Monday's Retail Madness

One of the major goals of Frugal Fitness is to provide advice on staying fit without spending a lot of money. One way to do this is to cut out costly gym memberships but you may still require equipment to get in a good workout. Therefore, this Monday’s Retail Madness is focused on creating a home gym.

To create a home gym, start with the basics. It is not necessary to have a designated space for a gym if you don’t have room in your house or apartment. The most important thing when it comes to space is being able to shift around some furniture to create enough room when you need it. Keep in mind that if you have to move too many pieces of furniture you will be less likely to stick to a workout on the premise that it takes too much preparation. Try to pick a space that requires only minimal furniture movement but still offers maximum space benefits for your needs. A common place is an office space or in the living room. Also, keep in mind that you want your equipment to be easy to put away and take out so it is accessible without causing clutter. A good idea is to store it in a closet close by or buy a woven basket to store things like weights so it is functional but will still fit in with the décor of the room.

Here are a few ideas for starting your home gym:

1.) Weights- A good idea is to buy a few different sets so that you have a heavy, medium and light set on hand. For instance, a woman may want to consider 3 lbs, 5 lbs and 8 lbs. A man might like 8 lbs, 10 lbs and 15 lbs. Check out the Shape Store or Sports Authority for options. Weights-$50.

2.) Mat- A good mat is essentially for yoga, pilates, stretching or just performing some strength moves on the floor. Try gaiam.com for some great non-stick yoga mats. Mat-$15

3.) Jump Rope- This is a great way to get cardio in without spending a lot of money. See our previous post. Jump Rope-$20

4.) Stability Ball- This is especially great for ab workouts but can also be used for general toning exercises and stretching. Check amazon.com- $15

5.) Clock or watch with a second hand stop- This is necessary to determine how long you have been working out for and to time yourself for interval training.

Thus you can put together a basic gym for about $100. Now that is frugal!

Here are some other extras that you may consider when building your home gym.

1.) Boxing gloves- Boxing is a great cardiovascular and strength workout. Boxing gloves are usually around $30. You can invest in a pair of focus pads if you have a partner who wants to work out with you. Or go big and get a punching bag.

2.) Exercise DVDs- These are great if you love classes at the gym. See our old posts on ExerciseTv and Yogatoday.com for free videos. Otherwise check out collagevideo.com for tons of options and sales!

3.) Resistance Tubing- This is great for strength training or adding resistance to pilates workouts to simulate pilates machines. For strength workouts look for resistance tubing with handles. For pilates and stretching, try a theraband which comes in a rectangular shape made from rubber with no handles.

4.) Medicine Balls- These are great and inexpensive for adding resistance to cardio workouts (Check out Steve Marcesa’s Workout Rock Hard Body Extreme on Exercisetv on demand or online for good ideas) or for replacing weights. Medicine balls are inexpensive and a good addition to any home gym.

5.) Books and magazines- These can help you get ideas for routines and workouts to prevent boredom.

6.) A Step- A step can be useful for doing a cardio workout without requiring too much extra space. Look for step aerobics dvds or just trying running up and down on the step. It is also a good substitute for a weight bench and can be used for numerous strength exercises.

To splurge or not to splurge? If you have the space and can afford an exercise machine like a treadmill, elliptical or stationary bike this could be a great investment. Home exercise machines can save you money in the long-term by cutting down on driving or public transportation costs, saving time and improving motivation and the overall cost of the equipment will pay off compared to the cost of a gym. Pick a piece of equipment that you think has enough variety and can hold your interest. Visit a sports store or local equipment retailer and ask a lot of questions, get demonstrations and make sure you are completely comfortable with the equipment before purchasing it. Also, find out about payment plans and discounts to ease the financial burden. Avoid purchasing this type of equipment online or via an infomercial because you could end up with an impaired piece of equipment that could threaten your safety and find yourself without maintenance support from the manufacturer. Make sure you are aware of the guarantee for the equipment in order to get the most longevity.