Toms' Guide's Katie Kozuch has been tasked of building a home gym for under $50 with items from Target!
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00:00Budgets are tight, so a big piece of home gym equipment or a gym membership might just not make sense for everybody.
00:05So I wanted to see, with $50, if I could build my own home gym at Target.
00:09Can I kickstart my own fitness goals using everything in this bag?
00:13And what are the best tech apps and tools to help you get started?
00:16Let's go find out!
00:19I was deciding between a few different stores that would have worked for our budget,
00:22but I ultimately decided to get all of the fitness equipment from Target
00:25because their brand, All-In-Motion, has some great prices on all the essentials you need for a home gym.
00:31I selected specific items that should give me a good variety to start from at home.
00:35I also made sure to refer to the fitness section on TomsGuide.com for great advice from our fitness editors.
00:42The first and easiest decision I made was to get a yoga mat.
00:46This will act as a base for any floor exercises, and it's also great for yoga and Pilates.
00:51This is the 3mm yoga mat from All-In-Motion, and it's pretty much as affordable as yoga mats come.
00:56That said, there are a few things you want to keep in mind when picking out a yoga mat for yourself.
01:01Yoga mats vary in size and thickness.
01:03Get something thicker than the normal ¼ inch if you need more cushioning for your wrists and knees.
01:08You might also want to look for mats that are designed to be grippy without the need for a separate yoga towel.
01:13If you're sustainability-minded, you should look into the materials of the mat and how and where it's made.
01:18Being familiar with the material is also important so you know how to properly clean the mat between workouts.
01:24While you can find plenty of solid, budget-friendly yoga mats,
01:27there are also premium models that are meant to hold up with daily use.
01:31Up next, I opted for the All-In-Motion Yoga Block.
01:35A yoga block is a little foam brick that goes a long way. It's super versatile.
01:40While I am not a personal trainer, my colleague who is one recommends these three bodyweight leg exercises that you can do with just a yoga block.
01:48First up, we have Yoga Block Prisoner Squats.
01:53Then I moved on to Yoga Block Glute Bridges.
01:58And finally, we have Yoga Block Deficit Lunges. Be sure to do reps on both sides.
02:04Moving right along, at Tom's Guide, we love a weighted jump rope.
02:08It adds resistance and intensity to your existing jump rope workout, and this one from All-In-Motion is super affordable.
02:15Both a weighted jump rope and a regular jump rope are great ways of raising your heart rate,
02:19improving coordination, and building agility and endurance.
02:22The weight of the jump rope you decide to use depends on your fitness levels.
02:26The additional weight helps you burn more calories and build muscle faster,
02:30so whether your goal from skipping is weight loss or strength and conditioning, the weighted jump rope will help.
02:38Finally, you can't go wrong with a set of dumbbells.
02:41If you're just starting off with your home gym, anything from 5 to 10-pound weights is a great place to begin.
02:47We have a set of 8-pound weights from Target's All-In-Motion brand right here.
02:52Dumbbells are versatile tools that provide a wide range of motion,
02:55allowing for exercises that engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously.
02:59With regular practice, a dumbbell workout can lead to improved muscle tone and definition in your muscles across your upper and lower body.
03:06Personally, I like using them for shoulder presses and Russian twists.
03:10Now, although I managed to get all of this equipment for under $50,
03:14I wanted to take a moment to explain how I personally track my fitness with the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and Aura Ring Gen 3.
03:20Both devices provide useful feedback on your workouts like your heart rate trends and calories burned
03:25and offer incredible insight into how to live an overall healthy lifestyle.
03:29I love using my Apple Watch to track bike rides and runs and even Apple Fitness Plus workouts.
03:35That said, I prefer wearing my Aura Ring for activities like yoga since it's more discreet.
03:40The Aura Ring also works outside of the Apple ecosystem.
03:44For a deep dive on the similarities and differences, including us measuring the devices against professional machines at a sports lab,
03:50check out our video here.
03:52And even if you don't want to invest in a fitness tracker, there are plenty of free workout apps that you can try out.
03:57I personally like FitOn and even Peloton has tons of content that's free to use.
04:06I think I did pretty well with all of my new gym equipment considering I spent under $50.
04:12I'm actually looking forward to working out and trying to hit some of my fitness goals this year.
04:16But what are some of your fitness goals? Be sure to let me know in the comments below.
04:20In the description, I've also linked the latest deals on all the products we checked out today.
04:24For more fitness content, be sure to head to TomsGuide.com.
04:27Our incredible fitness team has you covered on all the tips and guides you need.
04:31Otherwise, you can check out what we're doing on social at TomsGuide.
04:34And as always, I'm at Kate Kozich.
04:36Thanks for watching. I'll catch you next time.
04:39That's a serious workout.