Peace out, gym membership.
by Jessica Toscano Oct 23, 2020
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As quickly as the first quarantine began, talk of a possible second quarantine circulated. Health officials approximated its arrival between early fall and mid-winter, and although coronavirus cases continue to surge each day, none of us really knows when and if a second stay-at-home order will come. But that doesn’t mean we can’t and shouldn’t prepare for a winter indoors.
So, wash your hands frequently, wear your damn mask every time you exit your inner circle, and prep the home gym you never knew you needed with these very necessary fitness essentials that make your gym membership rather useless.
1. Iron Company FitnessMat, $159.99+
Whether you’re practicing yoga, intense cardio, or core training, your first investment should be a fitness mat. This one by Iron Company doesn’t puncture, wear, tear, or crumble, plus it’s heat-, water- and dirt-resistant, so you can feel at ease laying it down in your driveway or on your living room floor. Its 100 percent memory properties mean it’ll never roll up or crease mid-routine, and its no-slip grip is backed by the National Floor Safety Institute. Not to mention, it’s equipped with a seven-year warranty if ever you feel your mat’s performance is slacking.
If you want to get the most out of each workout, one level scoop of this pre-workout delivers the increased endurance you need for high-intensity cardio or resistance training. It also prevents muscle fatigue and improves recovery time, so you can continue to keep things pumping.
3. Presence Fit, $49.99/month
No need to step into a gym to reap the benefits of a personal trainer. With the Presence Fit app, you'll receive an “evolved studio experience" with every workout, according to co-founder Robert Jardon. Join a live class and aim your phone’s camera toward you for continuous instructor feedback on your form and pace, or choose from a selection of pre-recorded videos for an uninterrupted solo sesh. Refer a friend and receive a month’s membership free.
4. Tempo Studio, $1995 + $39/month membership +$250 delivery & installation fee
Take your workout to new heights with Tempo’s interactive studio, comprised of everything you need to weight train, including a series of dumbbells and barbells, varying weight plates, a heart monitor, workout mat, recovery roller, and a 42-inch touch screen, all contained within a six-foot-tall, two-inch wide display. Using 3D mapping to mimic your movements, Tempo can both correct your form and count your reps in real-time and recommend a weight plate increase based on your lifting frequency.
If you have limited space but are still looking to achieve muscle mass and weight loss, use this set of resistance bands in place of bulky weights. Not only are they multifunctional and take up little space, but these come color-coded and labeled so you know which is best to use when.
6. TRX Home2 System, $184.95
A compact solution for strength training from home, the TRX Home2 optimizes your balance, flexibility, strength, and core through a series of suspension exercises that allow you to achieve more with less. With it, TRX offers a free one-year subscription to the TRX app, equipped with training videos and intel that’ll help you crush your goals every time.
7. Titan Soft Wall Medicine Ball, $39.99+
Manufactured from faux leather and cotton, this medicine ball can join you in squats, sit-ups, Russian twists, and more without harming your core or your floor if it accidentally slips from your grip.
8. Bionic Body Soft Kettlebell, $27.93+
If you could only add one piece of equipment to your home gym, this would be it. It’s small, soft, and easy to deconstruct and transport if you want to take it to, say, the park. Not to mention, it can be incorporated into an infinite number of routines to assist with strength training, flexibility, and your core.
9. RUNmax Pro Weighted Vest, $39.99+
Whoever suggested a walk to take the weight off your shoulders never knew the benefits of a weighted vest. Up basic cardio with as much as 60 pounds to increase endurance, muscle mass, and weight loss. RUNmax’s lifetime warranty guarantees forever happiness.
10. EVOLVE OVER™ Pull-up Bar, $109.95
Upper body workouts are made easy with screw-free installation in under five minutes. Whether you pull up or squat down—upside, that is—this multi-purpose bar will hold your weight, so you can achieve the upper body of your dreams.
Step up your aerobic game (literally) with this cushioned, latex-free platform designed to improve stability and balance, strengthen your core, and ease joint pain. It can support up to 350 pounds and includes four nonskid feet for zero sliding.
