The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that every healthy individual between the ages of 18- to 64-years old should try to get 150 minutes of exercise every week. The recommendation for strength training is to work out major muscle groups at least 2 or more times per week. There is no doubt that cardiovascular exercise and weight training has tremendous benefit. However, are people doing the recommended levels of physical activity?

According to TIME magazine, only 23% of individuals in the age group of 18-64 are regularly getting 150 minutes of physical activity in a week. That number is too low. One of the reasons for that could be the inconvenience of going to the gym. People don’t have the time to go to the gym or they won’t want to spend extra cash on a monthly membership. Also, the gym is often overcrowded making for delays in equipment availability and parking. The home gym has a lot of advantages including no commute need to work out, no monthly fees, no waiting for parking or equipment and being able to control your gym environment. One of the major advantages of a home gym is that you are less likely to make excuses to not work out at home. The essential equipment for a home gym will depend on the goals of each individual but typically, the home gym should have a mix of cardiovascular and strength training equipment.

Here are a few recommendations:

1. Peloton Bike
This is an extremely well-built stationary bike. It is an ideal piece of equipment for a home gym. Cycling is a low impact for the joints and the variable intensity allows it to be used by people of different fitness levels. The bike is compact so it uses less space in your home. There is good ergonomic support for people of different shapes and sizes. It is designed to be quiet so it doesn’t disturb others around you.

2. Bowflex Blaze Home Gym
The Bowflex Blaze home gym is all you need for your strength training requirements. It can be used for over 60 different weight training exercises. There is 210 lbs of power rod residence. It can be upgraded if needed. The folding bench and wheels provide easy storage. The sliding seat rail offers cardiovascular exercise options in the form of rowing. Lat/squat bar and multi-function hand grips are included with the product. Also, an instructional play card is included to guide users on how to use the equipment.

3. TRX Home Gym
TRX home gym allows users to get a well-rounded “weight training” experience at home or on the road. The machine is based on a suspension training mechanism, which used body weight as resistance for strength training. The equipment focuses on compound movements utilizing multiple muscle groups in the movement. Certain isolation exercises can also be performed with proper form. As there fewer parts on this equipment, it is extremely easy to install or store.

4. NordicTrack Tred Climber
This equipment takes the user to the next level of fitness. The climber is low impact which is great for the joints. The machine offers cardiovascular exercise and strength training for the legs and glutes. This equipment combines three different types of exercises: walking, going up the stairs and elliptical motion. The variable resistance levels allow users to progressively build stamina and strength. Nordic’s brand name ensures the build quality of this product would be impeccable.