Home Gyms – With winter coming, recreational fitness enthusiasts, gym rats, athletes, and many in-between may be looking for options for a warmer, more comfortable workout destination. Home gyms are a great way to stay active and motivated, even in the cold and gloomy winter weather. Here are a few of our must-haves for home gyms!
With winter coming, recreational fitness enthusiasts, gym rats, athletes, and many in-between may be looking for options for a warmer, more comfortable workout destination.
Their home gym. When temperatures drop, a home gym can be a warm place of refuge for those looking to stay in shape without braving the bitter wind and snow.
“There are a lot of logistics involved in getting out of bed and driving to the gym, especially when it’s cold out and the roads are icy,” says Jaydee Vykoukal, Doctor of Physical Therapy and owner of the website HealthMeansWealth.com. She adds, “Since many people cite lack of time as their biggest reason for not getting in regular exercise, taking out a commute and exercising in your living room can make all the difference”.
But, to get a complete workout from home, you should consider adding a few pieces of essential fitness equipment to your home gym setup. With these additions, you can ensure that when springtime rolls around in a few months and the temperatures warm up, you will emerge from your hibernation stronger and fitter than when it started.
5 Must-Haves for your Winter Home Gym Setup
A Pair of Medium Weight Dumbbells
Dumbbells are the swiss army knives of the fitness world. You can work out every body part simply by adding a few dumbbells. If cost is an issue, consider adding just a single pair of medium-weight dumbbells to your arsenal. The medium weight will still be challenging for some exercises and contribute to a tremendous high rep workout routine.
If you have a little more in your budget, consider a set of adjustable dumbbells to give yourself multiple weight options and max out your workouts. Whichever way you go, dumbbells are home gym #101 and necessary for all at-home athletes.
Adjustable Weight Bench With Leg Extension
Many excellent upper body workouts involve an adjustable weight bench, so it makes sense why this is an essential part of the home workout. Most chest, back, and shoulder workouts involve a workout bench at some incline.
But, since effective leg workouts are sometimes more challenging with a home gym, the leg extension add-on kills two birds with one stone and doubles the exercise options with just one piece of equipment.
When choosing which workout bench with a leg extension is suitable for you, prioritize an adjustable bench with both incline and decline options to ensure you get the most out of your bench.
Any Basic Set Of Resistance Bands
Resistance bands might be the lowest cost option on this list, but make no mistakes; they return a high-value workout opportunity to keep you strong and fit during winter.
Most resistance band sets on the market are under 50 bucks and include everything you need for a great home gym accessory. And since these sets include resistance bands of various resistance levels, you will have plenty of options on which exercises you want to do and how much weight.
A Squat Rack With Pull Up Bar
A compound movement castle, a squat rack (or power rack) is a full-body workout opportunity every home gym should have. Having the ability to do squats at your home gym will ensure that while you may not have all the equipment of a professional gym, you have what’s needed to get the job done.
And when considering a squat rack, consider a rack that includes the pull-up bar. Not only will this open up more opportunities for additional exercises, but a pull-up bar is a great place to utilize the above-mentioned resistance bands for some great pull-down lat and tricep work.
A Barbell With Weights
What would a squat rack be without a bar and weights? Adding in a barbell and weights isn’t just about squatting, though.
For example, deadlifts, overhead presses, landmines, and various rows use a barbell. And, of course, don’t forget about the classic bench press, which we can now do with the bench and squat rack mentioned above.
You can often find used barbells and weights at a cheaper discount, which can help the pocketbook when adding several pieces of equipment to the gym.
To learn more, visit Train Fitness.