Add these affordable and expert-approved pieces to your at-home workout for better results today.
In an era when time is the ultimate luxury, home workouts might just be the ultimate convenience too, saving money, stress and the hassle of having to open the front door.
Assuming you’ve nailed the motivation to get your sweat on solo, the biggest battle is often keeping your workout routine interesting and challenging for max fitness results.
But the best news of all – you don’t need to invest in big or pricey equipment. Honestly, it’s likely that these bulky buys will be left collecting dust in the corner of your garage in a matter of months. Instead, leaning into smaller, more versatile kit is the secret, according to experts, and the ultimate hack for taking your home workout to the next level.
“There are some great, cost-effective options that lend themselves really well to creative programming and a home workout variety,” explains celebrity trainer and ambassador for our Health of the Nation campaign, Sam Wood.
“The best thing about these pieces of equipment is that they’re ideal for intensifying bodyweight movements that we’ve already learned,” adds Centr fitness trainer, Luke Zocchi.
Ready to pimp your home gym on a budget? These affordable and expert-loved pieces are the ultimate addition to any workout.
A weighted vest
Great for: Cardio and HIIT workouts
The idea of strapping some heavy cargo to your chest is undoubtedly one of the more intimidating equipment additions to any workout, and it’s one to use with caution, says Wood. “First thing’s first, don’t try and do the vested version of an exercise if you can’t already do it using your own body weight,” which is a great measure of progression for when you are ready to up the ante. “But for those feeling strong, it’s a great way to intensify a workout, and it will put the fittest of the fit to the challenge,” assures Wood.
Plus, the benefits are two-fold. Since you’re forced to move more weight during an ordinary workout, the exertion required to complete the exercise is multiplied, meaning it not only improves your muscular endurance but your cardio capacity and overall strength, too.
As for how to use it, well, it can be added to just about any exercise. Whether you’re working on strength, cardio or both, simply warm up, strap it on, and hit the gym.
“Beginners can start by using them for lower body movements because your legs are the biggest muscles in your body. Over time, as you get stronger, you can incorporate them into upper body movements like push-ups, planks, and pull-ups,” says Wood.
And if you’re looking to go full throttle: “Try adding the vest to soft sand workouts and hill sprints,” he adds.
ProIron Adjustable Weighted Vest, $99 from amazon.com.au
A skipping rope
Great for: Warm-ups and HIIT workouts
If the thought of hitting the treadmill or erg bike elicits zero excitement – or you simply don’t have room or budget for either – a skipping rope may just be the key to nailing a high heart rate session.
“Skipping is a brilliant cardio addition for an advanced workout,” confirms Wood, who loves using a rope to warm up and add variety to his HIIT sessions.
Not only is skipping an interesting way to get your pulse racing if you experiment with jumping variations, but the repetitive movement is one of the most effective ways to elevate your heart rate, put all major muscle groups to work and burn calories quickly.
Plus, adding skipping to your regular exercise routine has been proven in studies to boost heart health and coordination.
If you haven’t picked up a rope in a while, start by using it for a warm up with five minutes of consistent skipping, then add it into your circuit routines as a great cardio break between strength and agility efforts.
“If you’re looking to level up, try adding skipping rope bursts to your next boxing workout,” says Wood. Want some skipping skills inspo? “Follow Lauren Jumps on Instagram,” suggests Woods. “She will absolutely blow your mind!”
Celsius Deluxe Skipping Rope, $14.99 from rebelsport.com.au
A pair of sliders
Great for: Cardio and core workouts
Bored of your usual ab crunch routine? These slippery discs are the ultimate midriff burner, and can be added to almost any exercise for an intensity booster.
“I love using these for all core exercises, especially cross-body mountain climbers and knee tuck to pike to feel the ultimate burn,” says Wood.
Better yet, they’ll test your glutes and legs too by forcing you to activate your lower body during exercises for stability, making them a great progressive overload addition to any ordinary exercise.
“Two of my favourite moves are a slow deep slider reverse lunge and a single arm lateral slider push up is an awesome way to engage the core and intensify an ordinary movement,” adds Wood.
PTP Core Sliders Training Disks, $39.99 from rebelsport.com.au
A pair of Y bells
Great for: Strength and HIIT workouts
Possibly amongst the most underrated and underutilised pieces of gym equipment, Ybells (which look like triangular dumb-bells) can cater to any kind of workout. Whether you’re opting for a slow and controlled strength session or looking to switch up your HIIT routine, you’ll be surprised at how versatile this kettlebell variation can be.
“These are great for outdoor workouts at the park where you only want to take one piece of equipment,” explains Wood, meaning no more lugging heavy duty dumbbells and medicine balls from the car to the workout station.
Try adding a pair to your usual strength exercises like bent over rows, squats and lunges or, as Wood suggests, use them as a weighted intensifier for other exercises. “Push ups (with a row between repetitions), overhead press or even single arm overhead snatches are great additions to a HIIT circuit.”
The added weight encourages greater exertion efforts to raise the heart rate, increase calorie burn rate and leave you dripping in sweat. They also save you from touching the ground when you’re doing push-ups outdoors too – ideal for soft sand beach training.
Ybell Neo Pro 14kg, $129.99 from rebelsport.com.au
An ab wheel
Great for: Core workouts
After more killer, no-fuss exercises in your home workouts? An ab wheel is the perfect way to level up your core routine.
“The ab wheel is quite unique because the movement’s hard to mimic,” says Zocchi. “You can only do moves with that specific piece of equipment.” It’s also pretty damn hard to master, offering a unique challenge that will give you something to aim for week after week until you’ve mastered (then fallen in love with) the movement.
The easiest way to start is kneeling, then use the handles to roll yourself out into a plank position, and then back into the upright kneeling one. But it can also be used to take ordinary static plank holds to another level by challenging your front stability and encouraging your upper body muscles to activate during these typically core-isolated exercises.
“It’s one of the best pieces of equipment for building core strength and toning the abs, but it also really works on shoulder mobility and strength,” encourages Zocchi.
Harbinger Ab Carver Sport Training Aid, $49.99 from rebelsport.com.au
A pull-up bar
Great for: Add detail here
“Pull-up bars are the best way to train your back using body weight,” according to Zocchi. “You really can’t beat it.” And chances are you already have one at home in the form of an exposed beam, ledge, railing or garden tree limb.
Pull ups are notoriously one of the most challenging body-weight exercises because they target typically neglected major muscle groups, like the traps, delts and lats, in a compound movement.
From chin ups to pull ups and hanging bicycles, the potential exercise possibilities with a pull-up bar are not only great for muscular strength but also high calorie burners that can also be utilised for core strength.
“I love to train my abs from a pull-up bar because you use your abs while hanging, which is great for your shoulders, and you can incorporate abdominal-centric movements like knee tucks and leg raises,” adds Zocchi. “Plus, just hanging from a pull-up bar is so good for injury prevention when it comes to looking after your shoulders.” One seriously great workout – minus the punishing commute – coming right up.
Centr Pull Up Bar, $55 from binglee.com