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When trying to decide what kind of workout works for you, there’s no doubt that you’re crunching the numbers (money and time-wise) to figure out how the heck you’re going to do something that gets your heart rate up, makes you feel stronger, and keeps you entertained without dropping thousands of bucks on a gym membership or fancy robot exercise bike. But, as any budget gym rat knows, you don’t need a massive home gym to get all that and more. In fact, you can create a really solid workout space at home without busting your budget.
For your best at-home workout, you want to prioritize the things you’re going to use every day (or every other day — we don’t judge), the things that take up minimal amounts of space (harder to trip over or turn into an accidental coat rack) and the tools that will prove to be the most versatile on your fitness journey.
If you’re looking to invest (but not, like, too much) in your new years’ fitness goals, here’s just a few selections for creating a budget home gym — because assembling your workout space shouldn’t be the thing making you sweat.
A version of this story was published February 2020.
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Short Loop Resistance Bands
Image Credit: TechStone Offering up the simplest way to get some external resistance in your workout, resistance bands are a cheap and versatile tool that take up next to no space. No matter your fitness level, there’s a band that’ll fit with your needs.
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Jump Rope
Image Credit: DEGOL These aren’t your kiddo’s playground jump ropes — but they’re just as fun. Great for cardio and getting yourself hyped for any kind of workout you have planned, a bit of jumping can get your whole body moving with very little overhead.
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Bala Bangles
Image Credit: Amazon. Ankle and wrist weights are another way to add resistance to your workout. This set is conveniently wearable (and not gross or ugly!) with a Velcro closure and a silicone outer skin.
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Medicine Ball
Image Credit: Amazon Basics Get your classic medicine ball workout on with this simple ball from AmazonBasics. Great for core training and targeting specific muscles, you can use a medicine ball to give some love to your whole body.
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The Step High Step Aerobic Platform
Image Credit: The Step Though it might seem like a TBT to your mom’s aerobic class days, a step platform is a sturdy, reliable fitness tool that can amp up your cardio work and give your lower body a good workout.
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Kettlebells
Image Credit: Bintiva Kettlebells are a favorite weight of choice for full body workouts and sculpting. Coming in a variety of sizes for different skill levels, these are a great investment for any at-home workout space.
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Yoga Mat
Image Credit: Gaiam If you buy one thing off this list, let it be a yoga mat! Even if yoga itself isn’t your thing, a mat is the most versatile piece of workout equipment you can find, providing a comfortable space for stretching and cooldowns as well as bodyweight workouts. Plus, you can roll it up super easily for storage and travel.
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Yoga Blocks
Image Credit: Gaiam Whether you’re a yoga newbie or have been practicing for years, yoga blocks are a must. They’ll help you dip deeper into a pose, offer support, and allow you to modify a pose to suit your own flexibility). Grab two to ensure both sides of your body are supported.
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Dumbells
Image Credit: Amazon Do you even lift? A good set of dumbells make a versatile accessory to pair with countless workouts. And not just weightlifting, either — you can use light weights to add a little extra spice to Pilates, barre, yoga, and more.
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Foam Roller
Image Credit: Amazon Basics How you recover from a workout is just as essential as the workout itself, especially if you’re looking to avoid injury and extreme soreness the next day. While high-tech tools like massagers feel great, nothing beats the intensity and price of the classic foam roller, which is designed to break up lactic acid and relax tense, sore muscles.
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Microfiber Sweat Towel
Image Credit: S&T INC. When you work out at home, clean-up is essential, mostly because you don’t want to be walking around in your own sweat puddles afterward. Grab this six-pack of microfiber towels to wipe the sweat off your face and off your equipment (or your floorboards) and keep everything clean in your space.
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Sliders
Image Credit: FitOn No, we’re not talking about mini hamburgers (that’s your post-workout snack). Fitness sliders are a cheap, versatile tool you can use in anything from core workouts to arm and leg exercises, challenging your control and balance while being super easy to store — they’re totally flat and no larger than a dinner plate.
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Long Loop Bands
Image Credit: Sportneer Not to be confused with previously-mentioned short loop bands, you can use these stretchy tools for a wide variety of moves. They’re especially useful in working your upper body: Loop one around a pole or in a door jamb and you can row, curl, and press to your heart’s content.
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Pin it!
Image Credit: Amazon. Pin it now, and check out these gym accessories that won’t break the bank.
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