Six home gym buys that let you work out like a ballerina, a lumberjack and more

Portable, innovative and easy to store, these pieces of equipment will enhance at-home workouts

From axes to illustrated yoga mats, these pieces of at-home gym equipment will enhance your fitness journey. Photo: Chopfit; NewMe Fitness

If one of your New Year’s resolutions is to go to the gym more, but another is to save money, there is a solution to the problem.

Investing in exercise equipment you can use at home, that stores easily and can be used while doing other things will save you both time and money.

It’s time to replace that unused treadmill taking up space in the corner of the living room and switch to these multitasking workout wonders.

1. An illustrated yoga mat

Get started in yoga with this helpful mat that shows an array of positions. Photo: NewMe Fitness

If you’re new to yoga but can’t make time for classes, an illustrated mat is a good way to get started.

The mat has 70 yoga poses printed on it, from easier beginner’s poses like downwards dog and cow, to advanced positions including crow and headstand.

Although there aren’t step-by-step instructions of how to achieve the poses, when used with any number of free online tutorials, the images give a good idea of the position that needs to be achieved.

The 173-cm long, 5mm-thick mat can also be used for everyday workouts, stretching and Pilates.

NewMe Fitness Yoga Mat, Dh209, www.amazon.ae

2. The Chopper

Increase range of motion and build core strength with an axe workout. Photo: Chopfit

If “work out like a lumberjack” was on your list of things to achieve in 2024, then this piece of equipment is for you.

The Chopper comes in two weights – 1.81kg (4lbs) and 3.17kg (7lbs) – and lets you workout in a way that moves your whole body in an array of twists and turns designed to challenge.

It comes with access to 60 circuit workouts, multi-day challenges, the Chopper exercise movements library and a dashboard to track your progress, and can be used to complement existing strength and cardio training.

Each fitness system comes with two axes, as well as a wrist strap and carry bag.

$199.95 for 1.81kg, $259.95 for 3.17kg, www.chopfit.com

3. The Booty Kicker

The Booty Kicker lets you do ballet-style barre workouts at home. Photo: Booty Kicker

If you've been bitten by the barre workout craze and love exercising like a ballerina, the Booty Kicker lets you do it in the comfort of your own home.

Much sturdier than holding on to the back of a chair, grip the barre and move through a range of low-impact movements that improve flexibility, strengthen muscles and build core strength.

At 96.5cm wide and 94cm tall, it is not adjustable, so consider your height before you buy.

It folds flat to be stored under a sofa or bed and features a dumbbell holder that fits two 0.45kg (1lb), 0.90kg (2lbs) and 1.36kg (3lbs) weights.

Booty Kicker, Dh669, www.desertcart.ae

4. A doorway punchbag

This punchbag fits in the doorway for boxing gym-style workouts. Photo: Quiet Punch

Turn any doorway in your home into an instant boxing gym.

The Quiet Punch is the ideal way to get back into boxing or to keep up your training between gym sessions.

Easy to set up, it fits doorways 71.12cm-91.44cm wide and comes with two adjustable bars. Simply attach the punchbag to the bars and get working on your jabs, uppercuts and crossbody punches.

It's available with or without a tracker that follows your progress and sets speed and punch challenges to add an edge to workouts. There’s also an app to download featuring videos showing the correct form for punches.

Quiet Punch, $140 without tracker, $170 with tracker, www.quietpunch.com

5. Push-up bars

Rotating push-up bars take the pressure off the wrists to help with form. Photo: Adidas

Callisthenics, which – using your own body weight as resistance – is the easiest and cheapest way to work out.

One of the most popular of these workouts, push-ups, have long been a great way to build upper-body muscle strength and improve core stability and balance.

Investing in a pair of rotating push-up bars is the best way to develop strength both for those new to push-ups and dedicated gym-goers.

The bars are non-slip with handles that allow for a firm grip as well as reducing pressure on wrist joints. Also good for doing push-ups from your knees, they are easy to store and portable.

Adidas Swivel Push Up Bars, Dh339.68, www.amazon.ae

6. Weighted fitness hoop

Weighted hoop belts are all over social media as users extol their core strength-building properties. Photo: Showlovein

TikTok is obsessed with this weighted belt, which can easily be used while catching up on the latest TV shows.

This low-impact aerobic workout not only burns calories, but also helps strengthen the core, and many TikTok users have claimed that it has helped reduce back pain by building stomach muscles.

Easy to use and with plenty of instructional videos available online, the hoop takes up very little space and can help reduce overall body fat.

Showlovein Weighted Hula-Hoop, Dh214, www.desertcart.ae