Find Out If It's Possible To Build A Home Gym With A Small Budget

Tom's Guide

Toms' Guide's Katie Kozuch has been tasked of building a home gym for under $50 with items from Target!

Transcript

00:00 Budgets are tight, so a big piece of home gym equipment or a gym membership might just not make sense for everybody.

00:05 So I wanted to see, with $50, if I could build my own home gym at Target.

00:10 Can I kickstart my own fitness goals using everything in this bag?

00:13 And what are the best tech apps and tools to help you get started?

00:16 Let's go find out!

00:17 I was deciding between a few different stores that would have worked for our budget,

00:22 but I ultimately decided to get all of the fitness equipment from Target

00:25 because their brand, All In Motion, has some great prices on all the essentials you need for a home gym.

00:31 I selected specific items that should give me a good variety to start from at home.

00:35 I also made sure to refer to the fitness section on TomsGuide.com for great advice from our fitness editors.

00:41 The first and easiest decision I made was to get a yoga mat.

00:46 This will act as a base for any floor exercises, and it's also great for yoga and Pilates.

00:51 This is the 3mm yoga mat from All In Motion,

00:54 and it's pretty much as affordable as yoga mats come.

00:56 That said, there are a few things you want to keep in mind when picking out a yoga mat for yourself.

01:01 Yoga mats vary in size and thickness.

01:03 Get something thicker than the normal ¼" if you need more cushioning for your wrists and knees.

01:08 You might also want to look for mats that are designed to be grippy without the need for a separate yoga towel.

01:13 If you're sustainability-minded, you should look into the materials of the mat and how and where it's made.

01:18 Being familiar with the material is also important so you know how to properly clean the mat between workouts.

01:24 While you can find plenty of solid, budget-friendly yoga mats,

01:27 there are also premium models that are meant to hold up with daily use.

01:31 Up next, I opted for the All In Motion Yoga Block.

01:35 A yoga block is a little foam brick that goes a long way.

01:38 It's super versatile.

01:40 While I am not a personal trainer, my colleague who is one

01:43 recommends these three bodyweight leg exercises that you can do with just a yoga block.

01:48 First up, we have Yoga Block Prisoner Squats.

01:51 Then I moved on to Yoga Block Glute Bridges.

01:56 And finally, we have Yoga Block Deficit Lunges.

02:01 Be sure to do reps on both sides.

02:04 Moving right along, at Tom's Guide, we love a weighted jump rope.

02:08 It adds resistance and intensity to your existing jump rope workout,

02:12 and this one from All In Motion is super affordable.

02:15 Both a weighted jump rope and a regular jump rope are great ways of raising your heart rate,

02:19 improving coordination, and building agility and endurance.

02:22 The weight of the jump rope you decide to use depends on your fitness levels.

02:26 The additional weight helps you burn more calories and build muscle faster,

02:30 so whether your goal from skipping is weight loss or strength and conditioning,

02:33 the weighted jump rope will help.

02:35 Finally, you can't go wrong with a set of dumbbells.

02:41 If you're just starting off with your home gym, anything from 5 to 10 pound weights is a great place to begin.

02:47 We have a set of 8 pound weights from Target's All In Motion brand right here.

02:51 Dumbbells are versatile tools that provide a wide range of motion,

02:55 allowing for exercises that engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously.

02:59 With regular practice, a dumbbell workout can lead to improved muscle tone and definition

03:03 in your muscles across your upper and lower body.

03:06 Personally, I like using them for shoulder presses and Russian twists.

03:10 Now, although I managed to get all of this equipment for under $50,

03:14 I wanted to take a moment to explain how I personally track my fitness

03:17 with the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and Oura Ring Gen 3.

03:20 Both devices provide useful feedback on your workouts, like your heart rate trends and calories burned,

03:25 and offer incredible insight into how to live an overall healthy lifestyle.

03:29 I love using my Apple Watch to track bike rides and runs and even Apple Fitness+ workouts.

03:35 That said, I prefer wearing my Oura Ring for activities like yoga since it's more discreet.

03:40 The Oura Ring also works outside of the Apple ecosystem.

03:44 For a deep dive on the similarities and differences, including us measuring the devices

03:48 against professional machines at a sports lab, check out our video here.

03:52 And even if you don't want to invest in a fitness tracker,

03:55 there are plenty of free workout apps that you can try out.

03:57 I personally like FitOn, and even Peloton has tons of content that's free to use.

04:03 Free.

04:04 I think I did pretty well with all of my new gym equipment,

04:09 considering I spent under $50.

04:11 I'm actually looking forward to working out and trying to hit some of my fitness goals this year.

04:16 But what are some of your fitness goals?

04:18 Be sure to let me know in the comments below.

04:20 In the description, I've also linked the latest deals on all the products we checked out today.

04:24 For more fitness content, be sure to head to TomsGuide.com.

04:27 Our incredible fitness team has you covered on all the tips and guides you need.

04:31 Otherwise, you can check out what we're doing on social @TomsGuide,

04:34 and as always, I'm @KateKozich.

04:36 Thanks for watching. I'll catch you next time.

04:38 That's a serious workout.

04:41 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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