Setting up a home gym can come with its challenges. One of the biggest problems is lack of space – most of us only have a small spare room to work with or may even have to use a living room or bedroom to exercise from. This restricts you from purchasing certain equipment. Fortunately, there are still many types of gym equipment that you can buy for a small space.
Below are a few space-efficient examples.
Resistance bands
Resistance bands are excellent for any space – no matter how small. From band squats to chest presses, there are all kinds of exercises you can do using resistance bands, effectively allowing you to target muscles all around the body.
They come in various different levels of resistance, which are typically color-coded. By working your way up through different bands, you can increase the intensity of workouts.
Adjustable dumbbells
Adjustable dumbbells are another great option for small spaces. These consist of a bar in which you can add different weighted plates. Such dumbbells take up much less space than conventional dumbbells.
Dumbbells can be used for various exercises including bicep curls, shoulder presses and goblet squats. You can check out a few different dumbbell exercises here.
Compact treadmills
Some treadmills can be very bulky and may not be suitable for smaller home gym spaces. Fortunately, there are more compact options like this DeerRun treadmill. These are designed for small homes and are often also easy to move around (some even fold up).
Treadmills can vary in functionality, with some offering limited settings, while others allow you to choose from a variety of speeds and even elevations – sometimes with the option of built-in varied workouts.
Foldable benches
Exercise benches are versatile pieces of kit that can be used for all kinds of workouts. Foldable options are designed to save space – when not in use, you can collapse them and put them away in a closet or corner.
Look for solutions that offer different inclines and declines, and that support different weights. The best exercise benches typically come with high-density foam padding and an ergonomic design to prevent discomfort.
Pull-up bar
Pull-up bars are excellent pieces of equipment for practising pull-ups. Some are designed to be installed in doorways, taking up very little space, making them excellent solutions for tiny home gyms.
When choosing a pull-up bar, measure your doorway and look into the size of different options. Many can be adjusted to a wide array of doorway sizes. Choose removable no-screw options if you live in a rental property or don’t want to damage the doorframe. It’s also important to consider the bar’s weight capacity and to look at grip options.
These are just a few different space-efficient equipment ideas for a small home gym. Other options could include skipping ropes, kettlebells, barbells and yoga mats. It’s important to realise that you don’t need large fancy equipment to get a workout – while smaller equipment may sometimes require more creativity when exercising certain muscles, there are almost always ways to get a full body workout without the need for complex gear.
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