The "home gym" trend skyrocketed after the COVID-19 pandemic. Let's just say the trend went viral and has stuck around. Back in the day, a home gym was a luxury for those who had extra money to spend on expensive gym equipment. Some would argue it still may be that way, but it doesn't have to be. As a kid on the wrestling team, I personally made nature my gym in order to prepare for the season, but I've grown to like some of the fitness equipment out there. There are definitely more options now as we are well into 2025.

Exercise Bands:

Exercise bands are an excellent tool, and they're pretty affordable and easy to get with the click of a button. They also take up little space, with most of them being able

to fit in a bag, container, or hang on a hook. There are many different varieties, such as tube bands with handles, loop bands, monster bands, and bands with platform attachments like 'Gorilla Bands' or 'X3'. Exercise bands also travel well, and you can buy them just about anywhere. The cons may be that they eventually wear out and need to be replaced, and you need very strong bands or a lot of bands to lift heavy. Overall, they are a great choice for giving your muscles some work against resistance. Basic bands with attachments are generally less than $45. Gorilla Bands or X3 may be well over $200.

Mat or flooring

Purchasing a mat or getting some good flooring is a must if you plan to use barbells, kettlebells, dumbbells, or anything that makes contact with the floor, with the possibility of causing damage. Horse stall mats have provided a stable floor while also saving your wallet from the burden. A 6-foot by 4-foot mat will run you less than $60.

Workout Bench

The workout bench is a must if you want to do certain movements effectively, such as bench press or incline seated dumbbell curls. There is the flat bench, which would be a good starter bench, but the adjustable bench provides more versatility when it comes to exercises you can do. You can usually find a decent bench for less than $100. If you try a second-hand sports equipment store, you may be able to find a good bench for much less.

Adjustable Dumbbells

Adjustable dumbbells will give you the capacity to do many strength training exercises, and they provide great resistance to effectively build strength. The first type of adjustable dumbbells you can obtain has a sliding pin or an adjustable dial to select your weight, which makes it easier to toggle between different weights. They can also help you save space.  The second type is the loadable dumbbell pair that must be loaded with weighted plates to change the weight resistance. With these dumbbells, you can load a large amount of weight on the dumbbells at one time, and they may save slightly more space than the former. The last type is the fixed dumbbell, which is one weight and cannot be changed. They are great if multiple

people are doing the same movements at one time and you need multiple sets of dumbbells. They can range from $1500 for a pair of adjustable dumbbells to less than $100 for a pair of the lighter fixed dumbbells.

Honorable Mentions

There are a few things that may be nice to have as well. A yoga mat would be good as extra padding for floor movements.  Foam rollers are great for helping you stretch after your workouts and loosen up tight muscles. Jump Ropes are also great cardio builders and footwork developers. All of these items are worth their weight in gold while saving space and your budget.