We talk about the importance of exercise, especially home exercises, a lot around here at ProActive. In fact, we developed an entire course about the importance of exercise and how to plan home exercise programs. In this article Susannah Azofeifa, PT, DPT from our team shares her insights on the most useful pieces of home exercise equipment.
Here’s her list for the best pieces of home exercise equipment:
- Light dumbbells
- Resistance bands
- Swiss Ball
- Foam roller
- Your own body!
Below, she breaks down each item on the list and their benefits.
5 of the Most Useful & Cost-Effective Resources for At-Home Exercise!
Here’s a video summary of the list:
Below, find each resource or piece of equipment and why they’re so beneficial.
1. Light dumbbells
These can be used for various activities to strengthen both upper and lower body. Dumbbells can range from 1 pound to 100 pounds and can be used 1 at a time or as a pair. Amazon actually has good options for relatively affordable prices. Check some out here.
2. Resistance bands
Relatively inexpensive and can be used for both upper and lower body resistance training. Very effective for strengthening. These range from very light resistance to extra heavy resistance based on your current fitness level. You can find a good starter set of 5 bands here.
3. Swiss ball
Swiss balls can be used for stretching as well as strengthening activities. They can also be used for Yoga type activities in the home. They come in multiple sizes and are inexpensive. Can also double as a seat while sitting at the desk or watching tv! Make sure you grab an anti-burst exercise ball.
4. Foam roller
Foam rollers are great for rolling out sore muscles and can also help to improve mobility. They are very cost effective and come in multiple sizes. Make sure you grab a high-density round foam roller. You want the high-density foam because it won’t squish when you put body weight on it.
5. YOUR OWN BODY!
Your own body is the cheapest and easiest option for simple and effective home exercise – you always have it with you! There are countless activities that can be done to improve strength and flexibility as well as increase heart rate to improve your overall health. Here is a list of some common body weight exercises that can be incorporated easily at home: squats, push ups, burpees, lunges, sit ups, planks, etc. There are plenty of books, apps and resources out there. In fact, Rafi Salazar is a big fan of the book Train Smart: Run Forever because it has a great bodyweight exercise program at the end of the book.
Summary
Hopefully, this article gives you some ideas around the best types of home exercise equipment out there. We always encourage people to simply start regular exercises. You don’t need fancy equipment or a gym membership. What you do need is to start!
