Are you struggling to get your hands on the gym equipment you need to keep up your fitness at home? Do ‘sold out’ signs flash at every turn you take?
You aren’t alone.
Since the start of this pandemic, home fitness equipment has been flying off the shelves. Perhaps you’ve been waiting for that ‘Out of Stock’ notification to disappear on your favorite fitness equipment website. And you’re still waiting. You’re racking your brains wondering how to buy gym equipment for home use when it’s basically a fight to the finish line.
We’ve got good news. It doesn’t have to be a hassle or a chore. In fact, we make it easy for you to get your hands on the right gym equipment for you. That way, your health and fitness won’t take a backseat – even while you’re stuck at home. We’ve got the tips and tricks to help you get the equipment you want or need, including deciding what you need exactly. Follow this guide and you’ll be all set and ready to get back to a regular fitness routine.
What Gym Equipment Should I Buy For Working Out At Home? The Essentials!
So, what do you even need? This really depends. Everyone is unique in their fitness goals, their budget, and the amount of space they have in their home. Thus, the equipment you require might look different from someone else. But don’t worry – we go through our top list of essential equipment options below. And we’ll take you through this entire gym equipment buying process step-by-step. So, let’s dive straight into it.
STEP 1: Plan & Determine What You Need.
A home gym requires some planning. It’s not something you necessarily want to improvise. For example, the last thing you want is an overpriced treadmill that you never use taking up half of your living space. So, before you dive into researching equipment, let’s start with your budget, your space, and your goals.
Your Budget
First up, you’ll want to plan out your budget. Home gym costs can quickly add up, especially if you aren’t careful. In fact, some of the most elaborate home gym set-ups can cost over $10 000 (we aren’t kidding). Yet, you don’t have to break the bank to improve your fitness at home. In fact, you can get everything you need for only a few hundred dollars or less.
But again, this comes back to your budget. Look at your personal spending and your fixed expenses. How much money do you really have to invest here? Do a thorough look over your accounting and set a budget.
Your Space
Take a look around. How much space do you have? If you intend to put your gym equipment in your spare room, you probably have a little more room to play with. If your plan is to workout in your living space, you likely want equipment that can easily be stored away when not in use.
At this time, it may be a good idea to take some measurements. This can give you an idea of what will fit and what won’t. These measurements will also help you when you get to the next step of researching different types of gym equipment.
Your Goals
What do you want to accomplish by exercising? Do you want to get stronger? Do you want to improve your cardio and endurance? Do you want to lose weight? These are all important aspects to consider. Determine your exact goal by working out. This can help you narrow down what type of equipment you need.
For example, if you want to get stronger but you’re tight on space, resistance bands are perfect.
STEP 2: Research.
Now, it’s time to do some digging.
Yet, before we really get into researching different sites for the equipment you need, you may want to make a list of what you need or want. Depending on your goals, space, and budget, some ideas for essential pieces may include:
- A yoga mat
- Yoga blocks
- Resistance bands
- A dumbbell rack
- A squat rack + bar
- A cardio machine, such as a treadmill, stair machine, bike, or elliptical
- A jump rope
- An exercise ball
- Kettlebells
- A bench
It’s also important to note that you can get some of these bigger pieces on a tight budget. This may just require a bit more research and waiting on your part.
So, where can you find these pieces of equipment? What stores or websites should you look at?
You can start by checking out local fitness stores or box stores, such as Walmart. As of late, many of these places have sold out of home gym equipment. Yet, you might still get lucky. However, you may spend a bit more by purchasing your equipment straight from the big retailers.
Even a quick Google of ‘second-hand gym equipment’ might provide you with more options in your area.
And here’s another key tip: Make sure on all these sites to switch your notifications on for the pieces of equipment you want. If you can’t find these items today, someone might be selling them tomorrow. These notifications will alert you so you can jump on these deals and be the first in line. If you decide to go this route, you will need to practice a bit of patience. But for the price, it may prove to be completely worthwhile.
STEP 3: It’s Shopping Time!
Once you find an item priced within your budget, you can start purchasing. If you’re unsure if you need all the items on your list, you may benefit from purchasing the top few pieces of equipment, trying them out for a set duration, and then adding more as needed.
This can be especially helpful if you want to go with the full month. It can disperse the cost of your equipment across many weeks or months, as opposed to having to pay for it all in one go.
Do Fitness Your Way!
One of the biggest benefits of having gym equipment in your home is the convenience. You don’t have to pay for any big gym membership nor do you need to commute to get your workout done. Plus, you get all the equipment to yourself – no waiting on others!
Now that you know how to buy gym equipment for home us in the best way possible, you can achieve your fitness goals – without even leaving the house. And in the long-term, you’ll save money and time. It’s all wins.
Plus, here’s one last tip: If your packages are weeks away from arriving, you don’t have to wait to start your fitness journey. You can start right now. All you need is your body and the motivation to move. In fact, bodyweight exercises are excellent ways to improve your cardio, endurance, strength, flexibility, and mobility.
You can even find endless bodyweight workout videos on YouTube. So, break-through your excuses. Now has never been a better time to get started and get moving! Then, when your equipment does arrive, you’ll be that much more motivated to keep at it.