9 Home Fitness Props – No Machines Required

Here at Fit2B we provide subscription access to almost 300 home workout videos, and our prop list of optional exercise isn’t expensive. We realize most people don’t have a lot of extra money to buy fitness gear they will only use for a little while, so we get creative with what you probably already have lying around. We also only recommend items that we use in multiple exercise videos!

4 Fitness Props You Already Have

Below, you’ll find a list of the 9 fitness props you may need to purchase, depending on which of our home workout videos you fall in love with. For now, let’s start with 4 exercise tools you likely already own:

1. A Wall — Fit2B knows that using a wall can provide balance and variety! We use a little wall-space in lots of workouts including Kelly’s Wall Workout, Wall Yoga, and Wall Workout with Beth.

2. Canned Goods — No dumbbells? No problem! Cans of soup make lovely hand weights!

3. A Chair — Beyond all of our chair workouts for those whose lower bodies need time off, we also used a chair for this barre-inspired routine and this hipster workout!

4. Stairs — Even if you don’t have stairs in your house, there’s surely some steps around or near your house, right? Our workout video “Stair Intervals” is awesome for a full set of stairs, and who says you can’t do step aerobics on your porch?

What About Bags?

We want to keep things as simple as possible for you, because fitness shouldn’t have to be inaccessible or expensive. This motivation is a huge factor in how Fit2B has managed to churn out so many unique routines since 2010 like “Bag a Better Back” and “Bag a Better Booty.” Yes, you can learn how to use a grocery sack as a workout tool for toning!

9 Home Fitness Props to Buy

You may already have a lot of these on hand. If not, you need to know WHY we began devoting our precious energy and resources to filming workouts with seemingly random items like foam rollers, weighted balls, aerobic steps, kettlebells, yoga blocks, stretchy bands, and bodylastics bands. It’s because of the sad fact that these items always come with a list of exercises that aren’t suitable for those with abdominal trauma, or those dealing with diastasis recti, recent abdominal surgery, hernia, prolapse, incontinence, and other core issues that require modifications for a while. 

The happy fact is that TummySafe Fitness is our specialty here on Fit2B, where we take the fear out of fitness and make movement possible again for people who are scared they might reinjure themselves. We teach the strategies, alignment, and breathing needed to help people approach working out with confidence again!

Without further ado, here is the list of 9 home fitness props we use most here on Fit2B. This list contains affiliate links to Amazon, who pays us a tiny TINY tiny commission without making you pay more, which means your purchases through these links help to further support Fit2B. Thank you!

1. Foam Roller
   • You need a round foam roller that is 6″ wide by 36″ long. It doesn’t need to be fancy or have nubs on it, but some people like extra grippies. If you worry about any balance issues, try a half-roller instead.
   • We use a foam roller in our eCourse entitled “14 Days to a Better Neck” and also in several foam rolling routines such as “TummySafe Foam Rolling,” “FoamUNrolling” and “Foam Rollaxing” … relaxing + rolling = rollaxing! Like I said, we’re different here at Fit2B 😉
2. Weighted Workout Balls
   • These workout balls are full of iron sand and easier to grip than dumbbells for people with wrist issues. The diverse things you can do with them — like catching and passing — make them a more fun home fitness prop than dumbbells.
   • We use a weighted ball in our Tabata Ball Workout and a couple others.
   • Sidenote: doing a random google search for “weighted balls” can be … uh, interesting (since it also pulls up vaginal weights). You do not need to insert things to strengthen your pelvic floor. We have a tasteful routine called “Pelvic Floor Connections” you can use for that, no weights required.
3. Foam or Cork Blocks
   • Blocks are used in a few of our yoga routines, but we also have a “Blissful Blocks” routine on Fit2B that uses non-yoga terminology for those who are uncomfortable with yoga.
   • Blocks should be 4″ x 6″ x 9″ and you can select color and material: cork or foam or wood. Some members have made their own.
   • You can find blocks at big store chains like Target, not just online. They are a common prop in mainstream yoga studio classes, but they aren’t just for yoga. They are very useful for modifying many Pilates and body resistance movements.
4. Firm Rectangular Bolster
   • A bolster should be at least 24″ long x 12″ wide x 6″ tall in order to support your torso and head during most of the positions for which it’s used.
   • We use a bolster during “Restorative Poses” and “Balanced Inversions,” and a few others on Fit2B make it an option as well.
   • If you want to make your own, this is a great tutorial that we enjoy referencing.
5. Aerobic Step
   • An aerobic step is featured in several step routines on Fit2B, and we plan to add more routines as we keep growing our library of family-friendly fitness. Find these routines in our cardio section here.
   • If you aren’t ready for a step but want to do a step routine, lay a bathmat on the floor and step on and off that. Some members have also used scotch tape to draw a square on their floor to step in and out of. Their kids have fun with this as well.
   • Not kidding: I got my step that I use in the Fit2B videos at a yard sale for $1.50 USD. I paid in quarters, lol!
6. Dumbbells
   • While a lot of people might have dumbbells picking up dust in their home already, some people don’t have them yet.
   • We use dumbbells in a LOT of our home fitness workouts such as “Ultimate Upper Body” and “Weighted Warriors.”
   • You can always substitute two equally weighted food items, water bottles, toy trucks, milk jugs … The options are endless!
7. KettleBell
   • While most kettlebell moves push for speed and hip snapping, we slow things down a bit on Fit2B to teach proper form and maintain safety for those who are recovering from diastasis recti, hernia, prolapse, leaking issues, etc. Once you get the hang of it, you can go faster if your body says it’s okay.
   • Kettlebells are hard to duplicate with something else. They are one of the most ancient types of weights and they allow for a comfortable grip and swinging motions that other items just can’t replicate.
   • We have a couple of basic kettlebell routines here on Fit2B for those who want to explore kettlebells while maintaining core integrity. They are also useful for experienced kettlebellers who need to back off while they’re healing from an injury.
8. Big Stability Exercise Ball
   • Another popular tool for home workouts, big exercise balls typically get used by children for acrobatics or by adults for sitting, in place of chairs.
   • Situps and crunches on big balls are less safe than those same moves on the floor. When diastasis recti is present, the spinal hyperextension that balls encourage should be avoided.
   • Our “Transitions” and  “Functional Workout” both show lots of great tummysafe fitness moves so you can adapt the program that comes with your ball.
9. TheraBand Exercise Stretch Bands — Latex & Powder Free
   • Exercise bands are my favorite workout tool — they’re so light and easy to pack with me on trips. They take up zero space and are very versatile!
   • We use stretchy bands during the “Little {Big} Band Routine,” “Great Glutes,” and “Bands & Balance,” plus a few others.
   • Kelly uses Bodylastics exercise bands in her Big Band Workout, and I filmed a followup to hers here called Beth’s Big Band Routine.

Must you buy all those things to use Fit2B? No way! Like I already said, the majority of our routines encourage you to use what you already have (your body weight, canned goods, cooperative kids) — often in ways you never thought! Even in the routines that do call for certain props, we give you alternatives, like showing you how to make your own bolster or how you can use a pillow instead of a block for certain moves.

Click here to learn about membership access to Fit2B today!

Do you have to buy new? No way! Honestly, I get a lot of my home fitness props and equipment at thrift stores, garage sales or local chains. I’m always giving away my props, and it’s a pain to buy new ones all the time. Just the other day, my mom asked if I had any 1-pound dumbbells she could borrow for her shoulder rehab. “Yep, I sure do. Just keep ’em, okay, Mom?” She was delighted, and I had an excuse to head to my fave thrift shop to replace them 😉