Working out is beneficial for our health, we all know this. Many people choose to join a gym so that they have access to the workout equipment they offer, which will help them achieve their fitness goals, others choose to create a home gym filled with gear they feel is essential. But do you really need workout equipment?

Well, it depends on what you want to achieve with your workouts, but it’s important to be aware that there are many overly expensive and faddish workout pieces on the market that you really don’t need. Some of this equipment is well-known, like the Shake Weight, which is essentially a 2.5-pound dumbbell that shakes and is meant to help tone the muscles. Others, like sauna suits, are lesser-known. But the one thing all of this equipment has in common though, is how it’s completely unnecessary.

The Ab Roller is a piece of equipment you can do without. According to Men’s Journal, it’s basically a machine that helps you do situps and crunches (which you were probably already doing). There is no benefit to paying money for an expensive piece of equipment when you can do the same job without it.

The Power Plate also finds itself on this list because the vibrating platform is supposed to be used in conjunction with exercises like pushups and squats to cause involuntary muscle contractions more frequently. But Men’s Journal lists this equipment as one of the biggest fads of all time.

Sauna Suits sound unappealing, and they should be, after all, who wants to wear a “suit” that makes them sweat, all in the name of losing weight? People may see some weight loss, but it is through water weight and these suits could possibly cause dehydration. Still, that hasn’t stopped many people from buying them.

What better than wearing a pair of shoes to help you tone your legs and butt? Does that sound too good to be true, well, that’s probably because it is. According to Greatist, Toning Shoes, such as Sketcher Shape-Ups, “don't help wearers exercise more intensely, burn more calories, or improve muscle strength and tone.”

Another fad you don’t need to buy into is Vibration Belts, which promises an ab workout that strengthens muscles and breaks down fat. But according to Ab Belts, none of these belts have been FDA cleared or undergone clinical trials.

There are also many exercises designed for a total body workout without the use of any equipment. For example, take the 30-minute office circuit routine shared on The Telegraph, which involves exercises with compound movement, like the abdominal plank and reverse lunges with overhead claps. Shape also notes you do not need a gym to get fit, and you can workout anywhere.

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