If you struggle to find time for the gym and you want to try working out at home, you'll probably need to invest in home exercise equipment to get you started. Consider your available space, your budget and the types of exercise you enjoy before making your purchase. As long as you have a good idea of what you're looking for, you can build an effective home gym within almost any budget.
Strength-Training Equipment
You can spend as much or as little as you'd like on your home exercise equipment for strength training. If you enjoy using machine weights at the gym, you can purchase a multi-gym machine or individual weight machines for home use. Keep in mind that these can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars. If that's a little out of your budget, purchase several sets of dumbbells, resistance tubing and a few medicine balls. These three pieces of equipment allow you to perform hundreds of different exercises while targeting your muscles and improving your strength, the American Council on Exercise notes. You can also store them easily.
Cardiovascular Equipment
If you want to get your cardio in while watching your favorite TV shows, purchase a well-built treadmill, exercise bicycle or elliptical trainer. Because of all the moving parts and electrical components, you may need to spend more than $1,000 for a quality piece of equipment. If that's not in your budget, consider going low-tech with an aerobic step or a jump rope. You can get an effective workout at home with these pieces of equipment at a fraction of the cost.
Balance Tools
Inexpensive and effective balance tools such as stability balls, BOSU balls and gliding discs require you to engage your core and your stabilizing muscles to perform various exercises. "Fitness" magazine suggests purchasing a stability ball as one of your primary pieces of home exercise equipment. You can use balance tools to make strength-training exercises more difficult or to perform cardiovascular circuit training routines.
Considerations
There's no point in purchasing home exercise equipment if it's just going to sit there gathering dust. Purchase equipment that will fit into your daily life easily. For instance, if you love watching the evening news, you may want to set up your equipment in the living room so that you can do a weight circuit while watching your show. When you place your equipment in a prominent place and you schedule times to use it, you'll be more likely to achieve your home fitness goals.
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