As a whole, American consumers spend $3.98 billion on home fitness equipment every year. That cost is extremely high, and most people assume that setting up any kind of home gym automatically requires a big budget—and it’s easy to see why.
However, not all home gym essentials are expensive. In fact, you can build a simple but effective setup for under $100, especially if you focus on budget-friendly items like resistance bands, a basic weight rack, and a couple of adjustable dumbbells. Want to see how?
Home Fitness Equipment That Won’t Break the Bank
It’s no secret that home gyms typically require a lot of money invested up front. However, things are dropping in price, and there are plenty of ways to get a great workout while also saving money on your own home fitness equipment.
The following items are the perfect places to start your home gym routine.
Dumbbells
If you think about home gyms, you’ll more than likely immediately think of dumbbells. These signature workout pieces are easy to find, and you’ll find them in most stores, including dollar stores.
The price of the dumbbells doesn’t matter; as long as you’re getting weights that you can work with, then you’ll be fine. It’s a good idea to grab a few different weights; different exercises might require you to go up or down in weight. You don’t need fancy dumbbells, especially when you first start working out.
Yoga Mat
Even if you don’t plan on doing yoga, a yoga mat is essential for most exercises you’ll do at home. Workout benches can get pricey, which makes mats a much cheaper option for working out on. Doing exercises on the floor is never a good idea; you can end up hurting yourself and making your workouts a pain.
If you want to splurge a little in this department, you can actually get mats that are meant to go around your entire floor. This is a great, inexpensive option if you’ve got an entire gym area in your home!
Resistance Bands
Resistance bands are a great way to work your muscles without a ton of different muscle machines. Not only that, but they come in handy if you’re looking to warm up by stretching your muscles as well.
These are much cheaper than machines that focus on one muscle group, and there are exercises using resistance bands instead for the majority of your body. Between these and dumbbells, you’ll be able to train your muscles almost as well as you can with expensive machinery.
Jump Rope
Did you know that you can get a great heart exercise by simply jump roping? Most people don’t realize the heart benefits that jump ropes give, considering it’s typically a child’s toy.
If you haven’t used a jump rope in a while, then you’ll definitely feel it once you start using one. In fact, for an even cheaper option, you can mimic the action of a jump rope and workout without one! As you get better and better, and your stamina increases, then you can purchase weighted jump ropes that you can use in a variety of ways to help your heart as well as your arm muscles.
Exercise Ball
Exercise balls are another essential workout activity that you can find in almost any store. These are great options for anyone who’s planning on doing more stretching exercises or people who are looking for exercises that aren’t bulking up.
These can also pull double-duty; if you suddenly find yourself working from home, then an exercise ball is a great way to sit at your desk! Many innovative office spaces started using exercise balls years ago, and you can do so from the comfort of your home for cheap.
Pull-Up Bar
If you’re looking to take the extra step, then look into getting a pull-up bar for your home. While these aren’t for everyone, they’re not as expensive as you’d think. There are also many surprising workouts you can do with a pull-up bar and resistance bands, so make sure to look into that.
In order to use a pull-up bar at home, you’ll need a solid doorway that can support your weight. Pull-up bars do a great job at distributing your weight evenly across them, but you don’t want to end up on the floor during an exercise; this is dangerous and pretty embarrassing.
Fitness Sliders
Most people don’t realize how much fitness sliders can improve your workout while also making you feel more comfortable. Plus, they’re fun! These are another cheap workout option that you can find at plenty of different stores.
One problem with working out at home comes the flooring option wherever you’re working out. If you find that laying down mat doesn’t work because you don’t have a dedicated workout space in your home, then fitness sliders can help you get a better workout without having to worry about falling or getting your shoes stuck to the floor.
Foam Roller
Before you end your workout, you always want a foam roller. Why? This cheap roller will massage your muscles quickly and easily, making sure you don’t feel too much pain the next day. They also help with blood circulation, and they’re a great way to calm your heart down when you’re done exercising.
Second-Hand Fitness Items
Did you know that there’s actually a bustling market for second-hand fitness equipment like treadmills and ellipticals? There are a lot of tips you can find about choosing the right used equipment and where to buy reliable used gym equipment from!
Ready to Build Your Home Gym for Cheap?
These home fitness equipment options are great options to save you money while exercising. The best part is that you can get a full-body workout in plenty of different ways with these items—you won’t have to worry about sacrificing your workout in order to save money. In fact, you can save money in just a few months by having your own home gym instead of paying a monthly contract.
