The Only Equipment You Need for an Effective Workout in a Small Space

We all know how important it is to move our body. Being active has immediate and long term health benefits. Getting to the gym is the first step. How many times have we planned to make it to the gym, but fall short due to whatever good excuse reason we come up with? I get it, it’s hard. It really does take being intentional with your time to get it done– because let’s face it, we are all busy. A solution for that, is to always keep some equipment at home. You don’t need much space to get in a good sweat session.

No Gym? No Problem!

With Ezra not being in childcare, getting in a good at-home workout is my only option 90% of the time. I did some research to figure out what equipment would serve me best. The equipment I found is small space friendly, because I’m currently using Ezra’s nursery/guest room combo for my workout sessions. With strength training, it’s weights and reps that get you results. I’m happy to say I have been using these items since I was medically cleared to workout, and they got ya girl flexing her muscles!

My Favorite Equipment

Ankle Weights

With strength training I really like to push it. No pain, no gain. Think of ankle weights as dumbbells for your feet. For my workouts, I add ankle weights to any low impact exercise that has at least one foot off the ground. By doing this, it adds to the intensity and helps to tone the legs even more. You will get a great burn in your booty and thighs with this. My favorite exercise with these are donkey kicks.

Booty/Thigh Bands

Okay, I have had my fair share of booty bands that roll up your leg, slide, and just don’t stay put! The X Bands listed below are the truth! If you want to take your booty gains to the next level, incorporate booty bands with your weighted exercises. They are so versatile, coming in different weights and the exercises are plentiful. My favorite exercise with them are hip thrusts accompanied with a resistance band and a weight on my pelvis.

Here are exercise examples

Heavy Dumbbells

For strength training, heavy dumbbells are a must. I love them because they are so versatile. They are adjustable so you can stack them however you see fit. You can use them for upper body or lower body. My favorite exercise with these are walking lunges.

Here are exercise examples

Kettle Bell

My newest purchase is the kettle bell and I love it. By comparison, it’s different from a dumbbell in the way that the weight is distributed. It really makes you use more of your core muscles and it tests your balance and coordination. Due to the way the handle is shaped, I purchased it to incorporated more compound exercises. The Russian Kettle Bell swing will target your whole body in just one sweep! Talk about efficient.

Here are exercise examples

Light Dumbbells

These light dumbbells come in a range of 3 to 8 lbs. They are great for beginners, or for doing high reps for arms.

Here are exercise examples

Resistance Bands

These bands are geared to workout and tone your upper body. I love them because you can target a lot of muscle groups; my favorite being back, shoulders and arms.

Here are exercise examples

Mat

These mats are not just for yoga. They are great at giving you a soft cushion for your floor exercises and keeps you secure on the ground.

Step Platform with Risers

The key with a step platform is movement repetition. This is great for strength training your legs and for some cardio. I also use this for height when I am doing hip thrusts on the floor. I purchased additional risers to increase the intensity of my workout. My favorite exercise is a step up lunge with ankle weights and light dumbbells.

Here are exercise examples

I hope this post got you thinking about all of the possibilities of getting in a bomb workout! Be sure to check out the exercise example links, I promise they will definitely inspire your next workout.

I’ve received some questions about which waist trainer that I use. I linked it for you. Wearing this waist trainer while I workout is a must for me. I even wear it around the house to help support my diastasis recti. Remember to always engage your core with any exercise that you do. A bonus equipment for your core workout is sliders.

As always, thanks for reading!

Do you prefer the gym or at home workouts? What’s your must have at-home workout equipment? Please do tell! xo

*this post contains affiliate links, all thoughts and opinions are my own.