A lot of people have taken their workouts inside their homes lately. I have friends that never worked out before who are now exercising at home because they need some movement while self-quarantining. I started working out again at home recently after a 2 month hiatus because I was getting tired of sitting behind the computer all day long. My only movement was walking from the bedroom, to the living room, and to the kitchen. Hardly a workout!

How to Create an Affordable Home Gym in a Small Space

I currently live in a 2 bedroom apartment in downtown Orlando with my boyfriend, Chris. We have a building gym, but it is closed right now for obvious reasons. Both Chris and I are members at local gyms, but all fitness centers/gyms in the state are shut down now. Luckily, I actually enjoy working out at home, but we don’t have a lot of space. Our guest room has been transformed into Chris’ gaming room, so I let him have it for now to keep him happy and busy since we can’t go out on the weekends! I’ve been using the living room for my workouts, and with just a few items and my laptop, I am able to get an amazing workout!

Last year, I became a member of the FASTer Way to Fat Loss, where I can stream all workouts on my laptop at home. All I needed were some dumbbells, a yoga mat, a stability ball (not necessary but good to have), and a resistance band. I consistently did the FWTFL workouts 3-4 times per week at home and I saw noticeable differences in my body and muscle definition. I highly recommend the FASTer Way, which includes an eating plan and a personal coach, but you don’t need to join FWTFL to get a good workout.

Once I started working from home a few weeks ago, I started my FASTer Way workouts again. I can tell the difference in my mood on the days I work out from the days I don’t. I’m just more patient and tolerable when I workout! Chris would agree! I wanted to share how to create your own affordable home gym, even if you don’t have a lot space.

Shop this outfit: Top  |  Leggings  

What You Need

First, start with a good yoga mat. My favorite is from Manduka. Although it’s a little pricier, I have had my Manduka mat for years and it is still in really good condition. If you are into yoga and will be practicing yoga or pilates frequently, invest in a great mat. Fortunately, Target now carries a less expensive version of a Manduka mat, that is also really good at half the price.

Second, dumbbells are a must! I currently have 4 pairs of dumbbells in 2 lbs, 5 lbs, 10 lbs, and 15 lbs. I use the 2 pound dumbbells for barre workouts, and the other weights for my weight training workouts. Target sells dumbbells in a variety of weights here. If you want to keep your free weights more organized, I suggest getting a small weight rack, like this one, to store them.

Third, add in some resistance bands! These bands are an easy way to add tension to any workout, or use them in place of dumbbells. I found packs of bands here and here.

Fourth, a stability ball is a good addition for ab and back workouts. It can also be used to do chest presses and chest flies while strengthening the core. I like this one here.

That’s all you really need to create your home gym, but if you wanted to add a bit more, I also like this resistance band tube with handles, as a substitute for dumbbells, and these gliding core discs for additional ab work.

There are so many options you have online right now to join a virtual workout class. Many yoga and barre studios, as well as Crossfit gyms are offering free or low cost classes. Again, I recommend FASTer Way to Fat Loss because I love it, but that’s only one option! If you prefer to not use online classes, I found this very comprehensive set of workout guide posters for 9 different kinds of workouts. Pinterest also has a plethora of workouts for different body parts.

What To Wear

I’ve tried out a lot of different workout gear and these are my favorites:

Tops

Sports Bras

Leggings

Hair Ties

I hope this post was helpful for you to create your own affordable home gym in a small space! Let me know your favorite home workouts in the comments!