Home equipment must haves, please!?

You can start by using body weight exercises. I love pilates videos. A good mat is key; resistance bands are great.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jHuxLKvqlo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZ-RKEM43hw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hwxtrr2_UF8

My recommendation is to look into different strength training programs, find one you like, and then get the equipment for it.

I really like the Strong Curves bodyweight program for beginners. That takes very little equipment to start. It is a book that has 4 different programs. When you finish the bodyweight program, you might want to move on to the beginner weightlifting program.

Another book for beginners is Strong by Lou Schuyler, or his older book New Rules of Lifting for Women.

i keep it fairly simple - I bought a power block set of dumbbells (one set that is adjustable to different weights) - it also has a bar you can buy to turn them into a barbell (although i don't have this). Agree on @cahubbard6421 recommendation for a foam roller

I use the fitness blender youtube videos frequently

Start with a resistance band. A stability ball has many uses. Consider getting a TRX suspension trainer if you can get some instruction on it at a gym. It's very versatile and adaptable to all levels of fitness.

Tedebearduff wrote: »

Cheaper to join the gym.

Not necessarily.

Depends on how much your gym costs and how much you want/need to spend on ewuipment and how long you will continue to use the equipment.

A typical gym membership costs sbout $25-40/mo or about & 300-480/yr. You can set up a well equipped basic home gym for around $1-1.5k and the "break even point would be around 2-5 years, depending on your actual costs.

Not that long to enjoy working out in the privacy of your home, which is why I spent the $ to set mine up over 5 years ago.

It depends on what YOU like to do for workouts. If you like weights, get a dumbbell set or kettlebells. If you like resistance, get bands. If you like cardio, get a cardio machine you like; running = treadmill, running but bad knees = eliptical, spin bike, actual bike hooked up to trainer. If you like body weight stuff and exercise videos, make sure you have free space for all of the movements.

The KEY to a good home gym is to have the equipment and tools that will motivate you to workout. Good luck!

@jemhh i was going to suggest a plan, too. I just ordered the Strong Curves book and plan on beginning once I'm back home from the holiday vacation. I was one of those just go to the gym and pick out something to do today folks. Did you try and like Strong Curves?

CeeBeeSlim wrote: »

@jemhh i was going to suggest a plan, too. I just ordered the Strong Curves book and plan on beginning once I'm back home from the holiday vacation. I was one of those just go to the gym and pick out something to do today folks. Did you try and like Strong Curves?

Yes. The book actually has four programs (1 full body bodyweight, 1 beginner lifting full body, 1 advanced lifting full body, 1 lifting lower body only.) It also has a great exercise glossary/reference section (makes up nearly half the book.) It's very good.

anlymc13 wrote: »

Thanks all for your responses! I am going to be taking baby steps, one piece at a time. Probably going to start with the resistance bands and maybe some free weights. Any advice on the kettle bell? Good idea for a starter or no?

Kettlebells are awesome, but they are the most expensive cost per pound you can get. They are very hard to find used, although I did find a 25# at Goodwill once. (It was brand new & I suspect a discarded close out item from a local sporting goods store, based on the tag.) You can do everything with a dumbbell that you can do with a KB. KB does have some microadvantages over a DB, but not essential for someone starting out.

CipherZero wrote: »

If you've got the space, go with a platform, squat stand, a decent bar or two, and a set of plates from, 2.5 through 45's. You'll need at least two pairs of 45's VERY quickly, and maybe a third or fourth pair soon as well.

You have a nice setup but I disagree with needing two pairs of 45s very quickly. That assumes a lot about the kind of training she is going to do.

I've built my home gym around a standard bar and plates. My bar tops out at 225 and in 2.5 years of training I've only ever hit 200 lbs one time for one rep, just out of personal preference as far as the kind of training I do.

@jemhh Thanks! Wish me luck! Looking forward to it!

anlymc13 wrote: »

I am trying to lose 100+ pounds and would like to start working out at home. My goal is to tone as I lose the weight. I want to decrease my chances of having a ton of loose hanging skin. From what I've read, on other forums, strength training is the way to go. What are your recommendations for pieces of equipment I can use at home? Thank you!

Strength training is good during weight loss as it lessens the amount of muscle you lose along with fat. But it can't really help with lose skin. Not losing to quickly, eating right and staying well hydrated inside and out (use a good moisturizer!) are your best bets to minimize loose skin.

As for a recommendation for home strength training it's hard to say without knowing your preferences and available space. You don't actually need any equipment (look into body weight exercises). That said, I purchased a Total Gym a few months ago and love it.

sgt1372 wrote: »

Tedebearduff wrote: »

Cheaper to join the gym.

Not necessarily.

Depends on how much your gym costs and how much you want/need to spend on equipment and how long you will continue to use the equipment.

A typical gym membership costs sbout $25-40/mo or about & 300-480/yr. You can set up a well equipped basic home gym for around $1-1.5k and the "break even point would be around 2-5 years, depending on your actual costs.

Not that long to enjoy working out in the privacy of your home, which is why I spent the $ to set mine up over 5 years ago.

Seems silly to me, the gym has more equipment than you'll ever be able to fit into your house. End of story sir. Do you have a power rack with band extensions? I doubt it and this is the best piece of equipment you can have.

Also you can join the gym for $10 a month and upwards of $130 per month just so you understand the costs a bit better. So if you paid $10 a month your break even point would be 12.5 years ...

You should also be into this for life... so I wouldn't factor in time I'd be using the equipment because you should always be using it, even more so the older you get.

Also shouldn't detour people from joining the gym, nothing wrong with the gym. Lots of people use it to socialize, I see the old guys every morning... They lift some stuff and then talk for 20 mins ... nicest guys!

lacrosse ball. little-teeny super-bounce balls from the party-favours section of toys 'r' us.

knee-sized theraband, and/or any pair of sweatpants with a strong waistband that you can push down to your knees. broomstick for dislocates and, once those are done, some way of doing pull-aparts for the rear shoulder muscles and upper back.

enough floor space to do hip circles and turkish getups. excel or some other spreadsheet thing where you can plan and record what you do.

these are peripheral to actual lifting equipment, but oh-so-essential to me.