Life is crazy enough with work, family, and everyday responsibilities. Tacking on the commute to and from a crowded gym can sap the motivation from even the most dedicated athlete. Setting up your own space removes a huge barrier to training. The more likely you are to work out, the more you’ll move the needle on your health and performance. After thorough tests, we chose the equipment here for its simplicity, versatility, and functionality so you can squeeze in a gym-quality sweat—if not better—without leaving the house.
American Floor Mats Fit-Lock Rubber Tiles ($10 per tile)
Take your home gym to the next level with these interlocking tiles made from recycled rubber. They dampen noise, provide plenty of grip, and protect your floors from dropped weights. The ⅜-inch-thick squares are durable, clean up easily, and don’t move or seperate, even with bounding or plyometric exercises. They fit together like puzzle pieces so you can customize to your available space, and the seams are nearly invisible.
Synapse Pro Package Pulley System ($370)
Lunge, fly, single-leg squat, row…this portable 4:1 cable pulley system replaces the whole weight room. Pulling one handle produces four times the force on the other side, so you can customize resistance to your exact strength level without needing heaps of iron. The Pro Package comes with anchors that can be used to rig the Synapse in a door frame or around a tree or post.
GoRuck Training Weight Vest ($150)
This weight vest is burly—think 500-denier Cordura and 1050-denier ballistic nylon—yet padded shoulder straps and a snug Velcro waist closure mean it’s comfortable enough to wear fully loaded on bare skin. Internal front and back slots hold iron ruck plates (from $65), so you can adjust the weight from 10 up to 60 pounds.
ViPR Pro Weight Tube ($184 and up)
The ViPR Pro might be basic in design—it’s essentially a heavy tube with integrated handles—but the magic lies in its simplicity, which permits an endless variety of full-body, functional, loaded movements. Lift it, shift it, swing it, and move with the tube to improve strength, mobility, power, coordination, conditioning, and injury resilience. (ViPR has a free with video demonstrations of the many unique exercises.) The tubes come in three sizes and eight different weights 8.8 pounds to 70.5 pounds.
KOM Cycling Indoor Media Display Cycling Desk ($90)
For better or worse, technology has become an essential at-home training tool. Whether you’re watching a yoga video or Zooming with your coach, this media stand allows you to see your screen while you exercise. A non-slip, rubberized tray sits atop a sturdy tripod base and holds a laptop or tablet, and a water bottle, anywhere from waist to eye level.
B Strong BFR Training System ($430)
Blood-flow restriction involves pumping up arm or leg bands to limit circulation during exercise, triggering a range of training adaptations. B Strong’s system uses pneumatic, elastic bands to eliminate the risk of full arterial occlusion, so anyone can safely reap the benefits (with a instruction from the company’s site).
Evolv Basic Training Hangboard ($139)
The Basic Board has only three edges, with 10-, 15-, and 20-millimeter depths, and a jug rail on top—but that’s all you really need for any type of hang-board workout. The plastic is textured and grippy, and the full length rails instead of pockets accommodate different shoulder widths. And at 23 by 6.25 inches, it’s easy to mount in tight spaces.
SKLZ Speed Rope Pro Jump Rope ($25)
Warm up or add intensity to your conditioning workout. The Speed Rope Pro’s ergonomic rubber handles and super smooth ball bearings will allow you to crank out double-unders with ease. It comes with a low-kink, 120-inch nylon-coated steel cable that you can cut to length.