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Just when you were getting into the swing of the gym, making gains, and effectively burning the stress of life, the wrench gets thrown, and life changes in every way.
Across the nation, gyms are closed, group classes are on hiatus, and your gym addiction abruptly comes to a halt. Like adding insult to injury, this is the time to find alternatives that will keep you on your feet and thriving.
Now, more than ever, it’s crucial to remember time for self-care and physical movement. Instead of losing ground or falling back on goals, let’s change direction and learn how you can effectively move your workouts to your house, back yard, or outdoors, all while keeping money in your pocket.
Here is an easy and economical way to continue working toward your goals from home - and get this, every product can be delivered right to your door. Let’s bypass the gym altogether, for now, save some cash, and create your home gym for under $100. Well, $99, to be exact.
Resistance bands:
Bands will allow you to work for targeted muscle groups in various ways, and can also add more resistance if you find yourself using lightweight dumbbells. Resistance bands come in all shapes, sizes, and lengths. You can find Fit Simplify Resistance Loop Exercise Bands for $9 on amazon.com.
There are also bands that are not in a “loop” and can offer a few more options for working out. These AZURELIFE Resistance Bands are one of my favorites.
I use a variety of resistance bands in my everyday exercise routine and are a great way to build a healthy, lean physique.
Sandbags:
These are a staple in my day to day training, from lifts to weighted pack workouts, sandbags are a great way to challenge the body, add functional resistance, and serve many purposes. There are many great brands, including Brute Force, but in the spirit of saving some cash, find the Pseudois Workout Sandbags here for $30.
Once you get your sandbag, you can head outside and load it up with whatever amount of sand or dirt that suits you best. As you get stronger, you can add more. Sandbags are one versatile piece of equipment!
Plyobox:
A plyobox is another easy way to get a variety of functional movements from home and can be used to work on the upper body, core, lower body, even cardio. If you’re handy, you can probably whip one of these together DIY style, if not, Yes4All makes a 3 in 1 for $45.
If you have access to stairs or a sturdy cooler, you may be able to save here and use what you have access to.
Jump rope:
You may be having instant flashbacks from gym class, but don’t be fooled jumping rope is an easy and portable way to burn calories and work off those extra pounds. Throw one into your home gym, and get your heart rate up, YZLSPORTS Adjustable Jump Rope offers one for $7.
This is an excellent option if you are limited to space or cardio equipment in your home.
Sliders:
What the heck are sliders? Let me tell you, these babies will get your body burning in ways you’ve never even imagined. These small and virtually weightless tools will allow you to focus on isolating movements and increasing the overall workload. AZURELIFE Exercise Core Sliders has a two-pack for $8 (and it comes with full instruction on how to use them).
All of the above will start your new home gym off on the right course, and gives you plenty of options for training your body head to toe. Find everything mentioned in the links above for convenience, and remember, no excuse has to be used.
Also, keep in mind that you can crush total body sessions with just your body weight too. Don’t get wrapped up in needing all the latest and greatest gear and gadgets, especially those big ticket items. As you increase your strength and build consistency add some additional dumbbells, kettlebells, or more resistance bands.
* PRO-TIP: resistance bands make staying consistent and focused during travel easy. Next time you plan to hit the road, throw them in your bag, and use them.
They also make those limited-time workouts super beneficial by increasing the muscle fibers required for movement as you progress through each exercise’s range of motion, the workload increases, giving you all the benefits of weight lifting, and then some.
Need some ideas on how to use the gear to improve your fitness, build muscle, and keep your progress coming? Stay tuned next week for total body workouts that will keep your truckin’ and on your way to your best self. Until then, you can head over to Wilderness Athlete and check out the No Equipment Needed Workout.
