All The Products You Need To Get A Great Workout At Home

As told by an Ironwoman.

BuzzFeed / Andrew Richard

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This is my sister, Caroline, eight-time Ironman.

Rusty Myers, Scott Strance Photography

For the unacquainted, an Ironman triathlon consists of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike, and a 26.2-mile run (that last one is a full marathon. You know, casual).

For seven of those eight races, Caroline has acted as a guide for visually impaired Ironman athletes, which means running and swimming tethered to another person, and riding with them on a tandem bike. It also means that it's a good idea for her to be faster than the person she's guiding, so she's not in danger of slowing them down.

All this to say: my sister is way cooler than I am, and fit AF.

She also likes staying home (so relatable!) and travels a lot for work, so I asked her what equipment is essential for working out, both at home and on the road.

1. Resistance bands, which harness the awesome power of rubber bands to tone and strengthen.

amazon.com, Caroline Gaynor

"I love how compact these are — I always bring them with me when I travel. They don't look like much, but when you know how to use them, you can get a great full-body workout."

You can find a ton of resistance band exercises on Greatist. Get the bands for $11.95 on Amazon.

2. A BOSU balance ball, which makes every exercise—and your core—harder.

Instagram: @carolinebikes

"BOSU balls are incredibly versatile. The instability forces you to engage more of your muscles, so any time you're sitting or on it while lifting weights, you're getting a more complete workout."

Get it for $103.96 at Walmart.

3. Comfy workout gear that makes you feel like a badass. A really comfortable badass. Who also loves brunch.

walmart.com, walmart.com

"Truthfully, I'm in spandex 90% of the time I'm not at work. These hit the trifecta of workout gear: cheap, comfortable, and not too scrubby to wear to brunch."

Get the top for $6 and the pants for $14 at Walmart.

4. A jump rope, for cardio you can do literally anywhere.

Instagram: @prosourcefit, Caroline Gaynor

"I hate to be one of those 'no excuses' exercise people, but a jump rope is kind of a 'no excuses' piece of equipment. It's a great way to get your heart rate up no matter where you are."

Get it for $7.24 at Walmart.

Don't skip workouts. Work out while skipping!

greatist.com

See the full workout on Greatist.

5. A running belt that will hold everything you need to make you hate running (slighly) less.

Instagram: @fitletic, amazon.com

"Speaking of versatile workouts, running is one of the best there is. No matter where you are, chances are there's someplace you can run a few miles. I rarely run without this race belt. It comfortably holds a phone, keys, and a snack (yeah, I definitely eat during workouts)."

Get it for $27.99 at Amazon.

6. A good set of rubber dumbells that won't gouge out wood floors.

walmart.com

"It's ideal to have a wide variety of different dumbell weights, but if you don't want to commit to a whole set, I recommend getting two sets of weights. One should feel light to you at first (for me these are the eight-pounders) so that you can do 15-20 reps with them. The other set should be heavier (15 pounds, in my case) —

10 reps should feel difficult. I like these because when you drop them (and you definitely will), they won't destroy your floors."

Get them for $9.10+ per pair at Walmart.

7. A physioball, the exercise ball that's like a chair for people who want really strong abs.

Caroline Gaynor

"Physioballs are another really versatile piece of equipment. They add an element of instability to your core routine, since even sitting still on one forces you to engage your core muscles."

You can find 30 physioball workouts on Fitwirr. Get one for $21.53 at Walmart.

8. A foam roller, which works both to soothe tight muscles and to make them sore again.

Caroline Gaynor

"These are great for working out and massaging sore muscles, but you can also use them for stabilizing exercises. Try doing planks with your feet on the roller."

The Equinox blog lays out some foam roller exercises to try.

Get one for $24.98 at Jet.

**PSA: new Jet customers get 15% off their first three orders with the promo code SAVE15**

9. A foam floor mat, so you can jump, plank, and crunch on any surface without disturbing your neighbors.

walmart.com

"I lived in apartments for many years, and this mat is really good for muffling sounds so you can do burpees without making your neighbors hate you."

Get it for $14.92 at Walmart.

10. And a yoga mat, for portable ~flow~.

Caroline Gaynor, walmart.com

"I have a home yoga mat and a car yoga mat. Because you never know! I like this one because it's got a little extra thickness."

Get it for $14.84 at Walmart.

11. An indoor bike trainer, so you can ride your bike in any weather (while watching Netflix).

amazon.com

"A trainer is a must for anyone who wants to get serious about cycling. It's a more efficient way to interval train on a bike, because you can control the resistance. This trainer also takes up much less space than a stationary bike, or other indoor cardio machines."

Get it for $68.32 at Jet.

12. A medicine ball, which will HIIT you right where it hurts (the core).

Caroline Gaynor

"A medicine ball is amazing for high-intensity interval training [HIIT]. I especially like to use it for squats and Russian twists."

You can find more ideas for medicine ball workouts on Shape. Get it for $14.96+ at Walmart.

13. A spiky massage ball, which will work out your exercise- or desk job-induced knots.

jet.com

"These are a lifesaver for shoulder knots and sore feet. Don't neglect recovery! It might not feel as important as the exercise part, but it's crucial to seeing results."

Get it for $9.95 at Jet.

14. A Fitbit, for tracking all the data essential to your exercise success.

Instagram: @fitbit

"I like knowing how many steps I walk in a day, but my favorite part of the Fitbit is being able to track my sleep. Sleep is the most underrated element of recovery and improvement."

Get it for $148.95 at Walmart.

Netflix and train, anyone?

Caroline Gaynor