Best Network Equipment | Blog: In Action Network

According to the American Council on Exercise (ACE) in a report released December 9, 2008, one of the top fitness trends for 2009 will include a decrease in gym memberships and subsequent increase in resourcefulness: using things you have around you, like your own body, to get in shape. In order to reap the benefits of a health club membership without the fees, however, a good compromise is to pick up a few exercise tools you can use on your own. The suggestions below, many of which are alternatives to more traditional equipment like machines and free weights, are all a good value, versatile, and relatively easy to use.

Recommended Strength-Training Equipment for the Home Gym

What to Get: Resistance bands. Super-cheap and offering nearly infinite exercise choices, resistance bands are portable exercise tubes with handles on either end that come in varying resistances (usually color-coded). Pick up a heavier-resistance band to work your back, chest, and legs, and a lighter-resistance band to work your arms and shoulders. Bonus: unlike dumbbells, you can take them with you when you travel.
Where to Get It: Your local sporting-goods store like Dick’s or Sports Authority, or on their websites (both carry the SPRI Xertube). Retails for $12.99.
What to Get: Kettlebells. A ball-shaped weight with a handle attached, kettlebells, which were invented in Russia, are becoming an increasingly popular alternative to dumbbells. The reason? Their convenient shape allows them to be used to perform a number of functional exercises, exercises that prepare the body for real-life motions like picking up children or hauling a suitcase. These exercises also tend to burn more calories than isolated strength-training moves.
Where to Get It: At Dick’s or Sports Authority, where it generally comes with an instructional DVD. Retails for $29.95 and up.

Recommended Core-Training Equipment for the Home Gym

What to Get: BOSU Ball. The BOSU (an acronym for Both Sides Up) is an inflated rubber half-sphere with a flat bottom. Like the stability ball, its rounded surface provides an increased range of motion for exercises like crunches and low-back extensions. However, the BOSU is so versatile that you can balance atop either side while performing exercises like squats or bicep curls, you can perform lunges onto it, and you can even hold its handles (ball side down) and do push-ups.
Where to Get It: At Target or online at Bosu.com. Retails for $99.99.
What to Get: Balance Board. A balance board is a tool you can stand upon to increase recruitment of core muscles while performing basic exercises; its surface wobbles or tilts in two or more directions. One of the most versatile is the Reebok Core Board---its features include adjustable instability for exercisers of varying levels and eight attachment sites for resistance bands, and it’s stable enough to step or lunge onto.
Where to Get It: Online at Amazon or PerformBetter.com. Retails for $199.95.

Recommended Cardio Equipment for the Home Gym

What to Get: Jump Rope. It’s a fantastic calorie-burner, you can take it anywhere, and it’s a convenient way to squeeze cardio intervals into your circuit-style workout, because it gets your heart rate up in a short amount of time. Even if you’re bad at it, you’ll expend energy just by trying, and it’s not hard to pick up with a little practice.
Where to Get It: Anywhere! Retails at your local sporting-goods store for as little as $7.99.
What to Get: Exercise DVDs or FitTV/ExerciseTV. One of the best and cheapest options for doing cardio at home continues to be workout videos. You can still pick up fitness DVDs that match your exercise interests---dance, kickboxing, aerobics, or bootcamp---for under $20, but if you have satellite or digital cable, most providers feature free exercise programming in their menus with a variety of rotating workouts to choose from.
Where to Get It: Pick up DVDs at Borders Bookstore or on Amazon.com. If you have satellite or digital cable, you’ll find exercise programming for free in the menu.