Mini Home Gym – Best Compact Ideas & Equipment 2024

1. Resistance Bands

My former personal trainer, Joe, LOVED including resistance bands in my workouts. They’re a great way to build muscle in the upper body and lower body without large strength training machines. When purchasing resistance bands, get the ones with the handles—your hands will thank me later—and add in these wall anchors. If you have an extra $12, also invest in a set of resistance loop bands—they’re a great space-saving addition to any workout and perfect for all fitness levels. 

2. Yoga Mat

Do you need a yoga mat in your workout space? I say yes, it’s helpful. Carpet can feel itchy and scratchy, and hardwood or tile is, well…hard, so it’s easier on the knees. Plus, if you’re working up a sweat, a mat is much easier to clean and won’t get stinky. After each workout, I wipe mine down with a Clorox wipe and roll it up after it dries. I purchased the Lululemon 5mm Mat and love it, but it does need time to off gas…oh, and I suggest purchasing it in black because the other colors will show sweat marks (butt sweat marks).

3. Dumbbells And Free Weights

I picked up this small set of weights at Target because they look pretty, but invest in adjustable dumbbells if you’re short on space. At first glance, you may have sticker shock (I know I did), but when you add up the price of individual weights plus a dumbbell rack, it’s pretty much a wash. Now that Cooper (my son) uses the home gym for wrestling training, we’ve added heavier weights, and adjustable ones would take up less space. Right now, I have 6 pairs of dumbbells that range from 5 lbs to 20 pounds, and they’re perfect for my non-bro gym. 

I also have a set of Bala Bangles that I use as ankle weights (you can also wear them on your wrists) to kick up the level of resistance in a workout, and the best part is that they have a compact design. 

4. Exercise Bike

I’ve owned a treadmill, an elliptical, and other exercise equipment, but nothing compares to my Peloton bike. Yes, it’s pricey (The lowest price I’ve seen on Peloton is a refurbished bike for $995; however, they do pop up for less on Facebook Marketplace.), but it’s a great option if you have the room in your small home gym. There’s a monthly subscription fee (that is less than most gym memberships). With that, you’ll receive thousands of at-home classes to keep you motivated, like kickboxing, barre, pilates, yoga, HIIT workouts, strength training with body weight, dumbbells, resistance bands, and more. Plus, you can choose different session times, favorite instructors, and fitness levels all in the comfort of your own home. Because I get bored easily, 

I prefer the Peloton over a regular stationary bike because the on-demand workouts and live classes have an instructor motivating you, and the leaderboard adds a competitive aspect to your workout routine. Remember to “heart” the songs you like, as the app will recommend workouts in your preferred music genre. Srsly, it’s one of my best home gym equipment pieces. 

5. Virtual Personal Trainer & Nutrition Coach

I’ve been fighting Achilles and posterior tibial tendonitis since last May, and after a lot of physical therapy, I can finally walk without pain. But getting back into my regular workout routine has not been easy, so I joined Kickoff. You are matched with a personal trainer for 1-on-1 coaching via text and video. So far, I’m obsessed and down 3 lbs! I like Kickoff because you’re working with a real-life person who holds you accountable while creating new habits. My personal trainer is Ty Davis. He is based out of Pennsylvania while I’m in Chicago, and every week, he designs personalized workouts based on my goals and schedule (Ty sends me 4 different workouts a week). 

I also log my meals by uploading a photo within the app, and Ty has started to look at and suggest ways I can improve my eating habits to sustain results. Throughout the day, he’ll text me something motivational to keep me going…which is exactly what I need if I have skipped a workout. If you’re looking for a personal trainer without the high price tag (I mean can you imagine how much it would cost to work out with a personal trainer 4 times a week!), I highly recommend training with Kickoff. (and no, I was not paid to write that)

6. Foam Roller

If there’s one thing getting older has taught me, it’s stretch, stretch, stretch, and foam roll some more. Before and after every great workout, you should use a foam roller to stimulate your nervous system to relax tension in your body. Reasons why you need a foam roller? It’ll help reduce muscle soreness, improve blood circulation, break down knots in your muscles, prevent future injury, and improve flexibility, among other things. I like the smooth foam rollers over the nubby ones (those hurt), and believe me when I say, buy the longest foam roller you can find (my new one is 36″ long). The Boy bought a short one, and I constantly fell off it while rolling out my back. 

7. Adjustable Weight Bench

I held off on purchasing a weight bench, but when cardio alone wasn’t budging the numbers on the scale (thank you menopause), my sister-in-law suggested I incorporate traditional strength training. I loved working out in the Big Boy gym with free weights when I had a gym membership, so during the Amazon Prime Day sale. I bought this adjustable bench that folds up for easy storage—a great option if you have little space. Cooper asked for a squat rack with a barbell and free weights; my gold girly weights were unacceptable. He hasn’t used the home gym often, but I have zero regrets because now I use the bench press myself. 

8. Easy Storage Ideas

I wish I had added a weight rack/sports organizer when I first designed the gym. It’s not pretty, but it’s a great addition to a mini home gym because it wrangles everything that can cause clutter and chaos in a small space. The organizer rack I purchased has hooks for resistance bands, shelves for yoga blocks, bike shoes, and weights, a small basket to hold loop bands, and extra space in the back for taller items like foam rollers and yoga mats. 

9. BOSU Ball

I purchased a BOSU Ball after Zoe was born, and it’s a great tool to add a stability challenge to your workout. There are a bunch of different exercises you can do on a BOSU, but I like to stand on mine during dumbbell curls, step-ups, and squats, and when I’m finished, You can see in the photo above I lean it up against the wall to save on floor space. Flip it over (ball side down) and plank on it for a core-crushing workout. Kick it up a notch by steadily tilting the ball forward and backward while holding a plank. Kick it up another notch by doing mountain climbers on it or push-ups. Yup, it’s a great addition to any fitness routine and the perfect size for home use. 

10. Suspension Trainer

The one thing I miss from my traditional gym membership days is the TRX Suspension Trainer System, and I have added it to my holiday wishlist (although I’m unsure where I’d install the hook in our home gym). TRX is a great option for compact home gyms or if you live in a small apartment because you’ll get a full body workout without using much space—that is if you mount the anchor to the wall (into a stud) and don’t invest in a giant Force USA G. In a nutshell, the TRX system uses your bodyweight and the power of gravity to build strength, burn fat, and increase endurance. 

11. Smart TV

When I use the Peloton app, I like to cast the class from my phone to the Frame TV (it’s disguised as an abstract painting in the photos above). The larger screen makes it easier for me to see the instructor, and I don’t get distracted with phone notifications when casting to the TV. A couple of my favorite instructors are Robin Azron’s strength classes. Hannah Corbin’s foam rolling classes and Emma Lovewell’s Crush Your Core classes. 

It’s also nice to have a TV in the home gym to break up the monotony of a workout. Hour-long resistance band strength workouts go by fast when watching Schitt’s Creek.

12. Wireless Speaker

While doing one of Ty’s Kickoff workouts, I have a Spotify playlist blasting. When you begin a Kickoff workout, you are prompted with a beep for each set, circuit, and rest break. The beep sounds through the wireless speaker along with my music, and I don’t need to look at my phone unless I need to know which exercise is up next. I rarely use my wireless speaker with the Peloton app because it has its own music, but if I want Spotify music, I don’t want to listen to it through my phone. 

13. Ergatta Rowing Machine

If you have extra space in your mini home gym, there are a few additional pieces of equipment that I love to use in my workouts. The first is the Ergatta rowing machine. This is a newer addition to our gym, and it really gets your heart rate up! If you only have your living room or spare room to work out in, the Ergatta is beautiful to look at, and it is easy and light enough to lean up against the wall for more compact storage. This water rower simulates the experience of rowing in a lake with a side of gaming. You can participate in multi-player (real people) competitive games with different courses, play single-player games like Meteor, or maybe go on a scenic row. Whatever you choose, it’s a workout for your entire body.

14. Puzzle Mat Flooring

If you have a dedicated space for a small home gym, I highly suggest the puzzle mat flooring, especially if you have hardwood or tile flooring, as I do. First, it’ll protect your floors from damage—yes, your kid will drop a weight one day. Let me tell you, that day sucks, but not as bad if you have the puzzle flooring protecting it. Second, it adds that extra cushion, which is a godsend when you’re holding low lunge during a yoga session. That position always kills my knee. 

15. Resistance Bar

I don’t own this contraption, but my friend Angie sent it to me (you know her from my 30th class reunion post) the other week. She works for a biohacker company and is always in the know regarding the latest and greatest in home gym gear. This simple-looking resistance bar will take your home gym to a new level because you can get up to 600 lbs of available force. Obviously, that is more than I need, but I’m thinking about Cooper and The Boy. So what makes it so cool? Well, it’s like if resistance bands, a TRX system, and a bench press had a baby, it would be this all-in-one complete resistance solution.