Equipping Your Winter Home Gym for Under $100
It's difficult to stay fit in winter if you're dependent on an outside gym. You have to brave the cold to get out, not to mention potentially combating snow to get to your gym. Once you're there, there are a lot fewer people, which can also decrease your motivation to show up. A lot of people simply stop going to the gym in winter.
On the other hand, another option is to build your own home gym. You can do so for under $100 and still have a gym that can work out every part of your body. Here's what you need.
Dumbbells
A basic set of dumbbells or a pair of adjustable dumbbells can take you very far. You can use dumbbells to work out every muscle in your arm and back area, as well as use them to do weighted squats to work out your lower body.
If you're interested in building muscle endurance as well as strength, make sure you get weights that can go as low as 2 pounds. Plyometric exercises using high rep, extremely low weight dumbbells are perfect for building endurance.
A Pull-Up Bar
A pull-up bar is a very versatile piece of workout equipment. It works out almost every area of your body, from your arms to your shoulders to your back and your abs. You can adjust the level of your workout by resting a foot on a chair in front of you to do your pull-ups.
Resistance Bands
Resistance bands can be used to create a variety of workouts. You can stand on the bands and pull up to work out your biceps. You can hold them behind you and pull them forward to work out your back and your triceps. You can even simulate pull-ups using resistance bands.
Unlike other kinds of workout equipment, resistance bands are also quite adept at working out your abs and your lower body. Resistance bands can be used to add resistance to squats or leg lifts, as well as help you work out your abs.
Jump Rope
A jump rope is a fantastic piece of equipment for getting an aerobic workout at home. You can use the jump rope to warm up your body before doing a more intense exercise, or you really push yourself to do a long stretch of jump rope workouts.
If you really want to push yourself, try to do 5 sets of 3 minutes of intense rope jumping. That'll really get the blood pumping.
Exercise Ball
An exercise ball allows you to work out your abdominal muscles in all kinds of different ways. It allows you to vary the intensity of your squats, as well as do a number of different arm exercises.
That's all your home gym really needs. A simple dumbbell set, a pull-up bar, resistance bands, a jump rope and an exercise ball. All available on Amazon or eBay for under $100.