Apple Fitness+ is a great way to stay active and ensure that you close your rings each day. But if you want to pick up many of the workouts, you’ll need to invest in equipment (unless you join a gym).
In this post, we’ll cover everything you need (and everything you don’t) for every kind of workout in Apple’s Fitness+. I’ll include suggestions for products as well (non-affiliated) and offer up some budget-friendly alternatives.
Without further ado, let’s crush that New Year’s resolution!
Which Types of Apple Fitness+ Workouts Require Equipment?
Luckily, there’s a decent chunk of Fitness+ that you can use without equipment. That includes Core, Yoga, Dance, and HIIT. You can purchase equipment for some of these workouts, though it isn’t required. Mindful Cooldowns don’t require equipment either, but they’re not really a workout, so let’s forget they exist in this post.
For everything else, you will need Fitness+ equipment. While bodyweight workouts are great, you’ll often need to use weights and whatnot to really push your limits. Let’s now look at the equipment you’ll need.
The Apple Fitness+ Equipment You’ll Need for Each Type of Workout
Core, Yoga, and Mindful Cooldown: Yoga Mats and Blocks
Okay, so you don’t need yoga mats or blocks for your workouts. But you can get them if you think that they’ll enhance your workout.
Honestly, I don’t use any equipment when I do any of these exercises. I’ve never owned a yoga mat or a set of yoga blocks, and I’ve never found myself missing them. However, I’m also a rail-thin adolescent, so the modifications that require blocks aren’t really helpful to me. And my bedroom is carpeted, so a mat is not only unnecessary but would actually get in the way.
If those points resonate with you, then you can probably skip on equipment as well. If you’re doing yoga on a hardwood floor, however, you want to grab a mat. Even on the carpet, my knees start to hurt during certain routines.
A yoga mat adds cushion and can help with positioning with some poses. You’ll hear instructors reference your mat a lot, so if you don’t want to imagine it, go ahead and grab one!
Additionally, yoga blocks are super helpful for modifications. If you struggle with balance or flexibility, they can be a huge help! Remember, exercise is a journey; you can’t skip to the end. So if you need blocks, no shame – you’re already on the right path!
Sadly, the Cycling workouts on Fitness+ only refer to indoor cycling. Though I suppose this makes sense; your local streets and trails will determine the kind of workout you get on a locomotive bicycle.
The only equipment you need for cycling is an indoor bike. If you don’t know what this is, it’s a machine that pedals just like a bicycle but doesn’t have any wheels. So, you won’t go anywhere. It still has handlebars and a seat, so you ride it similar as you would a bike. It’s a stationary bike.
Since indoor bikes are stationary, they have been outfitted with lots of the bells and whistles you’ll find on treadmills. You can adjust your left-to-right angle, resistance, and so on.
These can be pricey, so be prepared to invest if you want to give this a shot!
Rowing machines are a fantastic endurance workout, and you’ll burn some serious calories when you use these. Like the indoor bike, these will be a significant upfront investment — so be prepared!
Taking a break from the heavy machinery, we have good old-fashioned dumbbells. Everyone knows what these are; they’re those one-handed weights lying around in each of our garages.
For strength training on Apple Fitness+, that’s all you need. Technically, you could get away with just buying two (one for each hand). However, you’ll probably find that whichever two you pick become less difficult over time. So, it’s worth investing in a range of them if you’re interested in building strength and muscle over the long run. If you aren’t bothered about gains, you can ignore this and just buy a set of two.
If you want to gradually and continually progress, however, then you’ll probably want a set of dumbbells. And for that, I’m going to recommend adjustable dumbbells. These are dumbbells that sit in a tray and change weight as you like. These are the most compact and easy to use.
Finally, we have the last type of workout on the Fitness+ service, Treadmill. And it comes as no surprise that for these workouts you need a… treadmill!
If you’ve somehow never seen a treadmill before, it’s just a big contraption that allows you to run on a spinning track. This allows you to not only run indoors, but also simulate inclines, pick specific speeds, and more. All very helpful, even if you could just throw on some sneakers and jog outside.
You can get all kinds of treadmills, and these will be a significant upfront investment. If you’re willing to pay the money, though, you can find plenty of options.
What Does the Perfect Fitness+ Home Gym Look Like?
The truth is, the right setup for Fitness+ is whatever exercises resonate with you the most. For me, that’s a carpeted surface and my iPhone propped against the sofa.
In my opinion, unless you need a big machine for your workout of choice, the perfect Fitness+ gym is a set of dumbbells and a yoga mat. You can do six out of the nine workout options currently available. And if you skip the dumbbells and have a rug handy, you don’t need to purchase anything.
Except for an iPhone stand – I’ll admit that my couch doesn’t make for a great iPhone stand. Luckily, stands are easy to find on Amazon for under $50.
Really, though, you should do whatever you can with the space you have. If you’ve got a smaller apartment, for example, you can always buy equipment that’s easy to fold away.
What if I Don’t Have Any Fitness+ Equipment?
If you don’t have any Fitness+ equipment and want to participate in the equipment-centric exercises, you may be a bit disheartened. After all, very few of the machines listed cost less than $1,000, and most are much higher than that price. So, what do you do if you’re on a budget?
Get creative! There’s no reason why you have to buy the shiniest, newest piece of equipment. If you aren’t planning on being competitive and just want to stay in shape, then any equipment is better than no equipment.
I’d first recommend looking around your house. Can’t afford dumbbells? See if you have any paint cans lying around. Don’t have $80 to drop on a yoga mat? Grab a cheap rug, or better yet, go outside and do your practice in the grass. Need yoga blocks? Buy a cheap book from Half Priced Books.
Next, start looking around online. Buy secondhand; Craigslist, eBay, and Facebook Marketplace are your friends. Speaking of friends, talk to your friends! See if anyone has equipment they’re willing to part with or lend. And if all else fails, get a membership to your local gym, bring your iPhone, and do your workout there. They probably have all the equipment you need at a monthly price you can afford.
Don’t Give Up!
Most importantly, don’t give up! Your fitness is extremely important, and thirty minutes a day is nothing. It’s easy to get hung up on buying the right thing or picking the right workout. But don’t let this become your focus. Experiment, find what works for you, have fun, and keep closing your rings!
If you’ve tried Apple Fitness+, we’d love to hear from you and get your thoughts on the subscription service. And if you have any equipment recommendations, we’d also be intrigued to find out what your preferences are.
Nice article. Small correction, rowing machines do not mimic the motion of rowing a canoe or kayak. They mimic the motion of sliding-seat rowing also known as sculling or rowing crew.
Nice article. Small correction, rowing machines do not mimic the motion of rowing a canoe or kayak. They mimic the motion of sliding-seat rowing also known as sculling or rowing crew.
Please add some Pilates classes on app.