When gyms closed, I cried a little. I loved being at the gym and didn’t have a single piece of home workout gear. I was miserable looking up Youtube videos and daydreamed to getting back into the gym again.  God bless my husband who took 50 pound bags of sand and multiple rolls of duct tape to make 25 pound weights for me.

What can I say, he knows my love language!

I found ways to do squats, chest press, weighted lunges, weighted plies, and shoulder press with those suckers. However, I still wanted more toys and more options for home workout gear.  I was still bored with workouts. I needed something fun and challenging.

I looked up some workouts on YouTube and gosh darn it.  I was so freaking bored out of my mind jumping, kicking, and using bands in my living room.

If you are one of the few that have a complete set up of a home gym, I was a bit jealous of you. If you have the space in your home to get all the gear, do it.  Equipment like that helps you get maximum results in minimal time.  Definitely better than prancing around in your living room to YouTube workout videos (I know because I tried!).

If you don’t have the space or budget for a complete home gym that consists of squat rack, leg press, bench press, leg curl machine, leg extension machine, cable machine, or free weights to name a few, here are a few of my favorite things to get instead.

1. BEST HOME MULTI-FUNCTIONING HOME GYM

Over 100 exercises in just one piece. Costs less than buying a full gym, and takes up less space.

In case you don’t have the space or thousands of dollars to spare for your own home gym, you can get one piece of home workout gear that does it all like the Bowflex Revolution Home Gym.  It’s pricier that the Bowflex Xtreme 2 SE Home Gym, but the awesome part is Bowflex offers financing and sometimes without interest if paid off within 18 months.

The Bowflex Revolution Home Gym is the Cadillac version and more expensive but offers over 100 possible exercises, while the less expensive Xtreme 2 SE Home Gym offers over 70.  You can compare the two here.

2. MIRROR from Lululemon

You can do pretty much any workout with live and on-demand workouts from beginner to advanced athletes.  From weight training, yoga, dance, cardio, boxing, and barre, you have limitless options to workout form home to get great results.  An awesome feature of the MIRROR, is that you get a full year subscription included, and then pay $39/month for the subscription after your year is up, plus a 30 day risk free trial and have 6 accounts set up for family members too.

The MIRROR is beautiful home workout gear and blends right in with your home decor.  It’s pretty fancy with all the bells and whistles. They even install it for you, too.

3. HOME WORKOUT GEAR: INDOOR BIKES FOR FULL BODY TRANSFORMATION

Even if you do have full gym access, the VeloCore or C6 Bike are great to add to the mix. These are amazing home workouts to do in minimal time.

The only cardio that doesn’t bore me out of my mind is spinning.  I love live classes in person, but sometimes you just can’t get to the gym, which is the whole purpose of this post. Sometimes you only have a 20 minute break to sneak in a power session.

What I love most is the VeloCore Bike. It’s the bike that leans. No other bike does that unless you are out on the roads. With this feature, you are strengthening your arms and core as you ride.

You can choose between a 22 inch screen or a 16 inch screen where you can choose destinations all over the world to bike virtually, get personalized coaching, and trainer-led videos. If you prefer the Peloton app, you can still use their app with your VeloCore or C6 Bike.

It connects to everything that’s anything from Disney Plus, Hulu, Peloton, Amazon Prime Video, all with Bluetooth Speakers. (You do need to provide your own subscriptions, of course.)

SAVE MORE:  The less expensive version is the Bowflex C6. It doesn’t have a built in screen like the VeloCore, but you can still plug in your phone or tablet right into it’s holder and stream your choice of subscription from Peloton, Zwift, Explore the World, and more apps.  A pretty awesome option that costs much less.

4. VIRTUAL HOME WORKOUTS WITH COMMUNITY

Minimal Home Workout Gear

This one is for the ladies. It’s a sisterhood of women that workout from anywhere with minimal equipment around 20 minutes a day. You get a band for free and community support.  The typical membership is $47/month unless you buy the year in full which brings it down to $23.50/month.  Say goodbye to calorie counting and long workouts at The Ladies Edge.

5. TEMPO STUDIO

This is a lot like the MIRROR, except it is more than just a screen. It includes dumbbells, barbell, barbell collars, weighted plates, a heart rate monitor, a workout mat, and a foam roller. When lifting the weights, you can lift from 7.5 pounds to 100 pounds.

The best part of the Tempo Studio is that artificial intelligence uses motion sensors and infrared light to 3D map your body and to freaking correct your form while working out.  Major wow factor.

Whether you are working out at the gym or at home, you just can’t get sloppy with form (this is the therapist and athlete in me speaking from experience).

When you are working out, you are supposed to get tired! That’s when form starts to slip, and injuries happen.  If you don’t have a trainer there correcting you, having this infrared light mapping your body and reminding you to correct your form is a pretty great selling point.

Just like any other subscription, you buy the product and pay the monthly subscription for Tempo Studio but can get now and pay later with 0% APR and pay just $55 for 36 months.

FAVORITE HOME WORKOUT GEAR

While I will forever be a gym girl loving the feeling of loading and unloading plates, this year has taught me to be more creative, and found more workout gear that gives me an extra edge.  All great options to add to your home workout solution.

But what matters most is what you enjoy most and will want to do.  If you know you don’t like spinning or bikes, then maybe look at a Bowflex Home Gym or one of their awesome bikes.  If you want more strength training, you can choose from the MIRROR or Tempo, with Tempo coming with weights and a heart rate monitor.

They all have monthly subscriptions to pay for in order to use, but it’s like paying for a gym membership, but instead you are paying for equipment, classes, motivation, experts, and coaches in the privacy of your own home.

Which one sounds like you would enjoy the most? Let me know in the comments!