The Best Compact Gym Equipment for Breaking a Sweat at Home
No room for a treadmill or bike? No problem. Create a convenient and easy-to-store home gym with this space-saving exercise equipment.
Living in a smaller home means that I don't exactly have room for a treadmill, stationary bike or even a medicine ball. So, when my local gym closed in 2020 and took all of my favorite exercise equipment with it, I knew I needed to either rethink my fitness goals or find some small-space-friendly alternatives.
Lucky for me (and you!), there's a ton of great workout gear that takes up barely any square footage. Plus, they cost much less than an annual gym membership. If you want to make the most of your small at-home gym, here are my top space-saving gym equipment picks that are truly ideal for apartment and rental dwellers.
Probably the most compact workout accessory on this list, these dual-sided sliders add a balance and stability challenge to every move, which can help target and engage your core muscles. The foam side works best on hard, smooth surfaces like hardwood floors, and the plastic side works best on softer surfaces, like carpet or turf.
Transform any door into a total-body resistance trainer with this space-savvy kit. This resistance band set is designed to provide your entire body with an intense workout anywhere you want. It helps you build your core and sculpt your body using the natural force of gravity and your body weight for exceptional results. With five different colors and weights, all exercise bands can be used alone stacked or in any combination to a maximum equivalent of 100 pounds. You can use the resistance bands with ankle straps and door attachments to exercise everywhere.
Keep your heart rate up and track calories burned with this smart jump rope from Tangram Factory. The compact device connects to a compatible fitness app, so you can monitor your progress and complete interval training and challenges. It's available in six different colors and is easy to store.
Complete lunges, squats, presses and more at home with this convenient three-piece kettlebell set. You'll love the varying weights of five, 10 and 15 pounds almost as much as their sleek storage rack, which lets you push your new gear up against any wall or underneath the couch.
No space for a bulky weight machine or weight rack? No problem. Fit in your strength-training exercises with a compact, adjustable dumbbell. With multiple weight increment options in one dumbbell, the weight also comes with a space-saving tray for out-of-sight storage when not in use.
For the ultimate gym experience in one neat, space-saving package, look no further than this step deck from Reebok. The versatile design boasts more than 20 different configurations, so you can use it as everything from a step deck to a curling and press bench. Best of all? The inner chamber doubles as a storage bin, so you even have a place to put all of your equipment.