Best home workout equipment – CNN Underscored

(CNN) —  

One of the hardest tasks this past year at home has been working out on a consistent basis. Thankfully, there are plenty of workout products that you can order to your front door to change up your exercises and stay fit. The problem with buying at-home equipment online, however, is that it can be difficult to judge what is actually worth it. Even if it’s something as simple as a yoga mat or a resistance band, it can take time to find the right one for you.

So, to help, we rounded up some of the highest-rated home workout items around. If you’re someone who loves the idea of keeping active during this time, these picks are for you.

Not only can these super-light bands be used to build muscle on your arms or legs via resistance, but they’re ideal for stretching, too. Have a trip coming up? These won’t add more than a few ounces to your carry-on. And if you are tempted to binge-watch a whole season on Netflix, put these on and work out at the same time.

Once you’ve progressed from newbie to experienced workout enthusiast, you’ll need to elevate your workouts so your progress doesn’t stagnate. One easy and effective way to add more difficulty is through sliders. Pint-sized and lightweight, they force you to engage your core in a different way. Whether you place them under your feet or hands during burpees, pushups or other moves, you’ll feel the burn.

If you’re a remote worker, you know how difficult it can be to get your daily steps, since so much of your routine involves sitting at a desk. To ensure you stay active, consider this highly rated under-desk exercise bike. As you go through emails, choose from eight resistance settings and pedal, pedal, pedal!

If this is the year you want to finally perfect your pushup, these handles are a must. While encouraging proper form, these force your body to engage every muscle involved in the workout move — from your shoulders to your lower abs. If you struggle with any sort of hand or wrist discomfort, the ergonomic grips also help reduce pressure.

Smart scales use a low-level electrical signal called BIA to measure more than just weight. Although they’re not recommended for pregnant women, young children, or people who have pacemakers or some other medical devices due to this, they can help track your body fat and body water levels. This smart scale from Wyze was our pick for best smart scale of 2021, thanks to its accuracy, easy-to-read numbers and smart app compatibility.

If your budget doesn’t quite allow for a Peloton bike, but you still love to spin, consider this budget option. It comes with hundreds of 5-star reviews and is beloved for its ability to fold up, making it ideal for an apartment or small living area. Though it won’t break the bank, it has everything you want from an at-home exercise bike, including resistance levels, adjustable seats and a quiet, smooth ride. If you already have a Peloton or other indoor bike, check out these must-have accessories.

If you’re building out your home gym, you’ll be spending a lot of time on this adjustable weight bench. It’s sturdy and fitted with 2-inch soft foam padding so you can complete any and every workout you can think up.

Ask any fitness professional and they’ll speak volumes about the importance of stretching before and after workouts. Foam rolling is an effective way to ensure your muscles receive the TLC they need. With this multidimensional surface, your body can experience improved oxygen flow and faster healing within your tissues, encouraging circulation, balance, mobility and flexibility.

With a textured finish that’s easy to grip and a rubber design so you can bounce the ball off hard surfaces, this medicine ball is a super versatile workout tool. It’s small and compact, and you can do all sorts of upper body exercises. This ball comes in 7 different sizes, ranging from 4 to 20 pounds.

No matter if you’re a yogi at heart or simply enjoy the stretch that various poses provide, a yoga mat is a must for at-home workouts. In addition to getting you through a sweaty vinyasa flow, this Gaiam yoga mat serves as a soft, cushion-y surface for burpees, squats, pushups and more. Plus, it was our pick for best thick yoga mat of 2021.

Sure, it’s pricey. But if you happen to live in a region of the country that makes it difficult to run outdoors — or even walk — during the winter, it’s worth the investment. Plus, this treadmill more compact than other options and allows runners to choose from studio workout programs led by trainers. You can also go at your speed and set your own goals.

If you live in a small space and couldn’t dream of fitting a traditional treadmill but still want an easy way to get in your miles, check out this ultra-compact treadmill from Treadly. We reviewed it and loved the fact it can be folded up and stored underneath a couch or bed in between workouts, plus it even has a companion app where you can join live workouts with other Treadly members.

Nike’s React Infinity Flyknits are one of our favoriteg all-around exercise shoes due to its lightweight yet supportive build. Your feet can really take a beating when working out inside, especially if you have hardwood floors. So make sure you have some appropriate footwear before you start breaking a sweat. Tip: Leave these bad boys inside so you don’t track in any dirt.

A lot of folks lack ample room for gym products in their homes, so any piece of multipurpose gear is appreciated. Enter: an exercise ball that can be used for — you guessed it — fitness, but also posture. When you sit on this inflatable ball while watching TV or working from home, you can experience less back pain and grow a stronger core.

Protect your hands from your new brutal at-home workouts with these workout gloves. With a perforated, micro-fiber design, these gloves stay breathable so your hands won’t feel hot and sweaty. Plus, they feature a cushioned pad with anti-slip points on the palms, so you can hold on longer and get stronger.

With a major Instagram and YouTube following, Bosu has created much chatter around stability and balance. With this one piece of gym equipment providing an unstable surface, you can work up your heart rate, strengthen your overall muscle tone and build your endurance.

Remember those childhood afternoons playing hopscotch, racing each other across the playground and trying your luck at double Dutch? Have a throwback-inspired workout with this jump rope. Though you probably didn’t realize as a kid that you were working up quite a sweat and burning mega calories, this simple move is effective and, well, easy! With 6-inch memory foam handles, work your way up to 1,000 jumps.

You may have visions of Jane Fonda or Richard Simmons circa the ‘80s when you see a step — but don’t forget there’s a reason they were so popular. Simply stepping up and down works your lower body and your abs and builds your cardio health. This at-home step supports up to 275 pounds and can be adjusted from 4 to 8 inches, depending on your fitness level and height.

From the upper to the lower body, suspension training is not only an effective way to meet strength goals, but it’s fun. After all, you’re using your body weight to move through various moves including pulls, planks and beyond. Be sure to read the instructions carefully when assembling this all-in-one set at home.

If you really want to take your in-home workouts to the next level, try out these weights you can wrap around your ankles or wrists. Strap them onto your ankles and jump roping, jogging and biking gets way harder. Or, attach them to your wrists for more intense crunches and upper body workouts. Choose from six weights from 1 to 10 pounds and kick your workout up a notch.

Trampoline workout classes are trendy, but the act of jumping? You probably haven’t bounced since you were in kindergarten. This foldable trampoline is ideal for indoor or outdoor use, and can hold up to 250 pounds. It also comes with a safety pad to keep the base in place so you can burn calories, sans worry.

After a tough boot camp, your joints may need a jolt to disengage and relax. The Theragun mini was one of our favorite massage guns when we reviewed Theragun’s new lineup, thanks to its lightweight and portable build. But even though it’s small, it still packs enough punch to help relieve pressure and stimulate relaxation, exactly where you need it.

Dumbbells are an essential for any weightlifting routine, but if you don’t have tons of space for storage check out this adjustable set. You can switch between 5 and 25 pounds instantly so you can hit any workout.

This dumbbell set features 5 pairs of weights ranging from 5 to 25 pounds, plus it comes with a heavy duty rack for easy storage.

If you don’t want dumbbells, kettlebells provide a wide variety of full body workouts as well. This kettlebell from Bowflex lets you customize your weight between 8 and 40 pounds in a second.

If one of your all-time fitness goals is to be able to do a dozen chin-ups or pull-ups, it’s time to bring a bar into your home. And nope, not the one that serves cocktails, but this highly-rated product that features 12 comfortable grips. It not only protects your door frames but it can support up to 300 pounds, just make sure your frame measures between 24 and 36 inches wide to ensure a secure fit.

Ab rollers aren’t exactly a new invention, but they are an effective way to build core strength. This option has adjustable resistance levels so you can customize your workout’s intensity between easy, medium and hard.