Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Kohl’s. I was paid for this post and received the included fitness equipment as compensation.
A little over 8 months ago our family joined a gym after having not had a membership for 2 years. Josh and I loved being able exercise together again and it was great to have childcare for the kids when Josh was on shift so I could workout.
Fast forward to today and I am cleared to start exercising again after delivering our third baby in November. Adding a new member to our family has been amazing and exhausting.
Exercise is a great way to boost your energy, improve your outlook, and reduce stress, all things that are great for everyone and especially parents of a newborn.
The childcare at our gym starts for babies when they are 3 months old. The idea of taking three kids to the gym when Josh is on shift is a little overwhelming. There were some mornings when it was hard for me to manage Caden and Maisie on my own and getting them in and out of the car and into childcare was more of a workout than my actual workout.
I knew that going to the gym wasn’t going to be a reality for at least a few months. I also knew that for my sanity and health I would need to figure out a way to exercise, at a minimum, 3 days a week.
Thanks to Kohl’s, Josh and I have absolutely no excuse to not exercise. In addition to the awesome selection of products Kohl’s offers in store they also have a wide range of fitness products online. If you are looking to build your home gym Kohl’s has cardio equipment, strength training gear, fitness trackers, and much more.
Home gyms offer you the flexibility of being able to fit your workout in whenever it is convenient for you. If you enjoy group fitness classes there are so many options available now on DVD. Exercising at home allows you to roll out of bed and exercise in your pajamas if you so choose. Plus you no longer have to wait in line for certain machines or equipment and there is no 30 minute time limit.
Take a look at just a few of the great items Kohl’s has to build a home gym…
PROFORM DESK BIKE
I wasn’t super excited about this bike when I saw the photo and read the description online. It arrived in a large box and took Josh an hour to put together.
Once it was built Josh and I both took a spin and we were pleasantly surprised. Having taking numerous spin classes and after being certified to teach indoor cycle classes I am super picky when it comes to indoor bikes. This bike could best be described as a hybrid between a recumbent bike and spin bike. It exceeded the expectations I had based on the photos and description.
Like the name states the bike has a desk that can be attached to the handle bars to allow you to stay active while you work (or in our house blog, read, or catch up on your favorite tv show).
There is a built in heart rate monitor that can be used by placing your hands on the handles.
The bike can be folded up to save space when not in use. The only thing we would add to improve the design is wheels on the front of the bike to be able to move more easily.
PROFORM EASY STRIDER
Just like the bike this elliptical arrived on our doorstep in an even larger box. It took Josh two hours to build and to our surprise runs on 4 D batteries.
The ProFrom Easy Strider is a smaller version of an elliptical you would find in the gym but still comes with many features found in more expensive ellipticals. There are wheels on the front of the machine making it easier to move, has a built in workout fan, IPOD compatible, and features an on-board 8 week weight loss program designed by Jillian Michaels.
When I used the 8 week program that is built in to the machine for the first time I had no idea that Jillian Michaels was actually going to be talking out of the elliptical. It was so fun and had me laughing out loud several times when she told me she wanted to kick my butt. The 30 minute programs go by super fast and I really love this added feature.
We put all our workout equipment in our bedroom because we wanted to be able to keep the kids from playing on the machines. Also, in case you were wondering, that is a super huge canvas print of me. This was the photo canvas that was displayed when I an ambassador for a fitness clothing brand. After the store was done using the photo it was gifted to me. Josh and I tried to give it to my parents as a gift but they politely declined. And now, the photo sits in the alcove in our bedroom.
STAMINA MAGNETIC ROWING MACHINE
The rower took just under two hours to unbox and put together. The main portion of the machine arrived together and the remaining parts like the seat, footplates, and console needed to be installed.
The rowing machine is made of aluminum making it durable and lightweight to move around and features 8 levels of resistance. The workout monitor tracks total strokes, strokes per minute, workout time, distance and calories burned.
For the price of this machine it really has great features. It is quiet, stores upright and can be easily moved to a corner in the room or into a closet when not in use, and tracks all your stats during your workout.
BACKTRAC BACK MASSAGER
I think most of us deal with some sort of pain, knots, or tenderness in our back. It can be hard to reach those areas in your back on your own. The BackTrac Back Massager features 30 acupressure spheres that target the upper, mid, and lower back as well as two larger spheres for your neck.
I have been following the recommended guidelines and lay without moving on the massager for 5 minutes. The spheres can be adjusted for less intensity by moving them towards the center. After the 5 minutes are up I slowly roll a few inches up and down for several minutes.
I was surprised to find the next day I was sore in certain places in my back and shoulders that I generally have knots. Nursing and holding an infant can really take a toll on your spine and I find myself contorting my body into unnatural positions while I am carrying the baby at times.
The past few days I have been less sore and have played around with adjusting the spheres to hit certain spots, especially in my upper back. If you enjoy deep tissue massage, acupressure, or trigger point release this would be a great item for in home use.
MY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR A HOME GYM
It is so important to invest in yourself and have a few pieces of exercise equipment at home. I love having options with my workouts and I am super excited about having an elliptical, rowing machine, and bike.
When you are deciding what equipment to purchase for your home gym there are several things to keep in mind.
The first thing you need to consider is your space. Where will you be exercising? The equipment you purchase needs to fit your space.
Also keep in mind that building a home gym doesn’t have to be done at once. Start with a few essentials likes weights and resistance bands.
Next, set a budget, and stick to it. You don’t need to spend a ton of money to live a healthier lifestyle.
And lastly, you need to think about your goal. What is your fitness goal? Are you wanting to improve your cardiovascular health? Perfect, an elliptical would be a great choice for you. Have you just come off an injury and are looking for low impact options? An indoor stationary bike would work well for that. Or maybe you are looking to be able to have variety and would like to be able to perform CrossFit type workouts at home. Weights and a rowing machine for you.
In addition to the cardio equipment featured in this post Kohl’s also offers many other products that would be a great addition to a home gym.
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Resistance bands, a stability ball, and ankle weights are great additions to a home gym.
Footwear is just as important at home as it in the gym. These Asics are my favorite and they come in really fun colors.
If you have little ones at home I highly suggest a video monitor to keep tabs on them during your early morning or evening workouts.
#MAKEYOURMOVE CARDIO TRIFECTA WORKOUT
With all this fun new equipment I was ready to get sweaty! Here is a workout I put together to use with the Elliptical, Bike, and Rowing Machine.
This was my first workout that I did after having my third baby and I was loving it and silently hating it at the same time. It felt great to sweat but also horrible. I was so out of breath when I finished and I was ready to be done after I got off the bike.
The workout will take a little over 30 minutes. Let me know if you try it out!
Kohl’s is your one spot shop for at home fitness needs. From workout clothes, shoes, fitness equipment, and a wide range of healthy living products you will find what you are looking for at Kohl’s.
You can follow Kohl’s on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. For added inspiration be sure to check out Kohl’s Make Your Move Pinterest Board.
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