I have a membership at a huge gym near my apartment because the fitness center of my community isn't very adequate. (I know to look for this the next time I am apartment hunting). Despite these facts, I find myself working out in my apartment daily and getting a better benefit with only 5 small pieces of equipment than I do with a whole gym of expensive machines.
This setup works tremendously well for me and gives me everything I need, requiring only a small amount of space (perfect for an apartment!).
1) Door jam pullup bar- It quickly mounts in any doorway and gives you many different hand positions for pullups and stretches. Plus it comes in really handy if you want to try sleeping like a bat.
2) Exercise mat- A place to stretch, do yoga, pushups, pilates, etc. Unfortunately, my dog has started confusing this little mat of exercise gold as some sort of doggie bed, so I have to put it up when I'm done. Most people can leave them out all the time, but if you have to put it up and take it out each time...its really easy and no big deal.
3) Dial-a-weight Dumbbells- These guys are a bit expensive, but they are a great space saver and really help you get the lift you need. Everything from 5lbs to 52.5lbs in a little space. It's great!
4) Swiss Ball- This is the king of my home workout area. You can do an almost unlimited number of exercises with this thing! A trainer at the gym who helped me with a customized workout routine a few years ago taught me to use the swiss ball in place of a bench, and for stretching and balance exercises. This is the most versatile, and inexpensive piece of equipment I have ever had. Buy a swiss ball book to learn all of the ways it can be used. Another great point of the swiss ball is that when I am done working out, I can use it as my computer desk chair! (The workout continues even when checking email…
5) Tennis Shoes- I have found that I can spend seemingly hours on a treadmill, stair climber, or elliptical trainer and feel like I only get half the burn of strapping on my tennies and hitting the pavement for a good 2 or 3 mile jog. So be sure to have a comfy pair of running shoes and hit the streets for cardio. Don't stress about the machines.
There you have the five essential pieces to beef up your apartment home gym. If you can get this set up ASAP and actually use it you yourself should be in tip top shape in no time.
