Getting some gear so that you can workout at home doesn’t need to be a difficult or terribly expensive process. I, for one, am tired of paying high membership fees at the gym, I’m tired of fighting the crowds in the weight room, tired of the “meat-market” approach to working out, etc. I could go on and on. So, I decided that I was ready to set up shop at home and save a lot of aggravation.
When I considered how much money I would save in gym membership fees and gas prices to drive there several times a week, it gave me a decent budget to work with to set up my home gym. I tried to think clearly about my goals for fitness, and what equipment I would need. Here’s what I came up with, so far it’s working out great (pun intended):
- Simple set of free weights. I bought a set with bars, clips, and a variety of sizes so that I could have a number of different combinations
- A bench with a leg lift apparatus and an incline/decline feature.
- An exercise ball, an exercise band, and a mat for the floor.
- A large mirror.
- A treadmill for cardio work (take your pick, I’m a runner by nature, others may prefer an elliptical machine or stair machine).
It’s that simple. With the exception of the treadmill, all of these items were very inexpensive. According to my calculations, it will take just over one year for me to break even on cost. Not only will it be convenient to workout at home, I no longer have to listen to that big sweaty guy grunting the entire time I’m working out.
Bowflex
SelectTech Dumbbells
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