Do I Need Lots of Equipment to Work Out at Home?
The phrase “you need to lift heavy” gets thrown around a lot in fitness for over forties and while strength training is incredibly important for bone, muscle, and joint health, that advice is often too vague to be useful. When we talk about “lifting heavy,” what we actually mean is working your muscles to fatigue - that point where you can’t do many more reps with good form. For beginners, or anyone getting back into exercise, your bodyweight alone can do exactly that. Squats, lunges, push-ups, planks can all build strength when done with focus and control. As you get stronger, you’ll likely wantto add some resistance to keep progressing — but that doesn’t mean investing in a full gym setup.
One of my favourite ways to add resistance at home is with bands. They’re affordable, versatile, and easy to store and they travel well too. You can get them in different resistance levels, which means you can keep challenging yourself as you get stronger. Bands can turn a simple glute bridge, row, or squat into something much more effective, and they’re brilliant for helping you connect with the right muscles. If I were to recommend a simple starter kit for home workouts, it would be:
- A red superband – medium resistance for rows, deadlifts, and assisted pull-ups
- A yellow superband – lighter resistance for upper body work or warm-ups
- A fabric mini band – perfect for glute activation, side steps, and adding extra challenge to lower body moves
That’s all you need to begin building strength and confidence at home.
You don’t need a room full of equipment - just a few smart tools and a plan that challenges you. Whether it’s bodyweight, bands, or a mix of both, the key to results at this stage of life is consistency & progression...we're done with perfection! So before you worry about “lifting heavy,” focus on lifting regularly, moving well, and enjoying the process. That’s how you build strength that lasts at any age.