Best Exercise Equipment For Home Gyms

Staying fit and healthy is one of the best things you can do for yourself. Not only does it make you feel and look better, it can lead to a longer life! Some people like to work out at the gym, others only exercise through recreational activities, while some prefer to sweat in the comforts of their own abode.

Not only do you not have to drive anywhere, there is a convenient non-public shower available for you when finished!

There is no denying that exercise can be expensive, especially when equipment is involved, but there are amazing ways to get the heart rate going while saving some pocket change, if you are so inclined.

Best Exercise Equipment For The Home 

Jump Ropes

One of the cheapest things to buy is a jump rope (less than $10). It gets the heart rate going quickly and can be found in almost any store that sells exercise products. It’s a great work out for the legs and can be quite challenging, depending upon how far you want to push yourself. Plus, it brings about childhood nostalgia, and it's a lot of fun!

Resistance Bands

Along the lines of jump ropes are resistance bands. They are extremely versatile and can be used to work out many different areas of the body. They provide a low-impact workout, and are very small and light, therefore making them easy to store. Though resistance bands have been seen stereotypically as a work out for middle-aged ladies, they have become an integral part of professional body building due to their ability to target many different muscle areas. These bands can range anywhere from $10 to $50.


Exercise Balls

A piece that is not quite as easy to store is the fitness/exercise ball. Inflated and made of sturdy, puncture-proof elastic, these balls are used for weight training or physical therapy. Just sitting on them have been known to be a great work out for the abs (more fun than an office chair!). Some people enjoy using them so they simply do not have to sit on the hard ground while performing an exercise; others use them to add some muscle strengthening, or balance conditioning. Fitness balls come in many different diameters and run the gamut from $12 to $60 depending upon how much pressure or pounds they can support.

Free Weights

Another great item to have on hand is a set of free weights. Many different exercises can be performed using them, including curls, squats, dead lifts, and lunges, all which trigger different muscle groups. If you are willing to be very patient and super thrifty, these can usually be found in garage sales or second hand stores for very inexpensive prices. Otherwise, you can find dumbells at discount stores for $20 and up.

Kettlebells

Kettlebells are great for building strength and endurance. Originally of Russian invention and usually made of cast iron, kettlebells have the look of a cannon ball with a handle on top. They come in many different weights and are normally used to build the legs, arms, shoulders and lower back. Prices of these can be anywhere from $30 to $70 depending upon the style and weight desired.

Treadmills

For those looking to invest in a larger piece of equipment, there are many different large pieces that are extremely useful as well as popular. The most popular and obvious choice would be a home treadmill.

A staple in gyms across the nation, you can run, walk, trot, strut, and stroll at your own desired pace without having to bother about the weather. It works up a great sweat and many of the machines will keep track of your distance traveled, calories burned, heart rate, etc.

The cost of a treadmill can run anywhere between $250 and $3,000 but they should last for many years, and can provide a great workout in a home gym, and you can use them while watching TV or even catching up  on your reading.

Final Thoughts

There are many more options available for working out at home, including elliptical triners, exercise bikes, ab trainers, steppers and much more. Consider the space you have at home, your goals and fitness and your budget when shopping.

5 Reasons to Make Stability-Ball Exercises Part of Your Workout

Whether at a gym or in your own home, one piece of fitness equipment that is often overlooked is the stability ball.  It is known by many different names:  Swiss ball, exercise ball, fitness ball, and physical therapy ball, among others.  Used alone, or in conjunction with other equipment, stability-ball exercises can add a whole new dimension to your workout. 

Stability balls can be used by people of all ages and fitness levels. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

1. The stability ball is more versatile than other piece of fitness equipment. 

* Originally used by physical therapists decades ago to help improve on their patients' balance, these balls are now used in a wide variety of exercises. 

* Although they are used to strengthen the core muscles of the abdomen and lower back, stability balls can be used with dumbbells for conventional upper body exercises requiring a bench such as the military press, pec (pectoral) flies, and the bench press.  You will likely find that you cannot lift as much weight when performing stability ball exercises compared to the conventional bench.  This is due to the reduced stability of the ball.  However, because your muscles are working to stabilize the weight, you will find that you will get just as challenging a workout as if you were lifting the full amount of the weight.

2. A stability ball helps to improve your balance. 

* Since you are not sitting on a static chair, your core muscles must always make small corrections to stabilize your position on the ball. 

* The reality is there is only one surefire way to improve your balance, and that is practice.  Sitting on a stability ball, even for everyday activities such as watching television, can do wonders for your sense of balance. 

3. Some workout benches are better than others, but no bench can ever conform exactly to your body.  An advantage of stability balls is that they will do just that. 

* Even when firmly inflated, the shape of the ball will change to follow your body's shape.  This is regardless of whether you sit or lie on it. 

Upper back exercise with stability ball. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

4. As previously mentioned, stability balls require you to focus on maintaining your balance while performing any given exercise.  Because of this, you will activate a wider range of muscles than if you used a bench alone. 

* For example, with a conventional bench press, the focus is solely on the chest and arms.  Add a stability ball into the mix, and you now activate not only the chest and arms, but also the abs, lower back, and leg muscles as they work to keep you steady on the ball.

5. Lastly, compared to other exercise equipment, a stability ball is quite inexpensive. 

* As with anything in life, you get what you pay for, so seek advice when making your purchase.  However, the price of even the most expensive balls out there pale in comparison to the cost of some of the other gym equipment on the market.  In addition, although a stability ball is big in size, it can usually be tossed into the corner of a room and out of the way when not in use.

In conclusion, there are a number of reasons of why you should be incorporating stability-ball exercises into your workouts.  You are limited only by your inexperience with them.  So take the time to look for exercises that will work for you, and be sure to include them in your daily workout routine for a stronger, more toned core and better balance. 

You Can Even Buy Stability Balls Online: