We all have different goals when it comes to our fitness. Some of us want to lose weight, others want to build muscle, while most want to do a bit of both.
Your goals will determine how you train as different styles of exercise have their own unique benefits.
Workout equipment at home or in the gym will help you meet your goals. But what is the most useful workout equipment?
The most useful workout equipment depends on what your fitness goals are.
Ideally, the most useful workout equipment will help you burn the max number of calories in a short time by working your largest muscle groups.
Read below for the most useful workout equipment for your fitness goals.
The Most Useful Workout Equipment for Weight-Loss
The most effective workout equipment for weight-loss is any gym equipment that helps you burn a ton of calories. How do you burn a ton of calories? Cardio, of course.
Although cardio is hardly most people’s favorite form of exercise, it’s the most effective for getting your heart rate into fat burning mode.
If you want to lose weight, you’re going to have to up your cardio game with this best workout equipment for weight-loss:
1. Stair Climber
Stair climber machines mimic walking upstairs, continuously. Stair climbing is a surprisingly intense cardio workout that strengthens the leg muscles as well as the core.
Walking upstairs works the major leg muscles, which are the biggest muscles in the body. These muscles burn the most calories when worked, making the stair climber one of the best cardio machines for blasting calories quickly.
On average, most people burn around 200 calories in 30 minutes of using the stair climber making it one of the most useful gym equipment for weight-loss.
Stair climbers like the ones available in most gyms are pricey. But if you’re looking for something more economical for your home gym, check out the Sunny Health Fitness and Cardio Climber.
2. Treadmill
When it comes to cardio, the treadmill will always remain one of best gym equipment for weight loss. Running is a full body cardio exercise and one of the most efficient ways to burn calories.
The average 160 pound person will burn about 600 calories per hour running on a treadmill. The treadmill is one of the most useful pieces of gym equipment for getting your steps in during inclement weather.
With a treadmill, you can walk or run from the comfort of your home or gym. However, running on a treadmill may be more difficult on the joints for those who are prone to injury.
Those with knee or joint problems should look for cardio gym equipment that is less impactful. Check out the NordicTrak T Series treadmill for an affordable, basic treadmill for your home gym.
3. Stationary Bike
Cycling is an intense cardio workout that burns roughly 450-750 calories per hour. Stationary bikes mimic riding a bike and have controls that allow you to increase intensity to mimic riding uphill.
Cycling works your largest leg muscles, which account for the major calorie burn. Stationary bikes make great additions to your home gym equipment because they take up relatively very little space. On Amazon you can find stationary bikes for $300 and up.
The Most Useful Workout Equipment for Building Muscle
Building muscle is a common fitness goal for men and women alike. Muscle is metabolically active tissue that burns calories, even when you’re at rest.
The more muscle you have, the more calories you’re burning. Plus, having tight toned arms and legs doesn’t hurt. To build muscle, you must do resistance training. Below is the best gym equipment for building muscle:
1. Dumbbells
Dumbbells are free weights that come in varying weights from 1lb and up. Lifting weights is one of the most effective exercises for building muscle.
Dumbbells are easy to use pieces of gym equipment that allow you to build muscle through doing a variety of different exercises.
Dumbbells can be used to work every part of the body including the arms, legs, back, and abs.
Dumbbells are one of the most useful workout equipment for building muscle because they can be easily utilized.
Free weights can be used anywhere, making them ideal for home gym equipment. Check out Amazon’s choice for neoprene dumbbells in multiple weights.
2. Leg Press
The leg press machine is a staple for bodybuilders and fitness pros when it comes to building leg strength.
As the name suggests, the leg press involves using your legs to push against repelling resistance. The leg press works the major muscles in the legs including the quads, hamstrings, and calves.
The leg press machine is one of the most effective workout machines for building lower leg muscle. The machines can be pricey if you’re looking to purchase one for your home gym equipment.
But the Powertec leg press machine, available on Amazon, is moderately priced and has a weight capacity of 1000 lbs.
3. Barbell Bench Press
For building strong arms, chest, and back muscles, the bench press is every gym rat’s go-to.
The bench press works by using your chest and arm muscles to press a weighted barbell away from your body.
It’s one of the most useful workout equipment for building upper body strength. There are two versions of the bench press, lying bench press and incline bench press.
Each version works your chest muscles in different ways. For the barbell bench press you’ll need both a weighted barbell and adjustable weight bench.