At the beginning of the pandemic, we were cooped up in our downtown LA apartment with no balcony and no way to get out without using high-traffic hallways, stairways or elevators. That’s when George decided to make us a home gym that was easy to set up, use, and put away.
Our “gym space” consisted merely of a closet doorway. You can squeeze this in even the tightest New York apartment setting, and all for less than $100.
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Out of use, out of sight!
For those of you who cringe at the idea of having ugly equipment ruin your decor, this is perhaps the best part. The “gym” is super easy to set up and tear down. It does not have to be an eye sore or take up real estate except when in use!
After each workout, we take the bar off and store it in the closet. We have a small decorative basket where we store all the resistance bands and accessories. The yoga mat, rolled up, fits in there too.
Et voila! Carry on with a clutter-free life.
Our equipment list:
More details on each below.
You can view the full list on Amazon here.
Pull-up bar – $30
George uses it for pull-ups/chin-ups. I can barely hang on it for a minute but it helps to stretch my back, especially when twisting. I call that my “monkey exercise”.
It’s a breeze to set up and take off.
Resistance training set – $40
This set we got comes with stackable resistance bands up to 150 lbs, door anchor, ankle straps, handles, and many more accessories.
The photo below shows a few different configurations that can be used for various exercises. The metal carabiners are easy to manipulate and strong. George has used the set almost every day for the last six months and it has held up quite well. Everything is still in excellent shape.
View on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3aRhBX7
With the door anchor, ankle straps and handles, these bands are quite versatile.
I like to hang two of the resistance bands over the pull-up bar and use the handles to work out my upper back muscles and my arms. George uses them for leg exercises as well.
Personally, I do not miss hearing the clanging of weights in the gym. Working out at home is a lot quieter, and more relaxing. Bonus points for not having to deal with sweaty grunters and obnoxious music.
Yoga mat – $20
We also have a yoga mat for doing stretches. It’s a thick one, but nothing fancy.
Have your cake and eat it too
You can have a great home gym and a clutter-free home at the same time. All for less than $100.
I’m afraid you’re out of excuses!
You can find all the items on our Amazon idea list:
https://amzn.to/38PMoRk
Sherry & George 