Working out at home has always presented its appealing aspects, allowing people to skip the travel time to a gym, save on membership fees, play their motivational music loudly without headphones, and exercise in an environment where pressure or discomfort is non-existent.
Now, with COVID-19 restrictions capping the volume of visitors to a gym at any given time, limiting people to reservation slots and time limits, in addition to the general apprehension towards entering a building because of the virus itself, folks are more open and eager to set up their own home-based gym.
Sean Toy, the president of Levo Labs Inc., an establishment with 150 founding members offering personal training and on track to introduce its maiden fitness facility within the next six months, reviews some of the items to target for your home gym.
Dumbbells and Kettlebells
Your initial purchases should be dumbbells and kettlebells, two essential pieces of workout equipment that are versatile and consume little space, Sean Toy states. A kettlebell, for instance, can exercise your muscles and boost your heart rate simultaneously through the traditional swings or as add-ons to other movements such as a squat or walking lunge. Getting a set of dumbbells is key to unlocking various at-home workouts, including bicep curls, shoulder presses, and tricep extensions. Regardless if you opt for a medium set or a heavier assortment of weights, the number of exercises that can implement the use of dumbbells will make you quickly realize that your investment was worthwhile.
Resistance Bands and TRX Straps
Inexpensive and lightweight, resistance bands can be added to a multitude of exercises to provide extra tension or challenges, Sean Toy notes. Lower-body exercises in particular are cranked up a notch with the use of a resistance band, whether it is glute bridges, side squats, or clamshells. A tighter band is tougher to work with, so keep that in mind when you are weighing the pros and cons of different options. TRX fitness classes are one of the gym’s more in-demand offerings nowadays, but the training system was actually designed for home workouts. For those who are truly committed to making a home gym, TRX straps are crucial because they can push your entire body with exercises. Regardless if you are interested in performing a suspended plank or row, all it takes is a door, beam, tree, or post to act as the anchor for the straps.
Jump Rope and Exercise Mat
Cardio exercises are key to all healthy routines and a jump rope will get your heart racing in a hurry, while also activating your arms, shoulders, legs, and core. Low ceilings are problematic; however, you can always pick an ideal outdoor location and get to it. An exercise mat is all about comfort, providing you with a terrific alternative to the potentially unvacuumed, unforgiving floor when you engage in ab workouts or pushups. A thicker mat is recommended for hard floors, assuring you of extra cushioning. It is a helpful purchase that will mark your workout territory in the house and it can be moved around when the previous space is occupied, be it indoors or somewhere outside.
Household Items
If you are on a budget or finding that the majority of online retailers are constantly sold out in their fitness section, not to worry, because you can get creative by utilizing household items to break a sweat, Sean Toy confirms. A couple of towels will do fine as sliders on a wood or tiled floor, beneath your hands or feet, making those mountain climbers, pikes, and knee tucks a tougher task. A gallon of water is about eight pounds and the handles on these larger bottles are perfect for dumbbell exercises since you can grip, curl, and swing them freely. Your old backpack can be filled with books (finally, those dusty, thick volumes on the shelf have a purpose) and strapped onto your back for body weight exercises like squats, lunges, pushups, and, assuming you have a set of stairs in the house, calf raises. Also, you can grab hold of the straps to perform curls, shoulder presses or kettlebell swings. Sturdy chairs are a great tool for executing tricep dips, one of the more grueling arm exercises, and a rope can act as a makeshift strap for suspension training in the yard.
Leave it to Levo
Levo Labs Inc. specializes in assisting with the setting up of home gyms and is partnered with PerformBetter to ensure that clients receive the necessary, suitable equipment that will propel them to attain their fitness goals, says Sean Toy. Visit levolabs.co for more information on how you can turn your home space into a tidy, productive sweat sanctuary.
