20 DIY Gym Gear And Clothing Ideas For The Best Workout Ever

I have to admit, I love working out. Honestly, I get so much satisfaction from breaking a sweat. A couple of years ago, I was going to the gym every single day, which I have to admit does have its benefits. Unfortunately, it can also be a bit expensive.

Even at the cheapest gym membership (I’ve found around $10 per month to be the cheapest), you are spending more than $100 every year at the gym.

That’s fine if you don’t mind spending the money, but I’m a little tight. I like things cheap, so I though that I would forgo the traditional gym and look for ways of working out at home.

I recently started looking at DIY gym equipment and gear. What I found are 20 amazing DIY gym gear and clothing ideas that will give you the best home workout ever!

Honestly, some of these are just amazing and they perfectly replicate all of those gym machines that do your body so much good. I didn’t only include workout machines though. I also added a few DIY gym clothing and accessory ideas to this list.

You’ll find everything from workout tops to gym bags, and all of them are DIY ready! If you love DIYing things, you are going to adore this list. And, you should also be sure to check out these 25 delicious low carb snack recipes.

If you are trying to lose weight or just get healthy overall, these are perfect to add in with your workout plan.

Like I said, I do love working out and these are some of the easiest DIY workout equipment ideas that I have ever seen. Honestly, you could build your own home gym and do it all the DIY way! If you love to workout, whether you want to drop a few pounds or just get fit in general, you will definitely want to check these out.

Save that money that you would spend paying for a gym membership and workout at home. You’ll enjoy the same results and you’ll have some extra cash in your pocket! And, if you truly love doing things the DIY way, you definitely want to take a look at these 20 cool DIY projects to deck out your deck. You could create your own workout space outdoors!

1. Cheap And Easy DIY Slam Ball

Slam balls are great for helping you to strengthen and tone your upper body. Unfortunately, they can be a bit expensive if you buy them at department stores or sporting goods stores.

You can however, make your own and all you really need is an inexpensive basketball, some silica sand and a few other cheap supplies. These are great and can be so helpful in your fitness journey!

Tutorial: crossfitflagstaff

2. DIY iPod Or Phone Holder

Do you have an armband for your iPod or your cell phone? If you don’t, keeping those music providers secure during a workout can be difficult. You can buy these at Walmart and other stores, but making your own is a lot cheaper and so much more rewarding.

You can even adjust it to fit whatever you are using and when you get it done, you will always have your favorite workout music right there when you need it. The best part of this one? You just need an old sock to make it! Talk about cool tech accessories you never knew you needed!

Tutorial: lifehacker

3. Homemade Battle Ropes

Battle ropes are my favorite things at the gym, and they really do help you to tone and strengthen those arms and shoulders! I priced a set of them recently and they were nearly $100.

That’s a bit steep for me, so I found this great DIY version that’s a lot more affordable and they work just as well. You can make your own battle ropes with a garden hose and some sand, and you won’t spend nearly as much making them as you would buying them.

Tutorial: gymperson

4. Homemade Punching Bag

Everybody needs a great punching bag for those intense workouts…or to relieve some stress at the end of a long day. This homemade punching bag is super easy to make and it works just as well as those more expensive ones that you can buy at sporting goods stores.

Plus, you can make this one for less than $20! You just need something for the shell, like cheap canvas or vinyl and then a filler, think sawdust or something equally as dense.

Tutorial: livingapex

5. DIY Parallettes

Parallettes are great for helping you to work your core and your upper body, and you can make your own for just a small fraction of what you would spend buying them.

These DIY parallettes only cost about $35 and you can have them built in about 15 minutes. That’s 15 minutes closer to your workout goals!

You just need PVC pipe and some elbows, caps, and other materials to do these. You can find everything that you need at your local hardware or home improvement store.

Tutorial: stayfitmom

6. DIY Pullup Bar

A pullup bar is great for helping you to tone your arms, shoulders, and back and it’s definitely something that you want to add to your overall workout.

You don’t need to head to the gym for a pullup bar and you don’t need to spend hundreds at a sporting goods store to buy one, either. You can make your own DIY pullup bar with just a few supplies that you can pick up at your local hardware store.

This is a four position pullup bar so it gives you loads of workout potential.

Tutorial: yourfitnesspath

7. DIY Rowing Machine

I love rowing machines for toning and strengthening arms and shoulders but they are really expensive if you buy them. Fortunately, there is a DIY rowing machine that you can make for around $100 or less.

Note that this does take a lot more time and it’s a bit more complex than many other homemade gym equipment items, but if you love the workout that you get from a rowing machine, it is definitely worth the extra time and effort.

Tutorial: instructables

8. DIY Sandbag

Sandbags are the perfect workout accessory for helping you to build strength and to tone those arms and shoulders. This DIY sandbag is one of the easiest things to make and it won’t cost you much at all.

You just need a sturdy duffel bag, and a few other supplies to make this one, like some rice or sand, duct tape and a few baggies or Ziploc bags to hold your weight.

Tutorial: wetellyouhow

9. DIY Braided Headband

If you have long hair, or even short hair in some cases, you want something that will keep your hair up and out of your face when you are working out.

Enter this great DIY braided headband! DIY headbands are super easy to make and this one will definitely help you to reach your style goals while you’re reaching your fitness goals.

You just need an old t-shirt and about half an hour to make this one and it’s really cute and functional, too.

Tutorial: rabbitfoodformybunnyteeth

10. DIY Sweat Pant Workout Capris

Here is another great idea for some workout clothing. You can buy those spandex type capris or expensive workout clothes, or you can DIY your own and save a small fortune.

These workout capris are super comfortable and they’re really cheap because you make them from an old sweatshirt.

You can get sweatshirts at Goodwill really cheap or hit up the Dollar Store or Walmart at the beginning of spring and get them on clearance for about a dollar each.

Tutorial: leafytreetopspot

11. Repurposed T-Shirt Workout Bag

You need a great workout bag. Even if you workout from home, you want a place to keep your workout clothes, shoes and even those smaller accessories like jump ropes or phone armband holders.

So, this repurposed t-shirt workout bag is perfect. You can make this one in no time and it’s a great lightweight material that is perfect for holding your gym necessities if you have a membership somewhere and don’t workout at home.

Tutorial: sayyes

12. Forever 21 Inspired DIY Yoga Top

This great DIY workout top is inspired by the yoga top from Forever 21, but it’s much less expensive. You can make this one with an old t-shirt and it only takes a few minutes to get it done.

You do have to do a bit of sewing for this one, but not much and you don’t need to be a skilled seamstress to make this adorable workout top, either. It’s super easy and so fashionable!

Tutorial: grosgrainfab

13. Simple And Cheap Homemade Dumbbells

Dumbbells are an important part of your overall workout. They help you to tone your arms and shoulders and build upper body strength. They’re great for targeting a specific set of muscles, too.

They’re not terribly expensive but this DIY version is even cheaper than those that you will find in stores and the slim design makes them super comfortable to use. You’ll need some PVC pipe to make these homemade dumbbells, as well as a few other inexpensive supplies.

Tutorial:thehomeaway

14. DIY Power Rack

If you are really serious about working out, this DIY power rack is a must. This one is pretty easy to make and it will cost you so much less than buying one of these already made.

You really need a power rack for that heaving lifting so if you are using barbells, then you really need to take a look at this. It’s great for all levels of fitness and you won’t find a homemade power rack that is easier to build than this one.

Tutorial: home-gym-bodybuilding

15. DIY No Sew Racerback Workout T-Shirt

I love working out in racerback tees. They are so comfortable and so cool – as in they won’t overheat you like a traditional t-shirt will. This DIY no sew racerback tee is super simple to make and did I mention that there is no sewing required?

You can have this one done in just a few minutes and you can do as many as you have tees on hand. Head out to your local thrift store and stock up on cheap t-shirts to make as many of these as you want!

Tutorial: espn

16. Simple No Sew Crop Tee

A crop tee is a great one to workout in and this no sew version is really easy to make. Nordstrom sells these crop tees for a whopping $20 each!

But, you won’t have to spend nearly that much if you have an old t-shirt that you can repurpose or you can head out to Goodwill or another thrift store and get old tees for about a dollar each.

Then, you turn them into your very own no sew crop tees for those days when you want your workouts to be fashionable.

Tutorial: mckenzierenae

17. DIY Ruched Workout Leggings

I love these DIY leggings! You can use these for normal everyday wear or use them for your workouts. They’re super easy to make and you don’t even need to be a skilled seamstress to make them.

You make these with an old t-shirt – talk about great ways to refashion your old t-shirts! These are so simple to sew and they are perfectly comfortable so they’re great for working out.

They’re so easy that you will want to make several pairs so you’ll have a new pair for every day of the week!

Tutorial: madeeveryday

18. Oversized Open Back Workout Top

This oversized workout top is really comfortable and the open back design makes it super cool when you are heating up your workout. This is also a no sew project and you can have this fashionable top finished in about 15 minutes or less.

Just take an old t-shirt, a pretty big one, and turn it into your favorite workout top ever! These are super stylish and so great for home or gym workouts.

Tutorial: thethings-we-do

19. Easy Homemade Balance Board

A balance board is perfect for helping you to strengthen your core and strengthening your core is essential to a successful workout.

This homemade balance board could not be easier to make and you can do it with things that you may already have on hand, so it could possibly be free to make, too. You basically just need some wood, a large piece of PVC pipe and a few screws to put this one together.

Tutorial: makezine

20. Repurposed T-Shirt Leg Warmers

Remember those great workout clothes from the 80’s? The ones with those colorful leotards and leg warmers? Well, you can recreate those, at least the leg warmer part with these repurposed t-shirt leg warmers that are perfect for all of your workouts.

You need three or four t-shirts for each pair of these, so hit up your local thrift store and grab a few cheap tees before you begin. These are super easy to make and look so fashionable at the gym or at home!

Tutorial: lovespunstudio

Related Content