Getting fit and staying fit need not cost beyond your means. Likewise, everyone does not have the time nor the inclination to rush to the gym routinely. Rather, there is an affordable home gym in every budget. $100 dollars is sufficient to get the necessary equipment to cover cardio-vascular fitness needs, core, strength-training, stretching and warm-up. Home gym equipment is available and defined in a range of budgets, and right now from $100 to $2,000.
Home Gym on a $100 Budget
$100 is more than sufficient to obtain what you may need, and by the way, if you are willing to make the effort, checking slightly-used sources can yield a true gem at often less than half-price and sometimes never even used. CraigsList and eBay are only 2 such sources. Amazon is another for great prices.
Cardio with a jump-rope has been used far and wide, in many a boxing gym from time immemorial. A resistance-band, in the medium-to-heavy range is great for resistance training, even those with limited space or those who travel, it fits well in a suitcase. It can be used to stimulate muscle growth too. Some of the exercises include: bentover rows, reverse fly, resisted push-up. The bentover rows strengthen the shoulders and deltoids, while other exercises target legs, triceps, back and shoulders. An adjustable pair of dumbbells, up to 40 pounds, is plenty to get started and to build basic muscle definition and strength. A stability ball is great equipment for home gym, for hamstring curls and squats. Foam rollers are terrific for releasing muscular aches and knots that form in the muscles and for basic stretching. There are many terrific stretching exercises that addrress the abductors (inner thighs), the calves, biceps and hamstrings to name just a few. The medicine ball not only works well for stretching, hamstring exercises and squats, but it can also be used as a bench from which to do chest presses and other strength training exercises.
The Jump rope, Premium Quality – Best for Boxing MMA Training Crossfit Fitness by Survival and Cross is only $10. The Fit Spirit Fitness Exercise Resistance Bands are available as a set for $18.98. Gold’s Gym offers a Vinyl Dumbbell set, 40 lbs. for $27.55. A variety of foam rollers are available online at modest prices including the LuxFit Premium High Density Foam Roller (with a 1-year warranty) for $13.75. Finally, a Live Infinitely Exercise Ball, anti-burst tested is priced to $30.90. All of the above are available on Amazon.
$200 Equipment Budget
A medicine ball is perfect for working-out. It adds resistance to lunges, squats and core exercises. They come in varying weights and the price goes up with the weight. AmazonBasics Medicine Ball is available for the modest price of $30.09. Add to that a pull-up bar.
A perfect addition to any gym for building upper body strength. It can hang in most any doorway and the ProSource Multi-grip Chin-up/Pull-up Bar is available on Amazon for $29.99. A thick Monster Band can be used as assistance, aiding in each pull-up. Synergee has a Lateral Resistance Exercise Band for $20.95.
Another important equipment for home gym is the stability ball, also known as an exercise ball. As already mentioned in the $100 equipment section, it works amazingly well when performing a wide range of exercises and can double as a bench or surface for performing presses.
At $26.95 the BalanceForm Anti-Burst and Slip Resistant Fitness Ball with Pump is well worth the price and another viable option.
Kettlebells are a perfect addition to your home gym. They are terrific for strength training. They differ from dumbbells due to the handle on top which allows you to swing them. They can be used for traditional squats, rows and presses and also for exercises more specific like the kettlebell swing and the clean and press. All perfect for strength-building. For $38.50 the Yes4All Super Cast Iron Kettlebell set includes a 5, 10 and 15-pound set.
Suspension trainers are another fantastic home gym equipment. A wide range of exercises can be completed including dips, lunges, rows and single leg squats. They range in price from $50 to $150 in general. WOSS Enterprises makes the WOSS Attack Trainer and it is available on Amazon from $39.99 to $42.99.
$500 Budget
For cardio training, Schwinn has the high quality A40 Elliptical Machine at the reasonable price of $371.92. Great for both cardio and building legs, core and most muscle groups. It has 8 levels of resistance and 7 built-in workout programs. It’s a steal at that price on Amazon, regularly $600. For a tad over-budget, Schwinn also has for $549 the 430 Elliptical Machine. With a whole lot of options, the ability to monitor 13 feedbacks, 22 unique programs for 2 different user settings, goal setting and data export to track achievements, are just a few.
Alternatively, the Weslo Crosswalk 5.2T Treadmill can be purchased for $424 on Amazon. It has a 250-pound maximum tolerance with adjustable inclines. There is a 10 mph digital speed control and several pre-set work-out apps available. It comes with a 90-day warranty.
$1,000 Budget for A Home Gym
The Bowflex Xtreme SE Home Gym comes well-equipped for just about any fitness training program you may choose to pursue. At $879 plus $100.99 shipping on Amazon, it includes a pulley-squat station for building glutes, quads and hamstrings, an abdominal crunch shoulder harness for well-chiseled abs. and a leg-extension for just that, muscular legs with great definition. The lat-tower with an angled lat-bar focuses on the latissimus dorsi, shoulders and back muscles. All told, it is a complete home gym solution.
In the same price range, for $899, is the LifeSpan TR1200i Folding Treadmill, made conveniently to stash-away and conveniently fold, while designed in a powerful 2.5 horse power structure, many on-board programs are available, for weight management, calorie counting and heart rate monitoring. It was also rated best new
$2,000 Equipment Budget
The $2,000 Range provides more but not necessarily better fitness equipment. Doing the research up-front puts you in the driver’s seat when it comes to selecting the best quality training equipment. More options doesn’t always mean better quality. Buyer beware!
The Sole Fitness E95 Elliptical Machine has many useful features including the chest strap heart rate monitor and pulse grip. The LCD monitor has a 9-inch display, audio system and water bottle canister. On sale at $1,596.54 online at Amazon, this is a highly competitive price. How about a rowing machine? For only $1,160, the WaterRower Natural Rowing Machine with S4 Monitor is a good buy. Vibration is nicely absorbed by the construction design. Performance is measured for heart rate, duration, distance, stroke rate and intensity.
Combine with the rower or the elliptical suspension training and you will, most assuredly, touch every muscle in your body. For truly pushing the envelope, suspension training is quite challenging and it builds strong muscles, combining strength-training with flexibility. In order to maintain stability, the suspension forces the body to stress the core, building strength. Referred to as “reactive-stability” according to a human performance specialist. The TRX Suspension Trainer Basic Kit + Door Anchor prices out on Amazon at $149.
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