By Megan Taylor Morrison
The Active Times
Sometimes, squeezing in your workout is a matter of convenience. Even the best-made plans can go astray in the face of traffic, a faulty alarm clock or other factors. At these moments, having a few basic pieces of fitness equipment at your home can be the difference between a great sweat session and a missed workout.
After all, you don't need a gym or big and bulky workout machines to strengthen, tone, and condition your body. In fact, with a few compact and affordable items -- resistance bands, kettlebells and stability ball, for instance --you can fit in a great workout anywhere. Whether you want to stay in shape while on the road or living in a shoebox of an apartment -- or even if you just need a few good suggestions to help trick out your home gym -- the following great buys will help you stick to your fitness routine.
Even if you don't spend an hour every day working out in your living room, having these items on hand means you're more likely to fit in a few reps while hanging around the house or to squeeze in a workout when you're short on time. In fact, having your own equipment comes with a long list of benefits: you only pay the initial cost of the purchase (rather than a monthly gym fee), you can create a training space you enjoy, and you can blast your own tunes in surround sound. After your workout, you can also enjoy your home shower where cleanliness and privacy are never an issue.
For the complete slideshow of the Workout Gear Everyone Should Own, go to TheActiveTimes.com.
More Stories from The Active Times:
-- Worthless Fitness Tips You Probably Followed
-- 13 Companies with Great Fitness Perks
-- Go Healthy Without Going Hungry
-- The Workouts That Shape Hollywood