For Creative Strength Workouts Try These! Best Home Gym Equipment
2014
Bodyweight exercises and home workouts have taken the world by storm and are the rage everywhere. It’s no wonder, because they work. They shape, lean out, tighten and tone the body quickly. However, it is true that to gain more muscle weight is needed. And it is beneficial not only for putting on muscle but for your health to add weight training in with bodyweight training. Here are some of my favorite pieces of home gym equipment to add weight and to change up your routine.
Sandbag
I’m starting with my favorite. The Ultimate Sandbag and Sandbag Training. Sandbag training is based on building functional strength – that is, strength that comes from moving and lifting as you would in day to day life. The sandbag, due to its shape and being filled with sand allow you to use major muscle groups along with core and inner assisting muscles that are not normally worked with most weight training. This helps build a deeper inner body strength that will assist and help protect you in your day to day life.
Favorite sandbag workouts:
Sexy Cyclone Spin Sandbag Workout
Strength in Spades Sandbag Workout
Power Clean Sandbag Workout
Build a Better Body Sandbag Workout
Ugi
My Ugi ball felt like a real indulgence when I first got it. It is fairly expensive at $139 each at the time of writing. Ugi is 15 inches in diameter and is weighted – from 6 to 15 pounds; mine is 8. His evenly weighted fitness ball has the squish of a beanbag, yet the bounce back of a stress ball. It is also geared towards functional strength and one of the best aspects I found of the Ugi is that in many exercises you use it to balance on and can feel the inner muscles working as you balance, thus working the inner assisting muscles and again building core strength.
Can you tell I am a big fan of building core strength? I feel it is so important especially as we get older, to really help protect and strengthen our body on a deep level.
Favorite Ugi workouts:
Blazing Buns Ugi Workout
Cosmic Ugi Ab Workout
Cross my Abs Goodbye to Thighs Ugi Workout
Paper Scissors Rick Ugi Ab Workout
and also using the sandbag: The Good, the Bad and the Ugi Workout
Pull Up Bar
A standard pull up bar is inexpensive and easily found in most fitness and department stores. They fit in most doorways and are very easy to use. You can just take it down to store and set up very easily whenever you want to workout with it. Pull ups and chin ups are a great exercise to build lats, which give you that great V shape that makes your aist look smaller. They work lots of the back, shoulder and arm muscles. The pull up bar is not only just for pull ups and you can do many other exercises with it. A favorite of mine is knee and leg raises which really works the abs muscles.
Favorite Pull Up Bar workouts:
Pulling a Fast One Workout
High Five Workout
All Burpee’d Up Workout
Dip Bar
I use the Dip Bar by Ultimate Body Press and like the pull up bar there are several exercises that can be performed on this. It is great for dips and reverse push ups that work lats and arms, as well as knee raises, working abs. It’s a killer machine but I mosly like it for the diversity it gives to a workout.
Favorite Dip Bar workouts:
Lunge Time Workout
Twin Peaks Full Body Workout
Triple Trip Dip Station Workout
and also using the Swiss ball: Skinny Dipping Dip Station Workout
Medicine Ball
This is one of the easiest ways to add a little weight and change up your routines. Medicine balls are inexpensive, easy to find and great for changing things up. Here are some ways to use one and switch up your home workout.
Favorite Medicine ball workouts:
Squat and Run Legs and Abs Workout
Get the Ball Rolling Tabata Workout
Quantum Abs Workout
Legs of Steel Workout
Swiss ball
These make workouts fun. Plain and simple. They also help you work on your balance and help build core strength. You have to get and use one of these!
Favorite Swiss ball workouts:
Rocket of Desire Swiss Ball Ab Workout
Roll it Up Workout
Devious Workout
and this favorite, but only has 2 Swiss ball exercises: Queen of Squats Workout
And, last but not least:
Dumbbells
You probably have these at home already. If not I have even seen water bottles or other household objects being substituted. I have some fun ways of using them.. cause you know I love getting creative!
Favorite Dumbbell workouts:
Muscle Invasion Dumbbell Workout
Shoulder Cap Campout Workout
Full Force Workout
Hope you found some exciting new ideas for your next workout!
