If you’ve been thinking about joining a gym, there are plenty out there. Statista reports that there are over 36,500 health clubs in the U.S. open and ready to help people reach their goals. On the other hand, tt’s understandable if you don’t join one. Maybe you don’t live near one of those thousands of facilities; maybe you don’t want to sign a contract to get affordable rates; or maybe the hours of business don’t sync up with your schedule. Those excuses don’t mean that you can’t get fit. With a few pieces of equipment, you can have 24-hour access to the best home gym on the planet.

Kettlebells give you more options than simple dumbbells.

Kettlebells: Valuable Versatility
Kettlebells aren’t new in the world of workouts, but they’ve made a comeback in popularity. According to Fitness, the equipment’s versatility makes kettlebells trainer favorites, allowing them to add useful moves such as swings to strength training regimens. You’ll only need three kettlebells to start. In his book “The Ultimate Kettlebells Workbook,” Dave Randolph advises that you get one lighter-weight kettlebell for pressing overhead, on heavier-weight for lower body work and one that falls in between the two for dynamic exercises. You won’t have to buy additional kettlebells until you’re ready to move up in weight.

Cardio is Crucial for the Best Home Gyms

Get your cardio on a treadmill, elliptical, or rowing machine – or get a special stand that turns a regular bike into a stationary bike with the twist of a couple of screws. Image courtesy of Gedgetsworld.in.

You need cardio options along with resistance to create the best home gym, but you don’t have to invest thousands in club-quality equipment to get a decent aerobic workout. Exercise trainer stands are an affordable way to turn a street bike into a stationary one for effective indoor cardio workouts. Quality stands have dials that adjust tension on the rear wheel so, much like in Spin class, you can simulate going up and down hills. Human Kinetics recommends using an old bike if this is the cardio route you favor. That’s because the stand holds your bike stationary and prevents it from moving freely. This puts a great deal of pressure on the frame and may end up impairing how it handles if you try to ride it outdoors again.

The Benefits of Bands

Bands are a safe form of resistance plus they provide a refreshing change from traditional weights.

Resistance bands are some of the best pieces of equipment for home gyms, according to WebMD. Jim Stoppani, Ph.D., says that bands supply linear variable resistance (LVR), a condition in which resistance increases as you work through the motion of an exercise, and that’s great for building muscle. You may have seen guys at the gym attaching chains to free weights to generate LVR, but you won’t need chains if you equip your home gym with a TargitFit Trainer. It uses resistance bands to perform over 115 gym-quality exercises, earning it the title of the best home gym. Skeptical? In Roy M. Wallack’s LA Times article comparing portable exercise equipment, TargitFit was the only piece that garnered no “dislikes” and was described as having the “closest real-gym feel.”

So, what are you waiting for? Get started building the best home gym right in your own home today!