Of course, working out at a public gym will let you socialize and stay motivated. But if the pandemic is still going on, your gym is overcrowded, or if the air and noise pollution makes you hesitate to go out for a morning jog, there no better option than to invest in some gym equipment to work out at home. But do you know how to choose the right equipment for your fitness goals?
Do you have the space to store the equipment? These are some questions that you should ask yourself before you buy equipment for your own personal home gym. This article will help you find answers through a well-researched buying guide and ten recommendations for the best home gym equipment in India from top brands like Kobo, MAXPRO, Lifelong, and more.
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Table of Contents
Our buying guide will help you choose the best home gym equipment for your needs based on various factors like your fitness level, the type of training you prefer, the space available in your house, and many more. Keep reading!
That's why weight plates are convenient for home workouts. You can use it on dumbbell rods, straight bars, and curl bars easily. You don't have to worry about your fitness level if you are into cardio training. Almost all equipment can be used by beginners and experts alike. For example, you can buy a motorized treadmill with incline settings.
As your aerobic fitness increases, you can increase the speed and elevation for an even more challenging workout. Choosing the right equipment according to your fitness level is extremely important to prevent injuries. Sprains, ligament tears, and joint injuries can be painful and stall your progress midway. The key to a good workout is using the right weights and technique.
Fitness is not just about building muscle or increasing your stamina. You need both to stay healthy and feel confident. But not everyone's goals are the same. Find out the benefits of strength training and cardio from the sections below. This will help you set your own goals and choose the perfect equipment.
What's the first thing that comes to your mind when you think about cardio? A person running on a treadmill? Machines like rowers, elliptical trainers, stationary bikes, step machines, and stepper are some cardio machines that will allow you to train even more intensely than a treadmill. If you are on a budget and space is a concern, the best machine you can buy is the stepper.
Another piece of equipment for those trying to lose weight is the skipping rope. The extra benefits you get from skipping rope are increased coordination and focus, body flexibility, and stronger bones. Those who are trying to build muscle mass should also incorporate cardio into their routine because stamina is as important as strength.
It goes without saying that athletes benefit tremendously from cardio. Marathon runners and sprinters need endurance more than muscle mass. Cardio is also useful for those who are already in good shape and just want to look more toned by lowering the fat covering the muscles. But remember that too much cardio can cause muscle loss. Do it in moderation.
Apart from the obvious benefit of building muscle mass, strength training can help you lose weight too. Cardio indeed burns more calories than weight training, but the latter will keep your metabolism elevated for longer, even after your workout is over. Weight training also allows you to target the muscle group you want to build.
If you have uneven muscle growth, focusing on the less developed muscles will help you attain a symmetrical physique. Clearly, weight training requires weights. And the equipment that you need the most are dumbbells, curl bar, and straight bar. These are just space-saving options.
For those who are willing to invest more and have enough space at home, you can go for chest press, lat pulldown, leg press machine, etc. But our advice would be to go for a multi-gym—a workstation that combines several weight training and cardio equipment. It is much more affordable than buying each piece of equipment separately and saves a lot of space.
Worry not if having multiple pieces of equipment is not practical for you due to space constraints. Space-saving alternatives that can provide the same benefits, and maybe more, are easily available. Here is an example. Instead of buying fixed dumbbells, go for weight plates and dumbbell rods. You can use these weight plates on a curl bar and a straight bar too.
The trending dumbbell design right now is the adjustable type. With the turn of a dial, you can easily select the weight you want to lift. The same technology is available in kettlebells too. A weight bench doesn't seem to have an alternative, right? You got to have a seat and a backrest. Enter, exercise ball.
It is a large, inflatable, anti-burst ball that can provide you even more health benefits than a weight bench. Do the exercises you normally perform on a weight bench on the exercise ball (also called gym ball or stability ball) if you enjoy the extra challenge. Plus, your core stability will improve too. Exercise balls can also improve your posture, fix muscle imbalances, improve your technique, etc.
The most obvious benefit of a multi-station or workout station is that it allows you to work out multiple parts of your body or target multiple muscle groups. But you will need to have a separate room or reserve a corner of your bedroom to place it. Some companies mention the number of exercises you can do on the multi-gym while others mention the number of stations.
Both are different. For example, the lat pulldown machine can be used to train your back muscles as well as your triceps, and a rowing machine can be used to train your biceps, quadriceps, hamstrings, forearms, and shoulders too. Don't forget to check the total weight of the weight plates too.
If you are not sure how much you would require, go for a total weight of at least 60kg or 80kg. Each plate will weigh 5kg, allowing more flexibility while adjusting weights as you progress. We recommend buying a multi-gym if you like variations in your workout routine.
Build materials determine the durability of gym equipment. Take dumbbells as an example. You can find iron and steel dumbbells as well as PVC dumbbells with a sand filling. The former will last a lot longer than the latter. Since rigid materials like iron can easily scratch your skin and your floor, some premium models come with rubber coating too.
Planning to buy resistance bands or tubes? There is a reason we haven't recommended them in this article. They just won't last. The frequent stretching will cause them to break or result in permanent elongation, rendering them useless. But resistance loops used for toning your leg muscles and glutes can last longer as there is comparatively less stretching involved.
Sometimes it is difficult to judge the quality of equipment. This applies to chin-up bars, weight benches, workout stations, etc. The build materials are mostly iron and foam (for cushioning). In such cases, check the customer reviews or buy products that are return or replacement eligible. For extremely heavy equipment like a home gym, find out if the seller provides spares for damaged parts.
LEEWAY Home Gym Set comes with some of the important pieces of equipment you need for your workout. Along with weight plates, you also a straight rod, a curve rod, and dumbbell rods, allowing you to incorporate various exercises that target different muscle groups into your routine.
Don't worry if you can't find space for a treadmill or afford one. This home gym set comes with a skipping rope too. It will improve your cardiovascular strength, burns belly fat, and improve your concentration and coordination. The hand grippers that come with this pack can help increase your forearm muscle mass and grip strength.
You don't have to worry about accidental injuries as the metal weight plates have a rubber coating that provides a cushioning effect. LEEWAY also provides a pair of gym gloves to prevent calluses and to provide better grip.
Some of the best cardio workouts involving weights include kettlebell exercises. This piece of equipment has always been popular since it promotes a lean and toned physique while increasing core strength. Lifelong kettlebell is made of cast iron with a neoprene coating for protecting you and your floor from scratches.
You can choose between 6 to 16 kilograms, depending on your current fitness level. Some workouts that you can do with kettlebells are kettlebell swing, sumo squat, lunges, Russian twist, etc. You can even consider kettlebell as a replacement for dumbbells for many exercises. We recommend this product to those looking for home gym equipment requiring less storage space.
If air and noise pollution makes your morning jog stressful and frustrating, we recommend buying MAXPRO PTM405. This motorized treadmill comes with wheels for easy relocation and can be folded to fit under your bed. You can set the speed up to 14 km/hr, depending on your fitness level.
Need to push yourself more? Choose between the three incline levels to add more intensity to your workout, just like running up a hill. The maximum weight this treadmill supports is 110kg. It comes with a USB port and aux port so you can connect your storage drive with your favorite music and listen while you use the machine.
The LCD screen will show you the speed, distance covered, time, and also your pulse reading and calories burned. Download the FITSHOW app from Google Play or Apple App Store to control the machine via your smartphone.
Weight training involves full-body workouts as well as split training. Weight benches allow you to include more exercise combinations to target muscle groups that you want to develop. DOMYOS Weight Bench 500 can be used to do flat, incline, and decline bench exercises.
For example, you can do bench press (on a flat bench), dumbbell shoulder press (on a 90-degree backrest), incline bench press (to target upper pecs), decline crunch (intense abs workout on a decline bench), etc. It weighs 16 kg and can support weights up to 220kg.
We recommend this product to those looking for space-saving equipment as this weight bench will only be 20cm high when folded.
Bodyweight training or calisthenics using exercise rings will target and stimulate deep muscles that may not get worked out during weight training. If you are a gymnast or if you prefer strength before muscle mass, we recommend buying FirstFit Gymnastics Rings. It is made of high-density Birch wood and polycarbonate nylon straps, both known for their strength and durability.
Exercise rings are a better alternative to pull-up bars. While pull-up bars are stationary, the length of the exercise rings can be adjusted to increase or decrease the intensity of your workout. FirstFit Gymnastics Rings are adjustable up to 14.5 feet and support approximately 120kg of weight.
Some of the best exercises that can be done on exercise rings include ring rows, ring dips, ring pull-ups, ring flies, and L-sit.
Heavy bag or punching bag training should be made a part of your workout routine if you want to improve your aerobic fitness, coordination, strength, and stamina. AURION Punching Kit comes with a filled punching bag and a pair of boxing hand wraps. The polyurethane bag is waterproof and strong and has a textile filling.
The bag weighs approx. 17 to 20 kg if you choose the 4 feet variant and approx. 19 to 23 kg if you choose the 5 feet variant. A good rule of thumb is to choose a heavy bag half your weight. That means AURION Punching Kit is only suitable for those between 40 to 46kg.
This piece of equipment is not only recommended for martial artists and boxers but for everyone who wishes to improve their defensive skills and confidence. If you are worried about injuring your hands and wrists, just use the boxing hand wraps that come with this kit.
If you have a dedicated room for workouts, we recommend buying Lifeline Hg002 multi gym. You can perform over 18 different types of exercises on this multi-gym, allowing you to target almost all muscle groups in your body. It comes with 12 plates of 5kg each, enabling you to incorporate more sets into your routine.
The padded foam used in the seat and backrest is sweatproof, while the ones on the handles are made non-slip for your comfort and safety. Rest assured that the rubber foot caps will protect your wooden or tiled floors from getting damaged while also providing stability to the frame. The seller promises to provide spare parts in case you receive damaged items.
The exercise ball or gym ball is one of the most underrated home gym equipment. You can improve your basic coordination and balance and even fix your posture with regular usage of this equipment. It can be considered an affordable and convenient alternative to a weight bench. The instability provided by exercise balls will add an extra challenge for the advanced gym-goers.
But beginners should start slow since the chance of injury is high. Start slow, and soon you will be performing tough workouts like planks, back extension, military press, etc. Strauss Anti-Burst Gym Ball is made of PVC and comes with a foot pump for easy inflation. It requires very little space for storage.
If you think your workouts are becoming less challenging, buy Sportneer Ankle Weights to add some more intensity. It can add resistance to your cardio workouts as well as strength training. You may get on the treadmill wearing these or do workouts that target multiple muscle groups like lunges, superman, leg lifts, calf raises, etc.
You get a pair with removable sand weights and pockets to adjust the intensity according to your needs. With all sandbags loaded, each ankle weight weighs 3.5 lbs, so you will be carrying a total of 7 lbs extra while working out. Customer reviews show that the fabric is breathable, and the reinforced stitching makes it durable.
A gym mat or exercise mat may not seem like a necessary product, but its benefits may change your mind. If your floor is tiled and slippery, it may cause injuries while performing workouts, especially if you are sweaty. Not just that, doing weight training on hard floors can be uncomfortable and painful, and gym mats can provide some cushioning.
Kobo AC-62 is made of Ethylene Vinyl Acetate, a lightweight material that is water-resistant and durable. The product comes as interlocking tiles, so you can arrange them only when it is needed and store them away easily after use. Each tile is 24" x 24" in size and has a thickness of 12 mm. We recommend using gym mats if you want to protect your floor from damage and keep it clean too.
Like we said before, a pair of dumbbells is more than enough to train almost all the muscle groups in your body. Here is a video that lists several workouts to help develop various parts of your body like
Here are some more articles to help you choose the best gym gloves, protein shakers, and fitness bands in India. Gym gloves will prevent calluses and protect your hands from injuries. Protein shakers allow lump-free mixing. Say goodbye to disgusting clumped-up powder in your protein shake.
Buy a fitness band to keep track of your exercise routines, progress, and your health parameters, like blood oxygen level, pulse rate, etc. Click on the links below to explore our recommendations for the ten best products and read the buying guide that will help you choose better.
In a nutshell, equipment for cardio workouts is almost always beginner-friendly. But if you are into strength training, you should be extra careful while choosing weights. Lighter weights are good for beginners as well as those who want to tone their muscles, while heavier weights help build strength and muscle mass. Both weight training and cardio can help you lose fat,
But if you are trying to increase your endurance rather than strength and muscle mass, you can stick to cardio or include weight training once a week. You have several options when it comes to choosing equipment. If you have a separate room for workouts, go for a multi-gym. Go for adjustable dumbbells, kettlebells, and exercise balls if you have space limitations.
Author - Arun F Xaviour
When you purchase products mentioned in the article, part of the sales may be returned to mybest.
The descriptions of each product is referenced from the content available from the manufacturer, e-commerce sites etc.
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