All adults should get at least 150 minutes of moderately intense aerobic exercise each week, along with two or more days of strength-training exercise, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend. Although you can meet these goals through a membership to your local fitness center, many choose to forgo gym membership fees and instead invest in a convenient home gym. When starting a home gym, consider certain core pieces of equipment.
Free Weights
Free weights are standard in many home gyms and provide the starting point for a strength-training workout, particularly for upper-body strength. Free weights come in various forms including barbells, dumbbells and kettlebells. You can increase the intensity of a free-weight workout by increasing the weight of the equipment, or by increasing the amount of repetitions you perform. Weight machines are also available for home purchase, but typically cost substantially more than free-weight products --- and take up more space.
Pull-Up Bar
A pull-up bar is a low-cost investment that can be installed in most doorways; more expensive self-supporting models are also available. A pull-up bar provides a strength-training workout by using your body's own weight as resistance as you lift your body up and lower it down.
Resistance Bands
Resistance bands are a cheap alternative to more costly free weights, the American Council on Exercise explains, and work by providing varying resistance levels to your muscles. This means that instead of your body working against gravity and the weight of equipment like a dumbbell, the natural resistance of the band pulls away from your body, forcing the muscles to work to stretch the band. Bands are available with varying resistance levels.
Exercise Mat
A simple exercise mat is a multi-functional piece of exercise equipment that should be part of any gym. Exercise mats are handy for exercises where you are spending more time on the floor, such as sit-ups or other abdominal exercises. The mat helps protect your body against rug burns and provides comfort through padding. Mats can also provide the grip needed if you plan to do yoga or Pilates movements in your home gym.
Cardio Equipment
Unless you live in an area where the weather is warm enough year-round to run, jog, bike or hike outside, you may want one or more pieces of cardiovascular exercise equipment in your gym. Some of the most common options include ellipticals, treadmills or step machines; prices range from a few hundred dollars to several thousand, depending on quality and features.
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