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Whether you hate exercising in front of people, don’t want to pay a monthly membership fee, or don’t have a lot of time, setting up a home gym is an effective and convenient way to get a workout in. Exercising in a small home or apartment where space is limited can be tough, but it’s still possible (and even easy) if you have the essential tools, from the right workout earbuds to easy-to-use fitness apps. Experts also say it’s not always how you move that matters, but that you actually get moving.

“When you’re stuck at home it’s easy to get lazy and fall into an unhealthy routine,” says Matt Williams, a NASM-certified personal trainer from Los Angeles. “Doing a workout or even just going for a brisk walk can dramatically improve your physical health and overall mental well-being. It can also help reduce anxiety.”

Fortunately, it’s never been easier to exercise at home, whether you want to set up a home gym or just pick up a few equipment essentials. We’ve put together this guide to help you get a full workout from equipment that’s small enough to fit in a closet — or in some cases, a desk drawer — based on personal testing, trainer feedback, and positive user experience from brands we trust. Here’s what to get.

1. Future Fitness App

One of the toughest parts of working out is knowing where to even begin. Having a personal trainer can make all the difference, but choosing one and making it work with your busy schedule can be just as exhausting as the routine itself. Enter the Future app, one of the best trainer-led fitness apps that gives you curated plans you can actually stick to.

Here’s the rundown of how Future actually works: Once you sign up, Future pairs you with a real live trainer, who will customize a weekly guided workout plan that’s designed just for you.

Though it’s all done over an app, you’re still getting real-life, professional training tips that are custom-made with your goals in mind. Future gives you a little more flexibility so you can access your plan and give feedback when it’s convenient for you. Unlike other fitness apps that come preloaded with routines, Future lets you tailor your workout plan directly with your trainer, but still get the convenience of accessing everything right from your phone. And don’t worry, if you don’t think the trainer is the right fit for you, you can switch to a new one at any time without paying any hidden fees.

You can sign up for Future now and get your first month for $99/month. After that, your Future membership costs $199 per month (which gets you unlimited personal training coaching for less than the price of a single private training session in a boutique gym).

2. Hydrow Wave Rower

Rowing machines work your arms, chest, glutes, and legs by having you repetitively pull on a handle attached to a magnetic wheel while pushing against a pair of pedals. This rower from Hydrow, the Hydrow Wave, is one of the best rowing machines you can buy online, with computer-controlled resistance levels, an ergonomic design and a massive 22-inch screen to display how many calories you’ve burned, the duration of your workout, and how many times you’ve completed a row. Hydrow says its patented “drag technology” closely mimics rowing on water, so you get a more realistic workout.

The Hydrow Wave also solves the two biggest barriers preventing you from adding equipment to your home gym: space and cost. It’s lighter and smaller than their previous rowing machine, and folds up for easy vertical storage (it costs less, too). It comes with a one-year warranty. (Note: You’ll still want to sign up for a membership to Hydrow, which gets you unlimited access to instructor-led workouts, with unlimited member profiles. Membership is just $44/month.)

3. Meta Quest 2

While you may think of VR as just for gaming, there are so many fitness VR apps available that you can now “gameify” your workouts and work up as much of a sweat with a headset and controllers as you would at your local gym. Whether dance is your jam, or you’d rather break a sweat while you box, Meta Quest 2 is worth the investment, especially if you’re curious about what VR can do. While the headset itself starts at just $249, both the workout apps we’ve tested also had budget-friendly subscriptions. 

Games like FitXR and Supernatural deliver easy-to-follow, sweat-inducing workouts. Certain games like FitXR even include a Peloton-esque leaderboard in each workout allowing you to keep track of how well you’re doing. Supernatural especially has a great set of instructors, all of whom feel like personal trainers in your own home, pushing you to do your best. Most of these games have a monthly subscription model that gets you access to even more workouts, and advanced features. Meta Quest 2 is a great addition to any at-home gym routine, making your workout fun enough to forget about that next rep or two. 

4. Obé Fitness

Designed specifically for women, Obé Fitness is a digital workout platform that features unlimited live and on-demand exercise classes. With 10,000 videos in their library, they offer everything from vinyasa yoga to boxing programs and even dance and pilates sessions. Each instructor-led video is between 5 and 60 minutes long, depending on the type of exercise you choose, and focuses on what the brand calls “body literacy”—the idea that you need to listen to what your body wants, in order to see the best results.

One of our favorite components of Obé Fitness is the short quiz the brand offers, which, after a series of quick questions, recommends a personal class plan for you based on your health and fitness goals. This not only helps you stay motivated, but it also curates a schedule that is custom to you and easy to follow. Some other benefits include the ability to track your cycle and hormones, prenatal and postnatal programs, and free education and resources on mental health.

Obé Fitness offers a 7-day free trial program before you officially sign up, and afterward, the platform is $24.99 per month or $169.99 per year. It’s an affordable, convenient way to get world-class fitness classes from the comfort of your own home.

5. Tempo Move

How do you fit an entire group of home gym equipment into one piece of gear? The simple answer: the Tempo Move. The side table-like unit combines the futuristic tech of a fitness mirror and all the essential weights and accessories you’ll need so that you can get your workouts done from any room in the house.

During our tests, it was simple to set up and break a sweat nearly right out of the box. The Move connects to any smart TV. Once you sign up for a Tempo membership, you use the Tempo app and your smartphone to stream thousands of the fitness company’s wide variety of on-demand and live workouts from expert trainers. Once you dock your smartphone on the Tempo Move’s Core accessory, the Move uses your phone’s camera and Tempo’s 3D Vision tracking to guide your form during your routines, as well as offer weight recommendations — just like your trainer’s actually there in real life. The workouts range from yoga to HIIT and weight training routines.

One of the Tempo Move‘s best features is its design and small size. It’s fit for bedrooms, apartments, or anywhere you have access to a power source. Pull back the cabinet’s cover, and you’ll see all your storage for your weights (included). There’s even space inside to store your dumbbells, which you can access from the Move’s top cover. The bottom line: The Tempo Move makes working at home a breeze from start to finish.

6. Yoga Mat

Doing yoga on a hard floor can hurt your back, and a towel or carpet may slide under you while you’re doing complex poses, so it pays to have a yoga mat. This one from Fitvids is 71 x 24 inches, so it should accommodate most people. It’s half-an-inch thick, which the company says can comfortably cushion your spine, hips, knees, and elbows while you’re practicing yoga. The mat is made out of a double-sided, non-slip surface to help you avoid falling, and a moisture-resistant technology that makes it easy to clean. We also like that the yoga mat comes with a strap, which keeps it bundled when you’re not using it.

7. Wastou Jump Rope

“Jumping rope is a great form of cardio especially when you’re stuck indoors,” Williams says. “Just 10 minutes of jumping rope has been found to be similar to 30 minutes of jogging.” This jump rope is digital, so it can keep track of how many calories you’ve burned, how many times you’ve jumped, and how long you’ve been working out. It’s made out of PVC coated steel wire that’s durable but flexible. The rope comes with a nine and a half foot cable, which can be adjusted using four velcro binders, so it’ll be comfortable to use for most adults.

“If you want to ramp up the intensity [of your workout] you could mix in the rope with some burnouts of other exercises,” Williams suggests. “Try two minutes jumping rope with burnout of squats, two minutes jumping rope with burnout of pushups, two minutes jumping rope with burnout of bicycle kicks, etc.”

8. Peloton Exercise Bike

Spin classes have soared in popularity over the last few years. But if you don’t want to leave the house during the colder months, pick up a Peloton stationary bike, which lets you get the same workout at home. Stationary bikes work your arms and legs by replicating a bicycle ride at different levels of resistance. This bestseller includes an HD display touchscreen to ride along with trainers during classes. You’ll need a membership to access Peloton’s suite of workouts ($44/month). Better yet, it’s about the size of a yoga mat at 4 x 2 feet, ideal for small apartments or office spaces, especially during the winter.

According to one reviewer on Amazon: “I am addicted to pedaling outdoors. However, I am a fair weather pedaler. So this helps me stay in shape when the weather is bad. The trainers are fun and motivating. Delivery was easy.”

9. TRX Training System

TRX’s All-in-ONE Suspension Training System can give you a full body workout, with straps that fit inside a desk drawer. The set comes with two straps, which use an anchor and looping mechanism to attach to a heating pipe or tree, and an anchoring system, that lets you attach the straps to the back of a closed door. Once the straps are attached, you can perform a series of body weight exercises, which use tension between your body and the straps to work out your muscles

TRX says its system can teach you to use seven foundational moves: push, pull, plank, squat, lunge, hinged, and rotate to work every part of your body. Its straps are capable of supporting up to 360 pounds of resistance, which you can work up to gradually.

10. NordicTrack T Series Treadmill

If you want to get a full run in while you’re indoors, you’re going to need a treadmill. We’re recommending this one from NordicTrack because it’s full of smart features designed to help alleviate some pain points you may encounter on an indoor run.

The T Series has several settings to help scale your run’s intensity. It can be adjusted to move up to 10 miles per hour at up to a 10% incline. Its speed controls are located on the front of the bike, along with an LCD screen showing your speed, the duration of your run, your current incline, how many calories you’ve burned, and the time.

Large start and stop buttons make it easy to begin and end your workout at any time. The machine also has a 3.5mm audio jack, and a pair of stereo speakers, so you can connect a device to it and listen to music. This treadmill was designed to work with iFit’s Interactive Personal Training system, which requires its own membership. (You’ll get a 30-day iFit free trial included.). Members gain access to a series of on-demand workout programs, which let professional trainers lead you through guided exercises. These training sessions adjust the speed and incline settings on your treadmill automatically to create a full workout.

At 73 x 35.8 x 67.5 inches and 203 pounds, this treadmill has wheels on its back for easy movement, and can be folded up for storage. It’s still an investment, but this treadmill would be the centerpiece of your home gym. It currently boasts over 32,000 reviews on Amazon, getting top marks for ease of use and quality. “I highly recommend this treadmill for home use,” one Amazon reviewer wrote, “specially if you don’t need a fancy big screen and it is mostly for the days you can’t run/walk outside. Great for just a couple of people with a few hours of usage a day.”

11. FluidStance Balance Board

The Level is a skateboard-shaped platform that’s set on top of a curved piece of metal. It helps you exercise by requiring you to make small adjustments to your posture to keep your balance. We tried the FluidStance board at the office and were impressed by its effectiveness. It’s surprisingly challenging, and really forces you to work on stabilizing your legs and core. Because of its skateboard-like shape, it’s easy to chalk it up to a “toy,” but it’s definitely become an essential part of our stay-at-home workout. It’s small enough to tuck under your bed or desk and we’ve started taking some calls while standing on it too, to get in a few extra minutes of exercise.

12. Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

Apple’s AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) deliver stellar noise-canceling sound and even support spatial audio for a more immersive listening experience. But another thing that really sets them apart from the pack is their workout-friendly design. They’re dust-, sweat-, and water-resistant, so you can rest easy knowing that your buds won’t get damaged even during your most grueling workouts. They might not be able to complete your workout for you, but they’ll make your playlist sound better (and won’t fall out of your ears either).

13. Amazon Basics Medicine Ball

Holding a medicine ball while you exercise can help work your arms and core, whether you’re twisting, lifting, or balancing on it to augment your pushups. Amazon Basics’ medicine ball is made out of textured rubber, which makes it easier to hold when you’re sweaty, and more comfortable too.

Williams says he uses a medicine ball for a “solid full body burner.” His instructions: “Start with your feet a little wider than shoulder width apart, then hold the ball under your chin. Perform a squat and on the way up, press the ball overhead. If you want to ramp it up, toss the ball into the air and as you catch it, slowly come back down into the squat.” This medicine ball is available in multiple weight classes, but we’re recommending the six-pound option for beginners.

14. TriggerPoint GRID Foam Massage Roller

A good post-workout routine can help you from overworking your muscles, and overcome soreness. This foam roller from TriggerPoint gives you plenty of surface area to roll out your joints, and can be used on everything from your legs and quads, to your stomach and back.

A good foam roller can help increase blood flow and ease tension after a workout, or just a particularly stressful day of work. This set includes access to a free online instructional video library on foam rolling best practices from the experts at TriggerPoint.

15. Theragun Elite Massage Tool

It’s normal to feel sore after a workout, but you can alleviate some of that pain by using Theragun’s Elite Massage Gun. The massage gun comes with five attachment heads to make sure you’re prepared for all your muscle recovery needs on the go. What makes this device standout from other massagers is that it provides a 16mm extension into muscle which allows for deep tissue impact — making it a reliable choice for anyone that has a tough time with relieving muscle tension. On top of it all, the Theragun has an adjustable arm with four angles to you attack those hard-to-reach spots.

16. Tempo Studio Starter

There’s no shortage of fitness brands vying for your attention — and dollars — these days, but the most effective at-home workout system we’ve tried comes from Tempo.

We recommend the Tempo Studio system for its fun, upbeat workouts, small footprint (it’s about the size of an easel) and AI-powered monitoring, which uses a built-in sensor to make sure your form is on point. No more hunching over.

Choose from a variety of Tempo classes, from cardio to stretching, all taught by motivating instructors that are surprisingly supportive, even separated by a screen. It’s a dazzling screen too, with a vivid touchscreen display, built-in speakers, and the ability to see everything from your reps to heart rate and more. It also comes with a couple of dumbbells, a set of free weights, weight collars that you can store in the cabinet base, plus a workout mat.

17. Bose QuietComfort II Earbuds

Water- and sweat-resistant earbuds might not offer workouts you can stream quick like, say, a fitness mirror. But that doesn’t mean that upgrading to more durable and high-tech buds can’t make your routines a little more fun and seamless. That’s especially true if you need buds to connect to your exercise equipment. We love Bose’s QuietComfort line of earbuds, including the Ultras and the QuietComfort IIs, above, which are ideal for workouts. The sweat-resistant buds work great for everyday listening, and their ergonomic design ensure they fit comfortably throughout your training.

TUESDAY, Nov. 26, 2024 (HealthDay News) — It’s common to find a pitcher soaking their elbow in an ice bucket following a baseball game, in an effort to save their arm for tomorrow’s innings.

But athletes about to hit the turf would be better off soaking their aching muscles and joints in a hot tub rather than an ice bath, researchers report in a new small-scale study.

A hot soak appears to improve exercise performance among athletes, researchers found.

On the other hand, cold soaks are better for lowering inflammation, swelling and fatigue, results show.

“While post-exercise [cold water immersion] is common on the sports field, cooling does not always have a positive effect on exercise capacity,” lead researcher Mamoru Tsuyuki, a master’s student in sports and health science at Ritsumeikan University in Shiga, Japan, said in a news release.

For the study, researchers asked a small group of endurance athletes to perform 50 minutes of high-intensity interval running, followed by 20 minutes of either a cold-water soak at 59 degrees Fahrenheit or a hot-water tub at 104 degrees F.

One hour after the workout, researchers measured the athletes’ jump height and blood levels of enzymes that indicate muscle soreness.

The athletes jumped higher after a hot soak compared to a cold soak, results show.

 “The novel findings from our study are that post-exercise hot water immersion promoted recovery of muscle power output compared to post-exercise cold water immersion,” Tsuyuki said. “The findings will be useful for people who conduct multiple sessions of exercise or competition within a day.”

Hot water increases blood flow to damaged muscle fibers, helping them repair themselves and become stronger, Tsuyuki told NBC News.

“When you need to perform twice in the same day, such as in sports that have a halftime, heat is better,” Tsuyuki said. “During the 15 or 20 minutes, if you can immerse yourself in hot water, you can probably perform better in the second half.”

Experts said that both hot and cold baths have an impact on blood flow to the muscles, and are likely useful depending on an athlete’s circumstances.

“I wouldn’t throw out cold baths,” Dr. Spencer Stein, an assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine, told NBC News. “There are studies that show cold baths can decrease soreness.”

However, “my experience with pro teams is they like warm baths before games,” Stein added. “If there’s a halftime, they don’t do a cold plunge.”

David Putrino, director of rehabilitation innovation at the Mount Sinai Health System in New York City, recommends that people soak either in 98- to 104-degree water for 10 to 20 minutes if they want a hot soak, or 10 to 15 minutes in 50- to 59-degree water for a cold soak.

Some folks love cold plunges because they feel energized afterward, Putrino said.

“Once they get out, their body is flooded with endorphins, the feel-good chemicals, and they get an immense rush of energy,” Putrino told NBC News.

“My recommendation is to use your own data to understand what works for you,” he said. “Don’t believe what you’re hearing on podcasts.”

Researchers presented these findings Thursday at the 2024 Integrative Physiology of Exercise conference at State College, Penn.

Because these findings were presented at a medical meeting, they should be considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.

More information

Stanford University has more on cold water immersion.

SOURCES: American Physiological Society, news release, Nov. 18, 2024; NBC News, Nov. 23, 2024