During 2020, I switched to working out from home and since then I’ve almost exclusively continued to do so. I found that it works best for my life in terms of convenience, saving time, and a routine that keeps me consistent. I use FREE YouTube workouts & follow along to those (I’ll put some of my favorite workout videos below) that can be for the gym or at home. Because of this, over time, I’ve purchased workout equipment from various places (Amazon, TJMaxx) and have been given some stuff from family/friends as well so I wanted to share the links if you are interested. Personally, I started out with 15 lb dumbbells for a while and then slowly built things up. My best advice is to get things slowly and on sale – typically I’ve waited for holiday sales, Amazon Prime Day, etc.
When I link to products, some of those links may be affiliate links. If you click on any of those links and make a purchase within a certain amount of time, I’ll earn a small commission – this commission is paid by the retailer to me at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
List of Products & My Favorite Free Workouts (that can be done at home or in a gym) that I use with the Products below!
WORKOUT ACCESSORIES
- Resistance Bands: Resistance Bands Set – 5-Piece – Portable Home Gym Accessories – Stackable Up to 150 lbs
- Exercise Mat: BalanceFrom Mat with Carrying Strap (I usually get my mats from TJMaxx/Marshalls, but there’s great options online as well)
- Water bottle: IRON °FLASK Sports Water Bottle – 32oz, 3 Lids (Straw Lid), Leak Proof – Stainless Steel
- I love this water bottle because it keeps your drink cold and has many different lids. The 32 oz fits in some cupholders (I also have the 40 oz version which does not fit in most cupholders).
Resistance bands are great because you can bring them anywhere (outside, the gym, in another place, travel) with little to no effort and they don’t take up much space. Each color represents a different resistance level (10 lbs to 50 lbs) and can be a killer workout accessory to have as a stand-alone. My favorite band and no-equipment-required workouts are below.
YouTube Workouts (with Resistance Bands): 30-minute Full Body Workouts Workout 1, Workout 2, and Workout 3
Youtube Workouts (NO equipment needed): Full Body workout, HIIT and Abs workout, 15-minute follow-along hamstring flexibility stretch.
FREE WEIGHTS – Dumbbells
- 10 lb Dumbbell Pair: BalanceFrom Rubber Coated Hex Dumbbell Weight
- 15 lb Dumbbell Pair: Rubber Encased Hex Dumbbell
- 20 lb Dumbbell Pair: BalanceFrom Rubber Coated Hex Dumbbell Weight Set or Single Dumbbell
- 25 lb Dumbbell Pair: CAP 50 lbs Coated Dumbbell Set
- 35 lb Dumbbells: Single
- 45 lb Dumbbells: Single
- 50 lb Dumbbells: Single or Pair
- Adjustable Weights 5lbs-52.5lbs: Bowflex SelectTech 552 Adjustable Dumbbells
- I don’t have the Bowflex set. They are pretty $$$, but an option if you like adjustable weights and want your weights to take up less space
With only one set of dumbbells, you can get in a great workout! I think 15 lbs is a good weight to keep around if you’re just starting to build up with home equipment check out my favorite dumbbell workouts below that focus on strength training!
Heather Robertsons’ channel has amazing ones that are 100% free and effective and can be used at home or a gym and that channel has many 12-week workout plans that are free on YouTube.
- Free Full 12-week programs on Youtube: HR12WEEK 1.0, HR12WEEK 2.0, HR12WEEK 3.0, and HR12WEEK 4.0
- Other Free Workouts on Youtube: 30-min lower body exercise, 35-minute Arms & Shoulder workout, 30-minute Back & Bicep workout, 25-minute full-body workout
MISCELLANEOUS – Ankle Weights, Jump Ropes, Kettle Bells, Mini Exercise Bands
- Adjustable Ankle Weights: ZTTENLLY Adjustable Ankle Weights
- Jump Rope: Jump Rope, Tangle-Free Rapid Speed Jumping Rope Cable with Ball Bearings
- Kettlebell: SPRI Kettlebell Weights Deluxe Cast Iron Vinyl Coated Comfort Grip Wide Handle
- Mini Exercise Bands Fit Simplify Resistance Loop Exercise Bands with Instruction Guide and Carry Bag
- Renoj Resistance Bands, Exercise Workout Bands for Women and Men, 5 Set of Stretch Bands
Ankle weights are a great way to step up a level in any workout, whether it’s walking, leg day, or weighted arm movements, I just love them! Jump rope workouts are no joke and are harder than you think and a really affordable way to work out – check out the videos I use below. I did buy my 35 lb SPRI Kettlebell for only 16.99 from TJMaxx, so check there too if you have one nearby!
Youtube Workouts (with Jump Rope): 10-minute beginner and 30-minute beginner workout
WORKOUT MACHINES
- SF-B1805 Classic: Sunny Health & Fitness Magnetic Belt Drive Indoor Cycling Bike Classic
- SF-B1805 SMART: Sunny Health & Fitness Magnetic Belt Drive Indoor Cycling Bike Smart
In full transparency, I got my cycling bike for free because a family friend was moving and needed to get rid of it. Since then, I’ve absolutely become a cycling fan!! I almost always do a 20-30 min ride and weight training for a great workout session. The model on the left (Classic SF-B1805) is the exact model I have and I love it – way more wallet-friendly than its competitors. The thing to know about my model is that it doesn’t have a sensor that shows you the speed/distance, but the Smart model on the right does. Neither of the ones linked above has those huge screens/monitors, but I just put my tablet on the device holder and pull up one of the youtube videos below and it works just fine – you can prop your phone up too, or pull up the videos on a nearby TV screen/monitor. Also, if you want to buy a sensor for the Classic model, they do sell it separately. Sunny also has an app that has workout videos available for free and if you have the sensor, you can link your workouts to view your speed through their app.
Youtube Cycling Videos: 30-minute Beginner ride, 20-minute cycling ride, 20-minute cycling workout.
That’s all I have for now! If you are looking for which workouts I’m doing, be sure to check out my Workout Playlist or follow along on Instagram stories.
When I link to products, some of those links may be affiliate links. If you click on any of those links and make a purchase within a certain amount of time, I’ll earn a small commission – this commission is paid by the retailer to me at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
