Signing up for a gym membership in January is usually a financial trap that ends with you paying monthly fees to feel guilty about staying home. The alternative is working out in your living room, which sounds great until you realize your burpees are shaking the entire building like a low-budget earthquake.
We found the best gear that fits in your shoebox apartment without turning your neighbors into sworn enemies. From foldable cardio machines to weights that don’t clang, these compact finds let you sweat in peace without sacrificing your security deposit or your floor space.
#1 It Is Hard To Take Yourself Seriously While Gently Bouncing On The Balance Ball But The Constant Threat Of Falling Over Does Wonders For Your Posture
Review: “I love my new Bosu ball. I am an Occupational Therapist working with kids with special needs . I also have a facility dog who goes to work with me. I have the dog using the exercise equipment alongside the kids and it highly motivates them. She loves the Bosu also and often nudges me and walks over to the ball so she can “work out”. We have family fun together. The quality is great and it was easy to inflate. It stands up to me exercising on it and to dog nails being on it and doesn’t pop or leak air.” – bigdogutah
Image source: amazon.com, bigdogutah
#2 Rolling Around On The Floor Like A Confused Golden Retriever Is The Only Way To Describe Using The Foam Massage Roller To Iron Out The Knots In Your Quads Without Booking A Professional Appointment
Review: “Mine came as advertised. I can finally decompress.” – Tim
Image source: amazon.com
#3 The Adjustable Dumbbells Set Lets You Hoard Muscles Instead Of Metal Clutter Since It Condenses An Entire Rack Of Heavy Iron Into A Footprint Smaller Than A Pizza Box
Review: “I got these LifePro adjustable dumbbells for my home gym and they’ve been great so far! Adjusting slider works very smoothly, and dumbbells go in and out of the holder without an issue.” – Marissa A
Image source: amazon.com, Marissa A
#4 Your Downstairs Neighbors Won’t Hate You For Exercising At 2 Am Since The Under Desk Elliptical Lets You Sweat It Out Without Thumping Around On The Floorboards
Review: “I’m moderately active, 5’3”, 160 lbs. I mainly weight lift with my boyfriend and his brother. I wanted to add some more cardio to lean up again before our trip in four months. Staying longer at the gym to do cardio is annoying, so I figured this mini elliptical would be great.” – Vikki Lane
Image source: amazon.com, Vikki Lane
#5 Visualizing Your Annoying Coworker Is Totally Optional But Highly Effective When You Take A Swing At The Punching Bag On A Stand That Bounces Back Without Requiring A Single Hole In Your Rental Walls
Review: “So I was definitely worried after reading some bad reviews, So I wanted to wait before I made one! This was a Christmas gift for my kids,12 and 13.They hit on this thing hard,and has really helped my son with getting some aggression out. We haven’t had A single problem! and we are going on 5 months, so this was a great purchase! And we also don’t fill it completely full of water,not sure if that helps anyone. I would highly recommend,No issues!” – Haley
Image source: amazon.com, Haley
Living in a space the size of a walk-in closet usually means choosing between having a bed or having a treadmill, but we refuse to let square footage kill your gains. If the previous space-saving gadgets didn’t convince you to cancel your gym membership yet, keep scrolling because we have more compact equipment that hides away faster than your motivation to exercise.
#6 Your Downstairs Neighbor Will Never Know You Are Training For A Gladiator Match If You Swap The Heavy Iron For The Resistance Band Set And Its Completely Silent Elasticity
Review: “These are sooo much better than I expected. Super thick, wide, and they don’t roll down. Weight estimates feel spot on. Great for leg day in the home gym. Buy these!!” – Arah Iloabugichukwu
Image source: amazon.com, Arah Iloabugichukwu
#7 Clear A Wide Radius Around Your Television Unless You Want To Smash A Vase While Using The Weighted Fit Hoop To Rhythmically Pummel Your Love Handles Into Submission
Review: “I love how easy it is to assemble and it is a great way to workout at home.” – Angela
Image source: amazon.com, Angela
#8 Pretending You Are Escaping A Sinking Ship Is A Great Cardio Motivator While Using The Compact Adjustable Rowing Machine Which Conveniently Folds Up Before You Row Straight Through The Television
Review: “Very easy to assemble since its mostly put together. It comes with the manual and tools. I like that it’s lightweight so I can move it around the house. I’m impressed with the resistance levels it comes with. I’m 4″11′ and I’m probably as short as it can go comfortably. I wanted a quiet indoor machine for smokey or rainy days for my low impact workout. This is perfect. I normally cross train between running and biking but with covid and wildfires its been challenging with orders and air quality.” – Amazon Customer
Image source: amazon.com, Amazon Customer
#9 Wearing Full Spandex To Watch Netflix Is Finally Socially Acceptable When You Mount Your Ride To The Bike Trainer Stand And Cycle Nowhere Fast
Review: “Excellent product. This is exactly what I needed for the cold and snowy MI winters. Very sturdy and easy to assemble. Some people said it’s really loud. I don’t find it to be loud.” – Renee
Image source: amazon.com, Renee
#10 The Core Sliders Turn Your Living Room Carpet Into A Frictionless Ice Rink Of Pain So You Can Get Shredded Without Buying A Single Heavy Weight
Review: “These sliders are by far the best ones I’ve bought yet, they slide easy on both carpet and tile, you will definitely get your workout with these! They will not only work your core but muscles you didn’t even know you had!!!!” – lupe
Image source: amazon.com, lupe
#11 You Can Stop Tripping Over A Collection Of Heavy Iron Cannonballs By Snapping The Kettle Gryp Onto Your Existing Weights To Get That Full-Body Swing Without The Clutter
Review: “I’ve been looking for a product like this for a while. My career requires me to be a road warrior travelling every week Monday-Thursday and staying at hotels. Most hotels have at least dumb bells, but very few have kettle bells. This worked like a charm and I was able to bang out kettle bell swings no problem.” – Dennis
Image source: amazon.com, Dennis
We know that “home gym” usually implies you have a spare room, but we are working with realistic expectations and very thin walls. If you haven’t found the perfect gear to help you get fit without disturbing the peace, stay with us because the next batch of silent workout tools is designed to keep your landlord happy and your glutes burning.
#12 Admitting Defeat During A Stretch Is Actually Good For Your Health When You Use The Yoga Block To Bridge The Embarrassing Gap Between Your Hands And The Ground
Review: “I bought this yoga block for my child’s physical therapy sessions, and it’s been quite helpful.” – Natalia Taranova
Image source: amazon.com, Natalia Taranova
#13 Reverting To Your Hyperactive Childhood Self Is Much Safer With The Foldable Mini Trampoline Since It Absorbs The Impact And Hides Under The Couch When You Are Done Defying Gravity
Review: “I bought this trampoline for the baby who has way too much energy everyday. This is perfect for him to exercise and burn out the energy. He loves it, and the whole family ends up liking to jump on it. It’s very easy to assemble, no more than 5min it’s done. Although it’s foldable, it doesn’t compromise the stability. It’s very sturdy and it has no problem for an adult to do jumping jacks on it. The cushion pad that comes with prevents direct contact to the springs, and increase the safety.” – EmmaAnderson
Image source: amazon.com, EmmaAnderson
#14 Apologizing To The Landlord For A Cracked Floorboard Is Not Part Of The Workout Plan So Use The Rubber Coated Hex Dumbbell Set To Cushion The Blow When Gravity Eventually Wins
Review: “Very good quality, husband loves them.” – Rose
Image source: amazon.com, Amazon Customer
#15 Most Exercise Equipment Eventually Becomes A Place To Hang Laundry But The Folding Treadmill Saves You From That Fate By Sliding Under The Couch The Second You Stop Moving
Review: “Its ideal for a small space. Runs quiet and smoothly. I was worried because I live on a 2nd FL. Marks distance, calories, time and speed. Comes with a cell phone holder, remote control and bluetooth speaker. Folds easily for storage under a bed. Is slim enough to store upward in a closet. Can run/walk with or without the bar. Width of band is decent for it being compact. May not be suitable for larger feet. Very happy with it.” – Mari
Image source: amazon.com, Mari
#16 Every Trip To The Refrigerator Becomes A Grueling Athletic Endeavor When You Strap On The Adjustable Ankle Weights To Secretly Tone Your Glutes While Hunting For Snacks
Review: “These are great. They are so easy to change the weight from 1 to 5 weights; only took about 20 seconds to add a weight. I have a bone density loss of 12+% from significant weight loss. I bought these to add weight as I move around the house to increase my bone density. So very easy to use; no straps to buckle – uses Velcro – easy on and off. All around great product.” – SuzyGirl
Image source: amazon.com, Julia J.
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