, as well as in my own neighborhood. I personally like to have my treadmill on days when I don't have the time or the means to get in a good outside run.

8. Wall Mirror

A wall mirror is great to have in order to check your form and to ensure that you are doing exercises appropriately. Ideally I would love to have something like this in my gym:

Maybe one day!!

9. OTHER MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS

• Chair
• Television
• Radio
• Towel(s)

10. EQUIPMENT WISH LIST

These are some of the items that I wish I had in my gym and hope to add one day.

• Weight Bench 
  
  
  
• Bosu Ball 
  
• Medicine Ball(s) 
  

Hopefully this post will be helpful to those that are trying to figure out what type of equipment they should have in their home gym. Thank you for taking the time to read this post! Any questions, please ask!