Make an Affordable, Storable, Portable Home Gym

Working out at home or outdoors is becoming more of a regular thing for most people, with shelter-in-place restrictions preventing us from going to our favorite gyms and studios. It you’re reluctant or inconsistent about it, here are some ideas to make it affordable, portable, interesting and fun.

$ Gym In A Bag: Small, portable

Contents: Resistance bands of various tensions (Therabands or bands with handles), 12” foam roller, 9” inflatable ball, yoga mat. Pack in a durable bag with long handles.

Use: Bag can be stored in a closet, under the bed, or by the door if you’re going to work out outdoors. Just grab it and go! There are a multitude of exercises that can be done with resistance bands, a roller and a ball. And the roller is good for self myofacial release exercises.

$$ Underbed Storage Bin: Compact, holds a lot

Contents: Yoga mat, small dumbbells of various sizes, exercise balance pad or ½ foam roller, Tune Up ball

Use: An under bed storage bin with wheels can hold heavier items since you won’t be carrying it out of your home, just wheeling it out when you need it. Make sure it’s long enough to hold your yoga mat. Choose dumbbells of various sizes, and a balance pad or ½ foam roller for balance and core stabilization exercises. The Tune Up ball is great for self-massage.

$$$ Aerobic Deck: Versatile, durable

Contents: Reebok Deck, resistance bands with handles

Use: An aerobic deck is a collapsable weight bench that can be used in a multitude of ways. Resistance bands are stored inside the top, which can be adjusted at an incline for seated exercises, or flat for supine or stepping. The legs of the deck fold for height adjustment and storage. It’s a little more of an investment than a bag or bin, but is very versatile.

$$$$ Pilates MOTR: Versatile, portable

Contents: Made by Balanced Body, the Pilates MOTR consists of a large foam roller containing an “arm” with resistance bands built in. You can use them together or separately. If you love Pilates but are tired of the mat and miss the reformer, this is a great portable option.

Use: Store upright in a closet or against a wall, then pull it out when you need it. The MOTR has a shoulder strap for portability. Some Pilates studios offer online classes, or you can take private sessions from me.