Home Gym Starter Kit: Everything You Need To Work Out From Home

Check out our full review of the FORME Studio for more info.

Having a FORME Studio smart mirror as a home gym staple is one of the biggest space-savers we can think of. Because you can mount it on a wall, FORME blends seamlessly into its surroundings, coming across as less of a piece of home workout equipment and more of a piece of functional decor. 

Once you get the FORME Studio installed, you'll be able to start making use of a massive catalog of guided exercise classes that includes genres like cardio, strength training, meditation, breathwork, and more. Better yet, FORME is consistently adding new classes to keep things fresh, and offers one-on-one virtual training options. The company even has lifting and barre package add-ons for those who want to hone in on specific types of exercise without having to spring for a full squat rack or expensive barre classes.

As for downsides, we thought the speaker and Bluetooth quality in the mirror could've been better for the price you pay, but those weren't dealbreakers. Then there's the matter of the cost, of course — FORME Studio isn't cheap to get started, and you'll also need to sign up for a monthly subscription. It's not the most accessible price point, but thankfully there are financing options, and monthly memberships are shareable between multiple users.

Read our full review of the NordicTrack S22i Studio Bike.

The NordicTrack S22i Studio Bike is our favorite Peloton bike alternative thanks to its intuitive rotating screen, breadth of workout classes, live adjustments, and other unique features. 

Although the S22i Studio Bike doesn't contain the sheer number of resistance levels that are on offer with something like a Peloton bike, it makes up for it with its live adjustments to both resistance and incline to better simulate outdoor riding. Whether you're climbing a steep hill or coasting on flat ground, you won't have to fiddle around with any settings to make it feel like the real deal. You'll also get detailed performance metrics in real time so you can track your goals and hit PRs. 

The NordicTrack S22i has a ton of classes to choose from and comes with a 30-day iFit subscription that further expands that library. It's not a perfect bike, though — we didn't think the software was always up to snuff, encountering slow startup times, a few bugs, and buffering issues throughout testing (none of which ruined the experience). While the size of the collection of classes is impressive, not all of them are of the same quality, with some lacking visually and featuring workout descriptions that aren't always accurate. Also, we recommend getting a seat cushion, as the stock seat isn't the most comfortable. But hey, at least you can use the screen to watch Netflix.

Having a yoga mat in your home gym serves more than just one purpose. Yes, you can use it for yoga routines, but you can also use it for dynamic stretching and mobility exercises, and to stand on while lifting weights to help ease pressure on your joints. Plus, yoga mats are great for small spaces and are easy to stow away when you're not using them.

Gaiam is a brand that many turn to when buying a yoga mat, and for good reason: They're high-quality and super affordable. This budget yoga mat is an easy recommendation from us — it's lightweight yet durable and provides plenty of support and comfort. The best part is the moisture-wicking topcoat, which helps you keep your grip even while sweating. The grip on the bottom of the mat is also top-notch, so you won't have to worry about sliding around while hitting a pose. We only noticed some small nicks in that mat after heavy usage, but none that affected the mat's overall performance.

Not into lifting weights but still want to challenge your muscles? Resistance bands could be exactly the thing you're looking for, and we like these from Draper's Strength. They're not very expensive, come in bundles, and are offered in a variety of tension levels. 

We tested out the red level, which supports around five to 35 pounds of tension. We were able to perform a ton of different strength-based exercises using it, and didn't have to deal with a single free weight. They're also great for PT-style recovery movements and warm-ups, stretching, and mobility routines. You can even play around with attaching them to everyday objects in your home as anchor points, as long as they're heavy enough or attached to the floor in some way. We recommend checking out their options and picking up two or three different resistance levels to supplement your workouts.

As the saying goes, you can’t improve what you don’t measure. In the decade that I’ve been working out, trying new diets, tweaking macros, and experimenting with new weight lifting plans I’ve come to learn that tracking progress is key to moving forward in your fitness journey. That’s where a fitness tracker comes in. Ideally, a fitness tracker is a set it and forget it situation: You slap it on your wrist, and it quietly records helpful biometric data in order to translate it into easy to read information when you’re ready. 

That’s where the Fitbit Inspire 3 comes in. It sits easily on the wrist, and compared to other wearables it’s relatively small. The watch counts steps, tracks heart rate, and measures calories burned, among other metrics, and, in combination with Fitbit app, converts all that information into data you can use to inform your workouts. 

The Fitbit Inspire 3 fit seamlessly into my existing workout routine, and seeing some analytics even pushed me to work harder in some cases. Some features, like hourly reminders to get up and get some steps in, felt a bit extra — particularly on days I knew I’d be going to the gym in just a few hours — but could certainly be helpful for someone hoping to more regularly include low impact activities, or for someone hoping to make fitness more of a routine. 

What features are included?

As a fitness band, the Fitbit Inspire 3 offers a surprisingly large amount of features and apps. First and foremost, it’s a pedometer; it counts your steps, and logs the miles you’ve walked or run. It also has a heart rate monitor which keeps track of your pulse, and in turn the calories you’ve burned in a day. It also tracks your sleep cycles, as you shift between light, deep, and REM sleep throughout the night. 

It can automatically categorize your activity — it senses when you’re on a bike ride versus when you’re on a run for instance — and records your blood oxygen level, too. There are options to log stress levels, complete mindfulness sessions or guided workouts, and log menstrual cycles. It tracks your breathing rate,

Check out our full review of the Peloton App.

If you don't have the cash to spring for a smart fitness mirror or a stationary bike, an online workout platform like Peloton is the next best thing. The Peloton Fitness App offers thousands of classes, and each one gives you the vibe of a high-production value studio fitness class from the comfort of your own home.

The app features over 60 different pro trainers and 11 different class genres: strength, meditation, cycling, stretching, yoga, outdoor, running, walking, cardio, Tread Bootcamp, and Bike Bootcamp. The class durations start at five minutes and go up to 90 minutes — so you can still get your sweat on if you're low on time.

Memberships cost $12.99/month when billed monthly, or you can save a little bit of cash by opting for the $129/year annual plan.

Maybe you're not excited by relatively mindless cardio exercises like running on a treadmill, riding a stationary bike, or using an elliptical. Boxing is a great way to add a more thoughtful element to your workout routine, and you'll get an even more intense cardio session out of it.

If you're going to add it into the rotation, you're going to want a nice pair of gloves to get you started. Our pick: Hit N Move's All Day Pro Balance boxing gloves. (Just make sure you also have something to use them on — this free-standing heavy bag from Title is a popular option, or you could go for something more subtle like a Quiet Punch, seeing as this is for your home gym.)

We'd recommend the Pro Balance gloves to combat sports beginners and experienced practitioners alike for their overall quality, comfort, and protection. The gloves are made with high-quality, genuine leather, and are still in great shape after testing our pair heavily for over a month. The stitching is on point, and the sweat-wicking nylon liner is way better for their longevity compared to the exposed foam padding that you'd find in other similarly priced gloves, which tend to fully absorb any moisture. Comfort is a standout, too. The gloves feature nice, roomy hand and thumb compartments that don't constrict your hands, but don't leave so much space that they'll slide around during use. We were able to wear them for long sessions without ever cramping up or needing a break.

The highlight here, though, is the gloves' protection and support. They have a reinforced, extended cuff that keeps your wrist from bending in weird directions, which feels even sturdier once you lace them up (they also come in a hook-and-loop/velcro option).