Way back in the time of B.C. (before children) I used to belong to a gym. It was nice. I would do cardio on all the fancy equipment, occasionally dabble in an exercise class, and definitely gawk at all my fellow workout buddies. Because when you don’t have two tiny humans that depend on you for all their basic needs you tend to have a lot more time on your hands for driving to and from the gym, as well as the actual workout itself.
But things are different now and fitting in exercise between working full time and caring for my darling children is a challenge. That’s why since having my first born I no longer pay a gym membership fee. All my exercises are done within the comfort of my own home (or the streets around it) and it’s pretty great. So if you’re a busy mom who can’t find time to make it to the gym or you’d just rather workout at home because of the global pandemic, there’s a few essential pieces of equipment you should have. I want to share with you my six favorite pieces of equipment I use for exercise at home.
My go-to equipment for exercising at home:
1. Dumbbells
Dumbbells are a great way to work strengthening into your at home routine. Resistance exercise (or strength training) has numerous benefits including increased bone density, increasing your muscle mass and metabolism and prevention of joint aches and pains. You should definitely do some sort of strengthening as part of a complete fitness program. You can find dumbbells ranging from very light (1#) to very heavy (20#+). I personally have a set of 5#, 8#, and 10#. This is a nice range for me as I use the lighter weights for arm exercises and the heavier weights for leg exercises.
2. Exercise band
An exercise band is another great piece of equipment for exercising at home that can be used for resistance strengthening. The bands are wonderful for tying around your legs if you are trying to add more resistance during hip or pelvic strengthening. Exercise bands typically range in resistance level based on their color. Typically the lighter the color the easier the resistance or the more stretch the band has. They make many different types of resistance bands. I personally just have a Theraband I stole from work (shhh…don’t tell) that I use to strengthen my legs and my arms.
3. Exercise ball
An exercise ball is a very versatile piece of equipment you can use for exercising at home. You can use it for core strengthening or stability training by using it during bridges, sit ups, planks, or push-ups. It’s also great for postural strengthening by laying over the top and performing lower and mid trap exercises (T’s and Y’s). A ball can also be wonderful for pelvic mobility exercises during pregnancy by using it to sit or bounce on. I use my ball fairly regularly at home. And if you have one sitting in a corner at home take it out and google exercises with Swiss ball and you are sure to find thousands of fun exercises you can do at home.
4. Yoga mat
I love my yoga mat. It’s soft and feels nice on my palms and on my back when I’m stretching or doing some yoga flows. I tend to get pain along my spine from pressing into the ground if I don’t use my yoga mat while doing stretches or crunches. Plus my mat has a great non-slip surface and it rolls up nicely so I can tuck it away in the corner of our living room for a quick grab when it’s time to exercise at home.
5. Treadmill
I also really love my treadmill. I probably wouldn’t exercise half as much as I do without it, especially in the months from November to March (I do live in Wisconsin). When the weather is crap, or you can’t leave your napping baby you can just hop on a treadmill and put in a few miles. If you’re not a fan of running an exercise bike will achieve the same thing. There are numerous benefits to cardio exercise and getting your heart pumping is also an important part of regular exercise. You can find great deals on used cardio equipment (treadmills, bikes, elliptical) online from people who originally purchased it with high hopes of regular exercise but then found they were only using it as a laundry rack. I’ve gotten a nice elliptical for $15 at a garage sale and my treadmill is my Grandma’s from lord-only-knows when. But hey, it gets the job done.
6. Step tracker
My final favorite piece of equipment for at home exercise is a step tracker. There are many different brands and types on the market but I am referring to any electronic device that will track your steps or activity for the day. I used to have a Fitbit but I currently own an Apple watch. Being able to see exactly how many steps you have taken for the day is extremely motivating. Most step trackers allow you to set individual step goals which is even more encouraging to stay active throughout the day. The general recommendation is to aim for 10,000 steps a day. That is my personal daily goal and when I am close (or not close enough) I find myself wanting to go for another quick walk or chase my toddler around so I can see those little rings flash when I meet my goal.
What’s next?
These are my six favorite pieces of equipment for exercising at home. Do you need all six of these to workout? Nope. Actually, you don’t need any. There are many different ways to exercise at home without using any equipment at all. But I find I am able to get the most out of my exercise as well as partake in more at home exercise with these items. Check out some of my other posts if you are looking for a quick at home full body routine, some pelvic stabilization, or core strengthening. I’ll have more home exercises coming soon. So be sure to subscribe to Moving Like a Mother to stay up to date on all the latest exercises, tips, and tricks to keep you movin and groovin.
-Monica
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