I want to provide a list of five pieces of equipment that I believe provide the biggest bang for your buck to get in effective workouts no matter where you are or what your goals are. If you are just starting out buying equipment or looking for things you can have on the go, look no further than these items. All of these take up minimal space in a vehicle, are cost-friendly, and can be used for a variety of things. Whether you have 20 minutes or two hours, all five of these items can provide GREAT workouts anywhere, anytime.

#1. Sled

The sled is my favorite piece of equipment due to its extreme versatility. The sled provides many great options, as you can use it for restorative purposes, conditioning, or a full-body workout. Many sleds are easy to leave in the car, so you can always be ready to get some work in as needed. I am a fan of sled dragging both forward and backward, and I usually do this twice per week. Sled rows are another favorite to get in a good back pump. Dragging the sled sideways is also great and something I utilize often with clients of mine. It presents a good challenge of coordination working through a different plane of motion. 

#2. Med Ball

Med Balls are another great piece of equipment that can be used for various purposes, such as slams, throws, core exercises, push-ups/dips, squats, or even hamstring curls. Utilizing the med ball can provide some intense activity that allows for plenty of variety while increasing your heart rate. You do not need a lot of time for a grueling med ball workout. Burpee med ball slams are a go-to when I feel like I have not done any heavy breathing in a while. Rotational slams are also done fairly frequently, simply because they allow us to move through a different plane of motion than we typically perform exercises in.

#3. Kettlebell

I am biased towards a kettlebell over a dumbbell for the sole purpose that you can perform kettlebell swings. I believe the kettlebell to be one of the best pieces of equipment as, again, it has lots of versatility. You can do practically anything with a kettlebell that you can with a dumbbell and then some. Rows, presses, snatches, hammer curls, farmer carries, or even putting the kettlebell on the sled for some extra weight are some great ways to maximize what you have. If you are looking for a good backside burner, perform kettlebell swings for anywhere between one to five minutes straight. Do not be afraid to swing around some heavyweight, either! Long bouts with a kettlebell will really develop that posterior chain.

#4. Bands

Bands offer restorative benefits for joints, tendons, and ligaments. They can easily attach to kettlebells for added resistance and provide a convenient way to achieve high-volume workouts without the wear and tear of heavy weights. Compact and easy to store, bands are perfect for getting a full-body pump on recovery days, during vacations, or in the week after a competition to promote recovery.

#5. Weighted Vest

The weighted vest is a game changer. A weighted vest can take your workouts to the next level if you are crunched for time or low on equipment. An easy way to increase resistance is to add an extra conditioning factor, which helps build up your work capacity over time. Wear it while performing all other exercises, especially when dragging the sled, and watch your progress skyrocket. The weighted vest also makes regular bodyweight movements more challenging. If you have a park nearby, you can also do pull-ups and potentially dips. Your vest will be great for those as well. Truly, though, you can not go wrong with squats and push-ups. If you have access to something to perform a pull-up on, then more power to you, but I can not tell you how many times on vacations or even in my college dorm room where I would do a quick circuit of air squats and push-ups on days I knew I would not have a chance to go to the gym. Having a vest on hand simply allows you to take simple workouts like this and make them all the more challenging.

No Excuses

It is very easy to come up with excuses such as:

  • “I don’t have a gym membership.”
  • “I don’t have time.”
  • “I don't know what equipment I should start with.”
  • “I don't know how to work out.”

Dragging a sled, picking a med ball up and throwing it down, and squatting up and down take minimal thinking and skill to perform. You can find a 30-minute block in your day to intentionally exercise. I also guarantee you can get all of this equipment for under 200 dollars. If working out is a priority and you do not think you can afford this equipment, cancel your Netflix or Hulu subscription.

6 Workouts

5 Rounds:

  • 100 ft Backward Sled Drag
  • 10 Push-ups
  • 50 ft Sled Rows

5 Rounds:

  • 6 Rotational MB Slams
  • 25 KB Swings
  • 10 KB Goblet Squats

Band Circuit - x2

  • 50 Pull Aparts
  • 50 Tricep Extensions
  • 50 Hamstring Curls
  • 25 Bicep Curls
  • 25 Side Bends (per side)

EMOM: 21 Minutes

  • Min 1: 4 MB Overhead Throws
  • Min 2: 6 KB Snatch per arm
  • Min 3: Max Band Push-ups in 25 seconds

TABATA - :30 seconds on, :30 seconds off

  • :30 Backward Sled Drag
  • Rest :30
  • :30 KB Swings
  • Rest :30
  • :30 

AMRAP in 15 Mins with a vest:

  • 5 Burpees
  • 5 Push-ups
  • 10 Air Squats

Bio

Jackson Abe is a strength and conditioning coach who competes in powerlifting and is looking to start competing in strongman in the next year. Originally from Bellevue, NE, he now lives in Fairbury, NE. He played collegiate football at Doane University in Nebraska. Currently, he works as a personal trainer at Hilltop Fitness & Performance in Crete, NE, and serves as the strength coach for Crete High's football team, where he is also a member of the varsity coaching staff. He holds a BA in Health and Physical Education and is a Certified Specialist in Strength and Conditioning (SSC).