I’ve been writing this blog for a few months now and have given advice on fitness and nutrition and I thought it fitting to now give you guidelines for setting up a gym at home.
When people think of home gyms they think of the old universal machines that require their own room, cost a small fortune and, let’s be honest, look pretty damn hideous. That’s just not the case anymore. Here’s what you need to have a fully functional gym that will meet all your needs – for about $150.
1. Stability Ball
Anything that can be done on a bench can also be done on the ball. The ball takes less room, and actually makes your workout more challenging and tightens the core throughout the entire workout. It can also be used as a desk chair when you aren’t using it to work out
Cost: $60
2. Resistance Bands
Resistance bands are just as good as free weights. The come in a variety of resistances (easy, medium, hard and extra hard) so that you can really get a great workout, even if you are trying to bulk up. I suggest getting one band in each of the four resistance levels.
Cost: $60 for four
3. Door Attachment
This little contraption lets you feed your resistance band through it and attach it to your door jam. This gives you more variety and adds a ton of exercises that you can do with the band – especially back exercises.
Cost: $2
4. Skipping Rope
This is all you need to do your cardio. If you want to run, go outside. If you don’t like to run, then skip. It’s a great workout, and once you get the hang of it, there are a ton of variations you can incorporate to increase the intensity.
Cost: $20
5. Yoga Mat
Just to give you a little extra cushioning for your stretching and your ab work.
Cost: $20
There you have it: A fully functional gym for a whopping $162.
In my next few posts, I will demo exercises that you can do using only this equipment.
Sign up now for the Best Body Bootcamp 4 week program. At Best Body Bootcamp, we only use yoga mats, resistance bands and your own body weight to create workouts that are always different and based on interval training. Next Bootcamp starts Aug 17th. Check out one of our 10 outdoor locations at www.bestbodybootcamp.com to sign up now.
Image courtesy of Chealion.
