Home Exercise on a Budget
What are the benefits to exercising at home?
There are many benefits to exercising at home instead of at a gym or health club:
- You don’t have to wait for someone to finish on a piece of equipment.
- You can exercise any time, 24 hours a day.
- There are no crowded times in the gym.
- You may save money.
What if I can’t buy home exercise equipment?
If your budget is tight, there are some great ways to exercise at home, while keeping cost low:
Strength Training
- Lift canned goods instead of using dumbbell weights to build strength.
- Buy simple rubber tubing from the sporting goods department or physical therapy clinic. You can use the tubing for strength exercises.
- Some of the best exercises are bodyweight exercises. You don’t need any equipment other your body. Here are some examples of bodyweight exercises
- Upper body:
push-ups
chair dips
- Lower body:
squats
lunges
calf raises
- Core training:
abdominal crunches
leg lifts
planks
side planks
Cardiovascular training
- A jump rope is a low budget option that also helps agility and speed.
- You can walk or jog up and down stairs in your home.
- If you have access to a VCR or DVD player you can buy a wide variety of home exercise routines such as:
Pilates
yoga
dance
aerobics
How do I use the rubber tubing to perform strength training exercises at home?
- For some exercises simply attach firmly the tubing to a door handle or sturdy pole to anchor the tubing.
- For other exercises step on one end of the tubing with your foot and grab the other end with your hand.
What other items around the house could I use for exercising?
- A broomstick can be used as a light barbell for upper and lower body exercises.
- After you have built up strength, heavier objects such as bricks, cement blocks, or large rocks may be used for lifting.
Always make sure you talk to your healthcare provider before starting any new fitness program.
Written by Lee Mancini, MD., CSCS.
Adult Advisor 2012.1 published by RelayHealth.
Last modified: 2010-08-11
Last reviewed: 2010-12-20
This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information is intended to inform and educate and is not a replacement for medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional.
© 2012 RelayHealth and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
