Strapped for time? Here’s the best equipment for a quick full-body workout.
Let’s be honest, it can be hard to workout with the demands of everyday life. Commutes, working hours, and family commitments are just a few of many obligations that make it nearly impossible to workout at the gym.
But that’s the key phrase: nearly impossible. With the right equipment and a strong desire, you can pack a full-body workout at home in 30 minutes. We’ve listed three pieces of equipment that you can use to maintain a consistent exercise routine at home.
Get a Rower
In-home rowers have the best of both worlds: They can provide simultaneous upper- and lower-body conditioning while also supporting low-impact cardio exercises. In particular, you’ll activate muscle groups in your arms, shoulders, core, and legs through a series of controlled movements. However, exercising isn’t the hardest part. Choosing the right rower can serve as the real challenge. Rower models differ on frame material, resistance mechanisms, and data tracking capabilities. We recommend choosing rowers based on your physical fitness level.
If you’ve never rowed before, consider something simple yet essential like our SF-RW5515 Magnetic Rowing Machine. This machine has a sturdy build, dynamic magnetic resistance, and a smooth belt-drive mechanism. Competitive rowers will appreciate machines like the Asuna 8580 Ventus Air Magnetic Rowing Machine, which has a quieter slide rail, a larger user weight capacity, and progressive air and magnetic resistance.
Rowers are great tools to test your endurance. You can start by rowing on the machine consistently to build your stamina. As your endurance builds, you can increase the resistance on the rower and perform faster strokes to increase your workout intensity. For more adept users, consider pulling inspiration from our Strength Interval Rowing Workout or our 15-minute Interval Rowing Workout.
Buy an Elliptical
If you prefer exercising while standing, then an elliptical might meet your needs. These machines make it possible to pack a stationary cardio exercise in a relatively compact machine. On an elliptical you can perform striding motions in a controlled position that can reduce impact on knees while you exercise. While striding activates muscles in the lower body, holding on to the full-motion handlebars can stimulate muscles in your upper body, specifically in your chest and arms.
If long-term striding is too easy on ellipticals, you can increase the difficulty of the exercise when you adjust the onboard resistance. Many ellipticals, such as the SF-E3803 and the SF-E3862, come with dynamic magnetic resistance that can increase the intensity of your exercise in seconds.
Like the rower, you’ll be able to perform both long-lasting workouts and high-intensity interval training on this machine. You can pull inspiration from our Ozone Elliptical Workout. Or attempt to maintain a set speed while gradually bumping up the resistance during your exercise.
Use a Kettlebell
If sparing space is more difficult than sparing time, try this compact exercise tool to keep your muscles strong. Kettlebells are versatile weights that can be used in several fashions, depending on their weight and size. We recommend starting at lighter weights and building up to larger ones once you feel comfortable with your strength and technique.
To start, you can use this weight to strengthen muscles in your lower body, particularly your legs and glutes, with workouts like this Lower Body Blaster. Other beginner exercises include kettlebell swings, wide squats with front raise, and split stance single-arm rows. Kettlebells can be used with just about any limb—from lunges to arm curls—and can also be used to strengthen your core.
Bonus: Perform Bodyweight Exercises
Not having workout equipment is not an excuse to sit still at home. In fact, you are in possession of one of the best exercise machines, your own body. It all starts with a desire to change your current routine. To help you get started, we’ve got four custom bodyweight workouts that you can perform in your own home. It takes 30 minutes to perform each workout set.
Now that you have an idea of how to work out, which road will you take?
