Getting and staying in shape can be a bit tricky. It requires motivation and commitment, two things that sound pretty easy in theory, but like many things, are difficult in practice. The health benefits gained from working out can be part of your motivation. It reduces your risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, high blood pressure, metabolic syndrome and helps you manage your weight effectively. And there is nothing wrong with using your desire for a six-pack as motivation to stay committed to moving your body. If knowing that you will easily slide into your jeans increases your commitment to exercising, then that's OK. Plus, you are allowed to treat yourself. Even Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson allows himself a cheat day.
And when you realize that the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommends that you get between 150 (2.5 hours) to 300 minutes (5 hours) of physical activity weekly to enjoy health benefits, you should feel confident that it is doable. But what if you live in a teeny tiny apartment with absolutely no space at all? You give up and grab the vino. Kidding! Luckily, living in a small space isn't a unique problem and some brands have done their best to create workout equipment that needs little space to use. Sure, nothing beats going out for a run in the city, but if the weather is against you, or you're too lazy to leave your building, you should be able to work out at home. That's where the best exercise equipment for small paces comes into play.
From weighted jump ropes to treadmills, climbers and even high-tech fitness mirrors, we've found plenty of excellent exercise equipment that will help you achieve your fitness goals in even the tiniest of apartments.
Ready to dive in? Take a look at our list of the best exercise equipment for small spaces below!
The Best Cardio Equipment
Crossrope
One of the most basic forms of exercise is jumping rope. Many of us did it as kids. As adults, it may be one of the best forms of cardio. In fact, for someone who is 155 pounds, jumping rope for 30 minutes burns about 372 calories. Comparatively, riding a stationary bike at a moderate rate for the same time would burn 211 calories. It is something that boxers do, and they would know a thing or two about training. Plus, it requires very little space. If you want to up your calorie burn and challenge yourself, give the Crossrope a try. It a weighted jump rope that ranges from 1/4 - 5 pounds. You can download their app for full-body workouts that will challenge you. While we wouldn't recommend using this indoors if you live above someone (at least, not at 6 AM), jumping rope is a great option for those who live in small apartments.
© Provided by SPYCrossRope, Get Lean, Best Exercise Equipment for Small Spaces
Buy: Crossrope
NordicTrack T Series Treadmill
This brand is well known for producing excellent workout equipment, and if you want to have a screen on your treadmill that offers on-demand studio workouts on a budget, this is the one. It comes with a one-month iFit membership, and smart speed control auto adjusts with iFit and a 10% incline. It features speakers that allow you to port your music and groove to your tunes as you burn off those extra calories. This model is available with various display screens, but the five-inch is where you will get the best bang for your buck. For the avid runner, this is one of the best pieces of exercise equipment for small apartments.
© Provided by SPYNordicTrack T Series Treadmill, Best At Home Exercise Equipment For Small Spaces
Buy: NordicTrack T Series Treadmill $689.57
Echelon Smart Connect Fitness Bike EX-15
Stationary bikes are all the rage right now, and there is a lot of talk about one particular brand, Peloton. Though the carbon footprint is 4' x 2', making it compact enough for an apartment, it does come at a hefty price and a long waiting period - currently 6-10 weeks. We're not knocking the bike, but momentum is essential, and if you are ready and committed to exercising, you may want something a little sooner. To that end, you can get a nicely priced Echelon Smart Connect Fitness EX-15 bike in as little as two days from Amazon. It will fit in your bedroom without taking up too much space (20.28 x 10 x 37.8 inches) and allows you to have a challenging workout.
This stationary bike offers 32 levels of the much wanted magnetic resistance, adjustable toe cages on the pedals, a place for your water bottle and a place for your smart device which you can use to download the Peloton app so that you can enjoy their library of live and on-demand workouts.
© Provided by SPYEchelon Smart Connect Fitness Bike EX-15, Best Exercise Equipment for Small Spaces
Buy: Echelon Smart Connect Fitness Bike EX-15 $499.99
Pro-Form City L6
Even if you are someone that likes to go for runs or walks outside, a treadmill can be an appealing piece of equipment to own. They are a good option for days when the weather is less than appealing. Plus, cardio gets your heart rate up, increases blood flow, and adds muscle tone if the treadmill has an incline feature. The trick to having one in a small space is finding one that can fold and still challenge you. The Pro-Form City L6 equipped with wheels folds flat and can quickly be put away when not in use. Its drive system allows you to switch from walking to running (0-8mph). It has a place for your tablet so that you can use it to workout using your favorite app.
© Provided by SPYPro-Form City L6, Best Exercise Equipment for Small Spaces
The Best Strength Training Equipment
Bodylastics Stackable Tube Resistance Bands
As crucial as cardio is to your health, so is building muscles and toning your body through strength training. It can help to reduce your risks of fractures and increase your joint flexibility and balance. Bodyweight exercises such as squats, dips, push-ups and lunges are great but adding some resistance can help build muscle mass faster and challenge you. Resistance bands are excellent to have in your arsenal. They store easily, can be taken anywhere and add tone and increase flexibility. Bodylastics Stackable Tube Resistance Bands comes with detailed instructions for using the five-band kit. You can use them singularly or stack them. The 12 piece set includes five anti-Snap bands (3 pounds, 5 pounds, 8 pounds, 13 pounds, 19 pounds), two handles, two ankle straps, one door anchor, one carrying bag. For anyone living in a major city, resistance bands are some of the best exercise equipment for small spaces.
© Provided by SPYBodylastics Stackable Tube Resistance Bands
Buy: Bodylastics Resistance Bands Set $49.95
Bowflex SelectTech 552 Dumbbells
Dumbbells may not seem exciting, but they do get the job done. The only issue you may find is that if you want varied weights to work each body part, you may need a collection, and that can take up space that you don't have. But Bowflex SelectTech 552 Dumbbells have a workaround. They look like one set of dumbbells, but they are adjustable from five to 52.5 pounds, making this a great addition to your mini at-home gym.
© Provided by SPYBowflex SelectTech 552 Dumbbells, Best Exercise Equipment for Small Spaces
Buy: Bowflex SelectTech 552 Dumbbells $549.99
StrongBoard Balance
If you have ever used a boogie board or gone snowboarding, you know how it feels to focus your control and balance on your lower body. And you also know how hard that can be and how you have to engage your core. Well, add springs, and you have what it feels like to stand on the StrongBoard Balance. It will make exercises like squats and push-ups more challenging and since it's so small, it's one of the best pieces of exercise equipment for small apartments.
© Provided by SPYStrongBoard Balance, Best Exercise Equipment for Small Spaces
The Best Strength and Cardio Equipment
CLMBR
If you really want to push yourself, and also love outdoor activities such as rock climbing, you will love the CLMBR. It is a vertical climbing machine that is great for upper and lower body work, strength training and gets your heart rate up. We strongly suggest using the integrated audio system to blast your tunes to stay strong because you will be challenged while using this machine. It is one of the best exercise equipment for small spaces because it will work just about all of your muscles.
© Provided by SPYCLMBR, Best Exercise Equipment for small spaces
NordicTrack VAULT??
The workout giant Nordic Track has upped their game and has created something unique as well as motivating. You get a full-length, 60 x 22-inch mirror where you can watch as a trainer leads you through a workout making sure that your form is correct. It has hidden storage where you can put the six pairs of dumbbells that are included. Plus, you get access to iFit workouts for weight training, HITT, stretching, balance, and more.
© Provided by SPYNordicTrack VAULT
Liteboxer
Boxing can give you quite an all-over body workout. It engages your upper body and lower body. It gets your heart rate up, engages your core and helps to tone your muscles. The Liteboxer emulates all of that in the comfort of your home. It merges rhythm gaming with fitness, featuring punch tracks that guide how you punch. Choose your music and create your very own beat-based workout. You can increase and decrease your punches per minute with guidance of the musical beats ranging from 20 PPM to 60PPM. And best of all, it takes up very little room. For a mix of strength and cardio, this is one of the best pieces of exercise equipment for small apartments.
© Provided by SPYLiteboxer, Best Exercise Equipment for Small Spaces