Some of the items listed are suitable for use by both experienced and new exercisers. I recommend connecting with a personal trainer or someone who knows how to navigate the gym to show you how to use a piece of equipment that you are unfamiliar with.
Suspension Trainer: On suspension trainer is a great tool to use as a beginner or if you are experienced you can use it to make other bodyweight exercises harder or easier. It has adjustable straps and will require hanging an anchor above the door frame or have a strong and tall horizontal bar (like a tow bar) to cut it to. The straps can be adjusted to suit the type of exercise you are doing. Luke Zocki, a Central Personal Trainer says the great thing about suspension trainers is that they engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously while improving core stability. He explains, “the suspension trainer is great for all skill levels you can use it to increase the weight of an exercise or it can be used to decrease the weight of an exercise.” So for beginners, this is a good tool to use if you need some extra support squatslunges and inverted rows. For advanced users, you can challenge your upper body with push-ups, triceps presses, biceps curls, inversions, and even add a dumbbell or dumbbell.
This is the suspension trainer I have at home that I usually hang behind the door to use.
Yoga Food: The yoga mat takes up minimal space and can be used for bodyweight or weight-bearing exercises, as well as for stretching, pilates and yoga. You can also transport it easily if you want to take it with you when you travel. Zocchi recommends looking at the thickness, material, texture and size of the yoga mat. “The thickness will determine how comfortable and supportive the mattress will be on your body, while the material and texture will help you have a non-slip surface on all surfaces, especially after a sweaty workout,” he explains. Additionally, he points out that standard mats are usually 68-72 inches long, so depending on how tall you are, you can choose a yoga mat that's most comfortable for your height.
A yoga mat can be used for various activities and does not take up much space.
Jump rope: The same goes for a jump rope that's compact enough to throw in your gym bag to take to the park or use indoors. It's an easy way to do cardio and build circuits with your own bodyweight or strength training exercises. Zoki recommends that you consider these factors when purchasing a jump rope: handles, length, and weight. “The handles should have a comfortable grip to prevent hand fatigue, while the length of the rope should match your height,” he explains. Also, keep in mind that the heavier the jump rope, the more resistance it will provide for a challenging workout.
The jump rope is portable and easy to use both indoors and outdoors.
Kettlebells: If you are new to kettlebells, this piece of equipment is a good alternative to dumbbells and can also be used for squats, deadlifts, overhead presses and core exercises. A kettlebell is designed like a cast iron cannonball with a handle in the middle so that when you hold it, the weight is evenly distributed in your hand, whereas with dumbbells the weight is at each end. Zocki says, “It's important to buy a kettlebell that has a good grip because a smooth and slippery handle can make it difficult to maintain a secure grip.” They're a good strength training tool, but if you want to take things up a notch, you can use them for cardio and learn from a certified kettlebell trainer how to do swings, cleans, grabs, and more to get into a full-body workout .
Kettlebells can be used for strength and cardio training.
Kettlebells: If you're into weights, it's a good idea to have more coins. Zocki says, “the weight sizes you should own depend on your fitness level, but in general we recommend having light, medium and heavy weights so you can challenge yourself at all levels.” You can even choose adjustable dumbbells if you want, as they tend to offer a different range of weights (typically 5-50 pounds) while also saving space. Having these options allows you to easily back and forth through exercises as needed.
The dumbbell rack keeps your weights tucked away neatly and easily accessible.
Resistance Bands: I took into account that maybe not everyone has the space to have dumbbells or barbells and an alternative could be resistance bands. Resistance bands come in different weights and lengths. Zocki says that when buying a resistance band, it's important to look for three things: resistance level, material, and length/width. “Lighter resistance bands are great for beginners or exercises that focus on mobility and rehabilitation, while heavier bands provide more resistance for strength training,” he explains. Resistance bands are usually made of rubber, latex or fabric. Zocki says, “Rubber resistance bands tend to break easily during workouts, so the best option for minimal wear and tear is a fabric option.” I personally keep both long and mini resistance bands because it's an easy way to make most exercises harder or to warm up.
Resistance bands come in long and short styles and have different weights.
Adjustable Weight Bench: If you have the room, an adjustable weight bench comes complete with dumbbells, and you can use it to do exercises like bench presses, dumbbell curls, triceps curls, and other upper body exercises on an incline or flat. Most adjustable ones allow you to fold them flat or into a more compact size for easy storage. When shopping for an adjustable weight bench, Zocchi says it's important to keep in mind stability, adjustability and padding, and comfort.
Medicine ball: A medicine ball is a leather-bound weight ball that comes in a variety of weights, so choosing the right one will depend on what you're using it for. Typically, medicine balls are used to build power, so you want something that's manageable to maneuver at speed, but still challenging enough. These types of explosive movements include exercises such as wall balls, ball kicks, and med chops.
You can practice some serious power moves with a medicine ball.
Cardio Equipment: Finally, some people just want a piece of equipment that they can jump on and move around. That's where owning a piece of cardio equipment can come in handy. Choose one based on your space capacity and which one you are likely to use. If you're bored of going at one pace on an indoor bike, treadmill, rower, or elliptical, you can always come up with a circuit in less than 30 minutes. These may include sprinting on a machine followed by a rest period and several bodyweight or weight-bearing exercises, repeated multiple times.
The Peloton Tread is the ideal treadmill if you want to do interval training.