Turn Your Garden Into a Gym! These 6 Pieces of Outdoor Exercise Equipment Will Help You Crush Your Fitness Goals in 2026
Get out into the garden and get fit this year! Find out what outdoor exercise equipment you need to smash those fitness goals in 2026.
It’s a new year and that means lots of us have resolutions to improve our lives in 2026. Maybe you want to grow a better garden, get healthier, or both. If that sounds like you, then turning your garden into an outdoor gym is the perfect way to achieve all your New Year’s resolutions.
I’ve been on a fitness journey for the past year and a half, but I’m looking to take my workout routine to the next level this year. One way I’m planning on doing that is by adding some outdoor gym equipment to my backyard. There are so many health benefits of gardening and being outdoors and when you combine those with your fitness routine, then you get double the benefits.
Whether you’re new to working out or just looking to expand your outdoor gym setup, here are the products I recommend to help you hit your fitness goals in 2026.
Must-Have Outdoor Gym Equipment
I’ve rounded up the best pieces of outdoor fitness equipment that will help you feel the burn without sacrificing the beauty of your garden – or making a big dent in your wallet. It's time to ditch the gym and workout in your garden instead!
This jump rope from Blogilates is the perfect portable piece of cardio equipment. Work up a sweat skipping rope from the comfort of your back patio. Admire your beautiful garden while you jump rope outdoors in your yard. The unique handle design on this jump rope lets the cable swing easily, which means you can keep jumping for as long as you need to hit your calorie-burning goals.
A thick exercise mat is a must for working out al fresco. A little extra padding makes a big difference when you’re trying to do crunches on a hard concrete patio. Use this cushy mat from Target to take your yoga or meditation practice out into the garden, protect your hands while doing push-ups, or have a more comfortable cooldown stretching session after your workout.
Suspension straps, which you may recognize from the TRX classes at your local gym, are a great way to build strength anywhere. This suspension training kit from Walmart lets you take your resistance workout with you into the garden. Just hook it onto a tree and go! Suspension training, which was developed by a former Navy Seal, is one of my favorite ways to workout. It’s an effective way to build muscle, like weightlifting, but it’s more fun and helps improve stability as well.
No home gym is complete without a set of dumbbells. This kit comes with four pairs of weights ranging from 5-20 lbs (2.2-9 kg). It’s an ideal starter set for anyone just beginning their fitness journey. Plus, this set of weights comes with a handy rack that lets you neatly stack them in a corner of a covered porch. You don’t want to let your weights get rained on, so store them and your other outdoor workout equipment in a garden shed or a waterproof deck box, like this one from Amazon.
Take your dumbbell workout to the next level with an incline bench. A traditional weightlifting bench like you find indoors at the gym won’t work outside in the elements. But this DIY wooden incline bench plan from Etsy allows you to build your own bench that can withstand the weather. Plus, this bench adds a beautiful, rustic touch to any garden. You’d never know it doubles as a piece of workout equipment.
I have to admit, I’ve never used battle ropes before. I’m always too embarrassed at the gym to try them, but I’ve heard that they give you a great workout. You don’t have to worry about looking silly slinging these ropes around in the privacy of your backyard, though. So if you've been wanting to try them yourself, add them to your outdoor gym setup.
