Regular exercise is a key factor for improving health, building strength and endurance, and slowing the effects of aging. Unfortunately, there are many barriers to keeping up a regular workout habit: lack of time, low motivation, lack of knowledge about what to do, and even cost.
Having a home gym - or even just a few key pieces of equipment - can knock down a couple of those barriers, though. By not having to go somewhere else to train, you’ll save time, and seeing your gear right there in your place can be really motivating. What’s more, you don't have to spend a ton of money to get started. For much less than the cost of a year of gym dues, you can get what you need to start working out at home right now.
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What to Consider Before You Buy
Building a great home gym on a budget starts with planning. First, consider your fitness goals, both now and in the longer term. What do you hope to achieve with a regular exercise regimen?
Next, take your workout preferences into account. If you hate a particular type of exercise, you’re not likely to do it, even if you have what you need right there in front of you. So no matter how inexpensive a piece of gear is, if you won’t use it regularly, don’t spend the money on it.
Finally, be realistic about your space constraints. Can you dedicate a room, part of a room, or only the space of a yoga mat to your home gym? Can your equipment be left out, or will it need to be tucked away after each workout? Once you’ve answered all of the above questions, you’re ready to start looking for quality, low-cost equipment.
Get Started for Free
Even if you think you don’t own a single piece of workout gear, you probably have a few things at your disposal that can give you a decent workout. Do you live in a house or apartment with a staircase? If so, you’ve got a built-in cardio workout and the means to do a solid handful of strength exercises (step-ups, calf raises, incline or decline pushups, triceps dips, abdominal tucks).
In place of an exercise mat, you can use an area rug and a couple of towels for cushioned floor exercises. And speaking of floor exercises, don’t forget about all of the exercises you can do gear-free: pushups, lunges, jumping jacks, burpees, and a host of core exercises.
When you’re ready for "proper" workout gear, asking friends and family members if they’ve got anything taking up space they’d like to get rid of is a good way to get free or low-cost equipment. Just make sure it still checks the boxes from those initial questions about your goals, preferences, and space constraints.
"Buy Nothing" and marketplace pages on social media are another great place to get free or low-cost equipment. Just be sure to give the gear a good look-over, and preferably, a quick test before you bring it home.
Opt for Equipment With More Bang for Your Buck
Sometimes you just want to buy new gear to create the exact home gym you want. To find out which equipment might be best for this, we spoke with a couple of experienced, certified personal trainers.
Mark Swartz, founder and owner of Senior America Strong in Mesa, Arizona, says he starts his clients off with a solid flat or adjustable bench and a variety of dumbbells. "Now you’ve got all kinds of options, as long as you’ve got the know-how, to do a variety of exercises," Swartz explained.
"About the only thing you can’t do with a bench and dumbbells," he said, "is some sort of lat pull-down movement." For that, Swartz recommends a high-quality set of resistance tubing with a door anchor. "You can double up the tubes for greater resistance," he added, so that even powerful individuals can still get a good workout.
Morgan Thornsley, a certified personal trainer who offers wellness retreats, boot camps, and individual fitness training in Puntarenas, Costa Rica, says her must-have gear includes mini loop bands (she swears by the Perform Better brand, which has lasted much longer than other brands she’s tried) and a tennis or lacrosse ball.
Like Swartz, Thornsley says resistance bands and tubes can give anyone a good workout if they know how to use them effectively. "I use the ball for recovery, flexibility, and fascial release, which I think is just as important as the workout component," Thornsley said. The total cost of the bands and a ball falls well under $50.
"The next level up," she said, "would be a suspension trainer. This opens a whole new world of exercises you can do." TRX is the brand most people know, but Thornsley says there are also more affordable, high-quality off-brands.
Both Swartz and Thornsley sang the praises of adjustable weight dumbbells, which are compact - "about the size of a shoebox," Swartz noted - and much less expensive than an equivalent range of individual dumbbells would be.
If you’re looking for one higher-ticket item that covers most of your fitness bases, it’s hard to beat a quality rowing machine. Although this seated exercise isn’t load-bearing in the traditional sense, it can provide an intense training stimulus to your upper body, lower body, and core, all while giving you a great aerobic workout.
Whatever gear you choose to outfit your home gym, thoughtful, intentional planning, bargain hunting, and selecting high-quality items that offer good value for the price will ensure you have many great home workouts for years to come.