Guardian Life & Style (US) • Jan. 6, 2026, 11:44 a.m.

<p>You don’t need a gym membership to get a respectable workout. The right compact and budget-friendly equipment can help you create a routine</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/global/2025/sep/09/sign-up-to-the-filter-us-our-newsletter-guide-to-buying-fewer-better-products">Sign up for the Filter US newsletter, your weekly guide to buying fewer, better things</a></p></li></ul><p>As a certified personal trainer, I’ll be the first to tell you: you don’t need a gym membership to get a respectable workout.

Besides cutting out snowy commutes and long wait times for equipment, a home gym gives you a sense of agency over your fitness routine: you can work out on your time, at your pace.</p><p>And you don’t need to fill an entire garage with iron, either.

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