Fit Tips: My Favorite Equipment and At-Home Swaps

Bodyweight exercises are nothing to laugh at! That being said, I love adding a little variety to my workouts with different pieces of equipment. Here are some of my favorite tools to spice things up and the things I use at home to get a similar workout!

Balance Pad: Pillow

I think a lot of people assume balance exercises are for old people. This isn’t true! Start working on your balance now so you’re less likely to have balance-related issues and injuries as you age.

Things like standing on one leg might be too easy, so add some spice to it! Doing exercises while standing on one leg is one way to challenge your balance, but I’m also a big fan of balance pads!

Large foam pads, inflatable discs, and BOSU trainers are pieces of equipment specifically made for challenging one’s ability to stay balanced. They’re also a little pricey.

My affordable solution? A pillow! Many of my clients are used to using a pillow in their one-on-one virtual sessions.

The challenge depends on your pillow's thickness, so consider standing on more than one if it gets too easy! Remember to clear the space around you for hazards and stay near a chair or countertop in case you need to catch yourself.

Dumbbells: Resistance Bands or Water Bottles

Dumbbells are such a versatile piece of equipment, but they’re also pretty darn expensive! While not a bad tool to have at home, the price can make it tough to add dumbbells to your at-home equipment collection.

Resistance bands are a (typically) less expensive solution that offers a lot of the same benefits!

There are a few different styles of bands: 

Tube bands: tube-shaped bands that often come with carabiners on each end. These don’t form a loop. They have the added benefit of changing out attachments, from things like handles to ankle bands. These are great for a ton of exercises targeting different muscles, including bicep curls, squats, overhead extensions, and more.

Loop or “booty bands”: Small loop bands that are often flat and made of rubber or elastic and fabric. In my personal experience, the fabric ones are difficult to use for anything besides lower body resistance. The rubber bands tend to have more give and start at a lower resistance

Pull-up bands: These bands are much longer than booty bands but form a loop as well. They’re often used for pull-up assistance but they have many other uses as well, similar to tube bands.

Cable Machine: Resistance Band with Door Anchor

Cable machines offer a lot of variety in terms of the exercises you can do and the muscles you can work. However, a cable machine at home isn’t very practical. Instead, all you need is a resistance band and a door anchor!

I covered the different types of resistance bands above, so I’ll focus on the door anchor for this one!

Door anchors often come with resistance band sets. A door anchor is typically a small strip of fabric attached to something like a foam tube. You can shut the anchor in a door and it will hold your resistance band safely. This setup is especially helpful for trying to do at-home versions of cable exercises like tricep pushdowns, lat pulldowns, or cable rotations.

If you don’t have a door anchor, this video shows you how to make one with a sock!

Sliders: Socks

Sliders can add dynamic movement, increased core engagement, and a lot more difficulty to exercises! When you’ve got sliders under your feet, planks become a much bigger challenge! So do reverse lunges, mountain climbers, and a ton of other exercises!

Sliders generally aren’t too expensive, but socks are an even cheaper option that you probably already own! They work best on hard surfaces like wood and tile, but socks on carpet work a little too!

If you have a mostly carpeted space, try paper plates instead!

Knee Pad: Pillow

A knee pad isn’t so much about adding challenge and more about comfort. I don’t know about anyone else, but kneeling on the hard floor isn’t as easy as it used to be! Instead of a knee pad, a pillow works just as well. Add a little cushion as you stretch or while you do kneeling and half-kneeling movements!

Barbell: Broom or PVC pipe and Resistance Bands

Barbells are large bars, often seen with weight plates stacked on either side. They’re another great piece of equipment that’s often too pricey or too large for a home gym setup.

Dumbbells and barbells both have their place in exercise, but the benefits of barbells include full-body strength, the ability to lift more weight, and potentially better posture.

Though it won’t be an exact replacement, using something like a long piece of PVC or broom is a good way to practice the position of barbell moves like squats and deadlifts. Using tube or pull-up bands adds to the challenge if you can properly wrap the band around each side of the bar, being careful to secure them!

Have Fun, be Safe, and Get Creative!

These are just a few simple ways to swap out expensive exercise equipment for affordable, home-friendly versions. There are a ton of other ways to explore movement and strength training at home, and I encourage you to give it a go!

Remember to be careful, anchor your bands properly, and don’t try something if it makes you feel unsafe. If you’re interested in personalized recommendations based on your needs and available equipment, set up a free consultation with me and we can discuss!

If you’ve already tried some of the above swaps or have your own, I would love to hear about it!

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash