What Gym Equipment Do You Really Need?

Are you trying to get exercising again and think you need the right' stuff'?

Have you been putting off your workout goals because you don't have the equipment you need?

You might be doing yourself a disservice, focusing on the objects rather than the goal. Because in the end, it's you who does the workout, not your equipment.

It's Not The Equipment – It's You

You are the critical factor in all your exercise and workout goals. Without you, it doesn't get done.

The equipment can help, making some things easier or providing additional stress to build up your muscles.

But it's not critical.

Reviewing hundreds of workout videos, blogs, and routines, so much focus is placed on having the right equipment.

But I'm here to tell you it has nothing to do with the equipment – it's all about you.

If you haven't made the decision, the absolute concrete decision that you were going to exercise, lose weight, and build muscle, it doesn't matter what equipment you have, you're not going to do it.

And, if you have the equipment and you hate using it, you're not going to use it.

Let's take a look at what really matters and what you can do to get yourself ready to exercise.

The Absolute Musts:

Nothing.

That's right, there's absolutely nothing you need to start exercising. You can go for a walk, the simplest and best exercise to begin with.

You can do push-ups with no equipment, sit-ups with no equipment, jumping jacks with no equipment.

Think back to your school days and what exercises you did there. It doesn't take a lot to get started with good exercise.

Some things help, but they should only be looked at as tools and a means to an end. They should only be something that helps you along your journey.

What Helps The Most

Sneakers

A good pair of supportive sneakers can make exercising a lot more comfortable. Walking, jogging, and especially running need good running shoes to help you grip the ground and feel secure.

Much of the equipment you'll find in the gyms work better with sneakers.

If take care of your sneakers, they can last you for years.

Clothes

Your everyday clothes are probably too constrictive to really workout in. Having a good set of workout clothes can put you in the right frame of mind and get you ready to do your exercise.

You don't need high-end clothes. Simple sweatpants and a t-shirt work great. Nice stretchy yoga pants and sports bras come in a wide variety of price ranges. For women with larger breasts, a good sports bra could be considered a necessity.

But, that's it. That's really all the equipment you need.

Some equipment like weights, resistance bands, yoga mats make the process easier. But they aren't necessary.

You can grab some water bottles or canned food as weights. You can do isometric exercises to mimic the resistance bands. And yoga has been practiced for thousands of years, but the yoga mats we know have only been around 30 years. So you can do yoga in the grass, on the carpet, or anywhere.

Decide What's The Right Type Of Exercise For You

Try out different forms of exercise. You'll find certain ones you gravitate to because they feel good and you enjoy them. Others don't feel as good.

Yoga is excellent for starting out because it can help stretch your body and build muscle without being overly aerobic.

I tried that to get back into exercising after the pandemic closed everything. It worked, I stretched out, started to build muscle strength, and got back into the routine.

But, it wasn't enough. After a while, it was boring, easy, and did not challenge my body. So, I moved to more aerobic and strength training classes.

You might enjoy lifting weights, running, cycling, yoga, Pilates, or any number of the dozens of different types of exercise routines out there. You could go with the personal trainer that puts together a program specifically for you.

Once you figure out what you enjoy, you can start building your equipment to make it easier.

So many people start the opposite way, they gather the equipment and then figure they'll do the exercises. That's why there's hundreds of barbells, weight sets, and workout equipment on auction sites and in the garbage.

If you do things the smart way, figure out what you enjoy and then get the equipment, you can build yourself up, establishing a good routine before spending a lot of money on stuff you may never use.