[DAD FITNESS]How to Build a Home Gym on a Budget

With today’s economy we are all looking at our budgets a little closer.

But the one thing you should keep investing in is your health and fitness. It will provide you with a lifetime of high returns.

You don’t need to buy an expensive gym membership or a $1000 piece of equipment that becomes an expensive coat hanger to get in shape. People were building muscle and burning fat long before any of those strange looking machines were invented.

All you need for an inexpensive home gym are an exercise mat and a set of adjustable dumbbells. A stability exercise ball as well as an adjustable bench would be great, but are not necessary. I would also recommend one of those chinup bars that hang off your door frame if you can swing it. They are inexpensive and definitely worth it for working the back with chinups and pullups.

Of course a treadmill or stationary bike would be a bonus for cardio exercise, but not necessary as you can still do cardio exercise with your body weight, some light dumbbells, or outdoors.

As long as you have enough space to fully extend your body vertically and horizontally, you can setup a small home gym.

You can get a set of adjustable dumbbells up to 40lbs – which would be enough for most people – at your local Walmart or sporting goods store for around $40.

Stability balls are also inexpensive, at around $20, as well as a mat for $10.

An adjustable exercise bench will run over hundred bucks, but most sporting goods store have previously used ones for half price. Those chinup bars are defnitely worth the price at around $30.

So for convenient exercise on a budget you can setup your own home gym for under $100 bucks, and if your are really determined but tight for cash, you can get a great workout with just your body weight.

…and for you guys who are really couch potatoes, I got you covered as well.

You can get in a great workout at home without ever leaving the couch!

Don’t beleive me, give The Couch Workout a try…

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Sean Barker

Sean Barker is a busy dad who finds time for family, fitness and fun. He likes pumping iron as well as producing it, as a heavy equipment
operator in the iron ore mines. He is ALSO a nationally certified personal trainer who writes for Fit Parent and Inside Fitness magazines and is the author of The Dad Fitness System at www.DadFitness.com. Sean also has a Dad Fitness Blog with tips, thoughts, and humor on being a fit dad at DadFitnessBlog.com.