While exercise methods such as body weight fitness and running are great ways to get fit, they lack one thing that makes exercise fun: equipment. Having your own equipment allows you to create unique routines that incorporate a larger variety of exercises. Granted, not all equipment is particularly affordable.
It goes without saying that rowing machines and exercise bikes often cost more than the things they imitate. Luckily, there are more accessible pieces of equipment out there that still offer a versatile set of workouts for you to enjoy.
In this list, we’ll look at six pieces of equipment that you can utilize from the comfort of your own home, allowing you to achieve your fitness goals in fun, unique ways. Many of them can be DIY’d from objects you likely already own, saving you a penny or two in the process.
Water Ball
A water ball takes the idea behind the classic yoga ball and incorporates some strength. The great part is that you can make it yourself with a standard anti-burst exercise ball. Simply fill it up with water and leave some air for it to slosh around. It’s a powerful training tool that allows you to rep a variety of workouts. Just keep it away from anything sharp.
Trampoline
Whether you pick up a mini trampoline or a fully-fledged ring of jumping bliss, you’re set to get fit in a fun and unique way. If you’ve opted for a larger one, you can practice skill-based exercises such as flips and spins. Trampolinify has a great buyer’s guide to help you get started.
Shovelglove
For something a little less conventional, there’s the shovelglove. Wrap an old cloth or sweater around a sledgehammer and viola, your new workout tool is born. The idea is to perform certain motions that utilize the weight and design of the sledgehammer. This includes butter churning, log chopping, and shoveling.
Foam Roller
The king of basic workout equipment, this affordable fitness solution has a ton of benefits. With the right exercises, you can stretch your muscles, increase your range of motion, and subsequently prevent injuries later in your routine.
Incline Bench
Many avid strength trainers owe their core work to the incline bench. As a result of their popularity, retail versions are rather pricey. Luckily there are tons of guides, such as this one, that shows you just how to make your own incline bench.
Simple DIY Hand Weights
Hand weights are pretty pricey objects. With a pair of water bottles, some sand, and two minutes of your time, you can have yourself a basic starter set of improvised weights. From there, you can scale up to other homemade solutions such as rock-filled milk jugs. Sandbags, medicine balls, and virtually anything heavy with ergonomic handles all makes decent alternatives.
Conclusion
Whether you choose to pump in some funds or do it all yourself, you can have a home gym with all the exercise equipment you need for a comprehensive workout in no time. Simply create your desired routine and get building.
