While packing up my belongings days before my wedding, it struck me that I was the last of four to flee the nest, leaving my parents all alone in a house built for six that could probably fit eight. I remember asking them if they’d given any thought to what they could do with four spare bedrooms, and my dad casually mentioned his idea for a home gym. I was pretty jealous of his vision, TBH. (The one-bedroom I was moving into was definitely not home gym material.) Inspired, I started researching the best workout equipment for a small apartment. Granted, I already had a lot of things to squeeze into my just-right-for-a-bachelor-pad digs my husband was residing in at the time, but fitness had always been a priority for me, so what was one or two more items to add to the pile?
Listen, some people dream about in-ground pools and fancy bar carts when they imagine a place of their own. I’ve always pictured my own library and a home gym. Two lofty dreams — I know — and definitely not always feasible. A bar cart can fit comfortably in the corner of a small apartment dining area. A treadmill can barely make it up the stairs, depending on the architecture of your home.
So if your goal is to stock up on enough exercise equipment that allows you to perform an array of moves, without compromising a lot of space in your small apartment, know that it’s not impossible, but it will take some planning. Here are a few of the best pieces of workout equipment for a small apartment to add to your shopping list.
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Even though I go through exercise equipment like it's my job (which it kind of is), dumbbells will always be a staple for my at-home workouts. They hardly take up any space, but if for some reason you feel like even this awesome pyramid of weights (photographed above) would be too clunky for a corner in your apartment, ditch the contraption, and store the weights either out of sight under your bed, or at the bottom of a closet.
Yoga is one of those rare workouts in which accessories are cool, but they aren't mandatory. You can still have a great vinyasa flow without a block, strap, or balance ball (though, if you have the room, why not add them to your practice?).
A yoga mat is definitely one piece of workout equipment that'll easily fit into a small apartment, because it's compact. When you're done, you can roll it up and put it away, or leave it out on a hardwood floor as an area decoration.
OK, so pull-up bars might not be the most aesthetically-pleasing door hanging you can find, but you can't deny how badass it would be to wake up in the morning and casually perform a few lifts before hopping in the shower.
Who needs a gym membership when you have resistance bands? Resistance bands are excellent for storing in tiny apartments, because they virtually take up maybe an inch or two of space in a drawer but, like magic, can be used for any type of workout — core work, arm exercises, booty sessions, you name it, the resistance band does it.
OK, I know what you might be thinking: "I have a small apartment, Julia, why would I buy a huge exercise ball?" Well, I'm actually really glad you asked.
Not only are medicine balls just an overall great piece of workout equipment, but they can also double as a chair. Set it up in front of your computer desk or your television. You can even pop a squat on the thing at your dining room table. It's a pretty epic tool for posture correction, plus there's also hundreds of exercises you can do on an exercise ball for every part of the body.
During an exclusive interview with Elite Daily, Joanna Stahl, fitness expert, CEO and founder of Go2Practice explains gliding discs are generally one of the best tools to add to workouts. They especially come in handy when you have very little space to work with.
"[Discs] will slide very easily across your tile, wood and carpet floor," Stahl says, plus they won't leave a scratch, which is good news for your safety deposit refund (wink, wink). Stahl goes on to explain that you can use exercise sliders to perform lunges, pushup variations, hamstring curls, plans, and more, you'll definitely be getting a lot of bang for your buck.
Here's what's awesome about jump ropes as workout equipment: They're cheap, can come in a bunch of cool colors, and you likely have one lying around from when you were a kid. Stahl also mentions that jump ropes, just by nature of the movement, encourage large muscle groups to kick into high gear.
"It is a fantastic coordination and cardio tool to throw into a workout routine," Stahl says. "As you progress, you can attempt more complex moves, from speed work to foot work and power/heigh moves. You’ll be adding in higher intensity training efforts and barely notice… until you pause and catch your breath."
Before I worked out with Khloe Kardashian's trainer, Ashley Borden, for six weeks, I had zero interest in foam rolling. Sure, I'd heard of the equipment, but I just figured stretching after a workout would be just as beneficial. (But I was wrong, friends. I was very wrong.)
"Think of foam rollers as the DIY massage that never fails to make you feel ready to rock," Stahl tells Elite Daily. "It is an ideal pre and post-workout tool for fitness enthusiasts of every level."
The Stealth Core Trainer is pretty pricey, but IMO, it's one of those splurge accessories that's well-worth saving up for. I tried working out with the Stealth Core Trainer a while back to get on my planking A-game, and when I say this contraption torched my core, I'm being completely serious. It might not look like much from the photo, but this is one piece of equipment you'll want to add to your collection.
In a nutshell, the Stealth Core Trainer is a legitimate workout targeting your core, back muscles, chest, legs, and arms. What's more, its gameplay technology stimulates your mind, as well, so while you feel your limbs and belly firing up, your brain's working overtime to get strong, too.
