Not everyone wants to work out in front of a large group of people or can afford the cost of a gym membership, and with the internet widely used and available, online fitness classes and home gyms have been gaining popularity. With all the things available, what are some of the must-haves for a home gym? What are some of the best items that will be well worth money spent? Read on to find out.
In total, the best gear for online fitness equipment comes from brands like Echelon, Xterra, and Nike, although these are just a few of the many available. Each company offers choices for fitness equipment, as well as programs to go along with the equipment. But before you can commit, it’s important to know your choices.
If you’re looking to replace the gym or get in shape when you have never had the chance to go to the gym, read on for a guide for some equipment that you need to get before starting a new workout regime in the home.
Article Contents
The Online Fitness Equipment and Home Gym Revolution!
Online gyms and classes, along with home gyms, have steadily been growing in popularity. Now is a great time to get started with opening your home gym for personal use. The pros- you don’t need to pay for a high gym membership, and you don’t have to work out in front of a large group of strangers. You can take classes that fit your schedule, and that will give you the flexibility you need.
Now is an easier time than ever to turn a room or space in your home into a gym. All you need is to purchase the first few items, and you can build as slowly or quickly as your needs and budget allow.
To have your own home gym, you’ll need equipment. Here are a few things that are often found in home gyms that you might want to consider in yours’:
- Free weights: These will work for more than just lifting. Lighter weights work with cardio while heavier work well with.
- Workout bikes: These tend to be the first thing people think of when they start stocking up a home gym. Treadmills and workout bikes can hit nearly all areas and muscle groups, depending on the exercises you choose to do.
- Weight bench: If you have the space, a good weight bench with a foot lift works well at hitting every muscle. You have the bench press, weight bar, and you can do squats as well as leg lifts.
- Tension straps: Straps can be fixed to a door or doorframe easily and work well with a wide variety of workouts. You can also get straps you stand on that work against your own body. Together, both sets can give your arms and upper abs a great workout, or on your back, you can get a great leg workout in.
- Yoga mat: It can help with any floor moves, not just yoga, and will help with any move that requires being on your knees. Yoga blocks or a balance ball are also great items to buy. They help with stability during workouts and can help you learn to balance.
The Most Versatile Online Fitness Equipment
Online fitness equipment is quickly becoming a staple in homes. There were initially just a few companies that were pioneers of online fitness equipment, but now you have options.
Versatile online fitness equipment gives you the freedom to pick and choose your workouts, depending on your own needs. And maybe even your mood! You might want to do yoga one day but cardio the next. With versatile online fitness equipment, you’ll be able to do just that.
Here are some of the most versatile online fitness equipment brands
The Top 5 Online Fitness Equipment Brands
Online fitness brands are making it easier for people to work out at home. These companies have mastered the art of creating equipment that functions with apps or websites to simplify at-home workouts. There are many different fitness apps you can access through app stores on different types of phones. You just need a smartphone and the internet to access any type of workout you can want, along with the fitness equipment purchased through the company.
1. Exerpeutic
You can find their stuff from Paradigm Health & Wellness, which is a company that supplies fitness equipment. They also offer an app that lets you track your use of some of their equipment (and other equipment), similar to Google or Apple health trackers.
The pros of Exerpeutic online fitness equipment include:
- High rated physical equipment
- Variety of items to choose from and decent prices.
On the other hand, the cons of this brand include:
- The app is rated low.
- Users report that the app can be off when it comes to tracking.
Some of the best items from Exerpeutic include:
- EXERPEUTIC 250XL Upright Bike with Pulse- this was picked by Men’s Health as one of the editor’s choices. It offers a very easy to get off the bike, providing a more a more effective and comfortable workout, an 8 level Magnetic Tension control system, allows you to adjust the tension level for an easy or more difficult workout, an easy to read large LCD display that indicates distance, calories burned, time, speed, scan and heart rate monitor.
- Hand Pulse Monitor, a three-piece high torque cranking system that gives it a smooth and consistent pedaling, folds up for easy storage
- Exerpeutic 225SL Inversion Table with ‘SURELOCK’ Safety Ratchet System offers three angles and an easy-to-reach ankle lock system. It holds up to 250lbs and is easier to use than many other brands on the market.
2. XTerra
XTerra has some of the higher rated exercise bikes listed on Amazon. Out of thousands of reviews, they are higher than four-star reviews. Not only do they sell equipment, but they also have a charity and do races in parts of Asia, the Americas, Canada, and Europe. They have a training program to train younger coaches and many other things. Check their website out if you are interested in learning more.
They also have an app, but like Exerpeudic, they also have low ratings in the app store.
The advantages to Xterra include:
- Highly rated physical products.
- A cost that will not break your budget.
Of course, with advantages come disadvantages. However, the only major downfall that users report with Xterra brand online exercise equipment is that the app isn’t as efficient, so it has a low rating.
Xterra has a few different offerings as part of its online fitness equipment brand. One of these includes the HOKA x XTERRA Torrent shoes. They are listed in the number one spot on the website. They are made for running and all terrains to be comfortable no matter what type of walking or running you are doing.
Another component is XTERRA Fitness FB150 Folding Exercise Bike. This bike is highly rated on Amazon and offers more than just a normal, lower-tech exercise bike but also has the convenience of being neatly folded up and stored. It offers an LCD window that will display everything you need to know in an easy-to-read manner, and it has eight different intensities.
3. BeachBody
BeachBody has a bad rap because it’s an MLM, but they have good equipment and great workouts. They offer everything you need, including logs to keep track of your results and your diet. You can buy everything you need at once or experiment with just a few things at a time.
The best purchase you can make from BeachBody is to buy a one-year subscription to their on-demand. The resistance bands are also great quality purchase. You can buy it all in a kit to go along with newer workouts, and there are options to add shakes and other items to any purchase.
Shakeology is a delicious way to replace a meal and can help you get what you need before and during workouts.
BeachBody’s pros include:
- You can cancel subscriptions at any time.
- Users can buy packages as well as single items.
- It’s easy to workout from anywhere
Again, there aren’t a lot of cons that come with BeachBody, outside of the fact that it’s an MLM, and that’s a turnoff for many. It also tends to be a little more pricey than other similar products.
4. Echelon
Echelon are direct competitors of Peloton. They have a similar bike, allow cycling classes to be taken online, and offer a very similar experience for a cheaper price. The people who have reviewed the bike say it’s just as good but better priced, so this is a great alternative if you’re looking for something similar to the Peloton but can’t quite afford the price.
Echelon is a reputable brand for online fitness equipment, with pros including:
- A more affordable price tag than competition
- Equal quality compared to similar companies
- High reviews reported from users
Echelon isn’t as well known as competitor companies, which some view as a disadvantage. This also means the community of Echelon users and instructors isn’t as widespread as others.
Echelon’s Smart Connect EX3 Exercise Bike is a great option for online fitness equipment. This is Echelon’s version of the Peloton. It allows you to have the same experience but cheaper. It has a tablet holder because it doesn’t have a screen, so you need to bring your phone or tablet, but you can do the same things as a Peloton.
The Echelon Row-s Connected Rowing Machine is an alternative to an exercise bike, so it’s a different option compared to other offerings by rival companies. This is a more advanced rowing machine with an HD screen that can give you a full-body workout experience.
5. Nike
Nike sells a lot of clothing, but they also sell some equipment. They are a great brand to hit up for the balls, bats, and other sports equipment you will need for the stuff you want to do outside. They are also a great brand for anything hiking and running. Here are a few items they sell that would work well in a home gym.
Armbands, sweatbands, and belts- these are things that people don’t put as much thought into when they are stocking up, but keeping your skin from getting too sweaty (can lead to rashes and other problems) or keeping your pants up comfortably so you’re not having to constantly pull at the belt or pull your pants up is a major thing to look at. Their armbands are not too expensive, and if you find the right sales, you can find heavily discounted items.
Of course, like any major brand, Nike also has a training app available on the app store. It’s highly rated and highly liked by users.
Nike is one of the top names in sports, so it’s highly rated and high quality. This is a definite pro. However, Nike is expensive and not as affordable as other companies, so that’s a major minus.
Outro
If you want to create an effective at-home routine to work out just as well as you would at a gym, you have many great options. Working out no longer needs to be with a personal trainer- you now have professionals offering Youtube or subscription tutorials, and equipment is available for all budgets. A simple google search will come up with endless possibilities.
