$100 HOME GYM 

These days I workout at home 1-2 times each week. Just like it is great to train in a well equipped facility, the same can be said for the convenience of not having to travel to the gym.

Life Get's in the Way 

How many training sessions have you missed because you couldn't find time to get to the gym in the last 6-months? 10%? Maybe 25%? Maybe you gave up all together? That is the other huge benefit of the home gym. It eliminates your ability to make excuses.

   

Budget: $100

These days $100 doesn't buy you much. Heck, my cell phone bill is usually over $100 and that is about the going rate for a good pair of training shoes. With that being said, let's make sure we spend it wisely.  

   

1) Dumbbells - $40: A good chunk of your $100 should be  spent on weight. Since it's resistance training we're doing, we're gonna need some resistance. While I personally prefer kettlebells because I think they're a bit more versatile than dumbbells, they're also usually more than twice as expensive as dumbbells. The specific weights that will be best for you will depend on your training history. I recommend 1 heavier dumbbell and 1 lighter to start, around 10-15 pounds apart. Dumbbells generally run about $1/pound so a 15 and a 25 would cost around $40.  

2) Step - $15: maybe you already have one of these lying around the house, but I bet you've never looked at it and thought "man, I bet that step could get me legs super strong!". I use this step (shown in picture to the right) with a home based client and it's great for a tonne of great exercises - single leg squats, rear foot elevated split squats, step-ups, single leg bridge, barbell bridge, bench for single arm dumbbell chest press, etc. Just make sure it's strong and sturdy! This step can be found at Home Depot is rated for 300 pounds. 

  

3) Skipping Rope - $15: no surprises here. The skipping rope  has been around for a long time and for good reason. Very little space is required and you can get a high quality aerobic workout.  

4) Ab Wheel - $15-20: The ab wheel is one of those pieces of equipment that's an old school classic. It is an inexpensive and seemingly innocuous device that presents quite a challenge. There are a number of ways to increase and decrease the challenge with this device, but what I like most about it is that it teaches how to maintain a strong midsection while moving the limbs. I wouldn't consider the ab wheel to be a home gym essential, but for $20 it's a sound investment in a stronger midsection. 

 

5) Tennis/Lacrosse Balls - $5-10: excellent tools for performing self-massage to help maintain good tissue quality.  

So there you have it, some simple tools that you can get a tonne of mileage out of when paired with the right program. With the right knowledge and instruction (hint, hint) a huge variety of exercises to challenge all abilities is possible.  

Having the option to perform a workout at home from time to time will go a long way in helping you stay on track. As I've said many, many times "the best exercise program is the one that you actually do!".