7 Workout Equipment to Upgrade Your Exercise This Year

With gym visits still a questionable proposition right now, you’ve probably taken to working out in your house or condo. While that can help keep you reasonably fit, you’ll need to invest a bit in workout equipment if you want to take your fitness to the next level.

How much you’ll spend depends on your needs, but read on and you’re sure to find something that fits just right. Just remember to follow the basic exercise principles for the best effect!

If you want to start with the bare minimum, a jump rope can take you a long way without costing a lot. It gives you some good cardio by allowing you to work up a sweat. Plus, it can add some serious tone to your legs and arms simultaneously, and helps you improve your coordination too!

While the coordination and endurance needed for using a jump rope can be intimidating, you can always start slow and build up to a full workout over time.

Once you’ve mastered the basics, you can start getting fancy with crossovers, double-unders, and other advanced techniques. Note that you’ll need a bit of unobstructed space for this, although you can now find cordless jump ropes for sale.

Craving more than just cardio? Bodyweight just not enough for you anymore? You might want to consider buying a set of dumbbells to give your muscles the stimulus they need to get those cuts.

There are two basic types available: adjustable and fixed. As its name suggests, the first allows you to add or subtract weight according to what you can handle. The second type won’t let you do that but is usually much more compact.

You can do a lot of exercises with either, and not just for your upper body. Lunges and squats, for example, can get way more interesting (and difficult!) once you add the element of extra weight to them.

Pro tip: if you’re thinking of the long-term potential, go for the adjustable dumbbells. They’ll be with you as you grow stronger and you need more weight for your gains.

If attention-grabbing arms, great shoulders, a solid back, and powerful core muscles are your targets, then you should consider a pull-up rack.

These can be categorized based on how their installation. You can place freestanding pull-up racks anywhere there’s enough room, while wall-mounted versions can either be screwed into the wall or wedged into a sturdy doorframe.

Don’t be misled by the name; pull-ups aren’t all you can do on these devices. Leg lifts, knee raises, and chin-ups are among the many other options. You can also even consider their different pull-up variations.

Once you’ve got enough strength to want to start experimenting, you can even consider strapping on some extra weight to give your routine a little more shred potential.

We’ve come a long way from the days when treadmills were massive, noisy machines that took up a huge amount of space and ended up as a place to stack boxes and hang jackets.

Many of today’s treadmills are slick and sleek affairs that exude style while also giving much substance to your workout routine. You can even fold some models, allowing you to do more with your space when you’re not working out.

Of course, if you’re the type who likes to hit the ground running, you can still find a good selection of heavy-duty treadmills that would feel at home in a pro-level gym. You can run as long and fast as you want with one of these bad boys while being sure that it’s up to the challenge.

Looking for an efficient way to burn calories and feel the burn in your muscles all at once? A rowing machine can help you do both.

Using one for your regular home workout routine means you’ll get your cardio in, while also working your upper body, arms, legs, and back. Pick one that allows you to adjust the resistance, and it’ll help you chase your body goals for a good long while.

If you’re worried about the space you’ll need, don’t be; many of the latest models are quite compact or can even be folded, so they won’t end up being the inadvertent centerpiece to your living area.

If you miss the feeling of having two wheels on the road, a spinning bike could be the next best thing.

If you’ve never tried one of these before, imagine an exercise bike with a Master’s Degree in Cutting-Edge Chic. These are serious-looking pieces of equipment that straddle the border between workout equipment and art installation.

This doesn’t mean that spinning bikes are all style and have no substance. They allow you to have an intense cardio experience with as many ups and downs as some of the best actual street rides you could ever have, and they’re usually lower-impact than other equivalent options.

Let’s be honest: if you’re willing to consider getting your home gym machine, you probably aren’t thinking of renewing that gym membership. That’s not an issue though, because if you choose the right one, you’ll have pretty much everything you need to work each muscle group to ripped perfection.

There are two primary considerations here: First, these machines don’t come cheap. While we’re not talking used-car prices, you’ll still need to use a significant chunk of cash to take one of these home. The second is once you do get it home, you’ll have to find a space big enough for it.

All in all, you can consider this the nuclear option. Once you make that decision, there won’t be any turning back. But if you can deal with the considerations, you’ll have unmatched workout potential a few steps away from you, all day and every day.

No matter what equipment route you choose, remember that you’ll need post-workout care for that finely tuned machine you call your body, too. Do your cool-down routine and stretches, and wait until you stop sweating before you hit the shower.

After you’ve toweled off, use a good deodorant like Rexona Men Ice Cool Roll-on Antiperspirant Deodorant to keep you in control and smelling fresh and masculine for up to 48 hours. Your body will still be burning calories long after your workout, so this deodorant will help manage sweat and odor no matter what you do after.

So, ready to take your fitness routine to the next level? Choose your new workout equipment now!