If gym membership fees seem a little too steep or bad weather is
keeping you indoors, there are still plenty of ways to start a
fitness regimen without cleaning out your wallet.
You can get fitness equipment that doesn't require a ton of space
and won't clean out your bank account. Here are four exercise
gadgets that cost under $100, require little or no setup and take
up less space than your average ottoman. All can be found on the
Web or in most sporting-goods stores.
Jump rope: Not just for boxers and little
girls Jump ropes are made from a variety of
materials, including vinyl, plastic beads and leather. The more
user-friendly models have padded foam handles and ball bearings
between the handles and rope so they swivel more smoothly. When you
buy a rope, make sure you choose the proper length: Stand on the
center of the rope with one foot, and pull the rope straight up
along the side of your body. It's a perfect fit if the handles
reach to your armpit. Prices range from $5 to $25. Some brands
we love: All Pro, Lifeline, Licorice Speed and Speed
Rope.
Step: Simple device, serious results
So what if it's a glorified milk crate? Stepping up and down on a
step bench burns almost as many calories as
running at a 10-minute-per-mile pace, with about half the impact.
Because step intensity is easily adjustable -- you can raise the
height, vary your speed or add more complex movements -- this piece
of equipment is a must-have for any at-home exerciser. Steps
cost $20 to $100; add another $20 or so for each of the latest step
aerobic tapes available at Collage Video.
Exercise ball: Bounce your way to
fitness
Remember the hippity-hop ball you used to bounce around on when
you were in kindergarten? Even if you never had the pleasure of
playing on one of those oversized colored plastic balls, you'll
love its grown-up cousin, the exercise ball. Exercise balls are effective for stretching
and developing balance and coordination; you can even substitute
one for your weight bench to take your weight training to a whole
new level. Exercise balls also go by the names Physioballs,
Swiss balls, gymnastic balls and Resist-a-balls. They come in a
wide range of colors and sizes and typically sell for $15 to
$50.
Exercise Bands: Pump
rubber for serious results
Rubber can be just as effective as weights for toning and
strengthening your muscles. Special exercise bands and tubes come in a variety of
lengths and tensions; you can do literally hundreds of exercises
with them that do a pretty good job of mimicking weight-machine and
free-weight moves. When not in use, they tuck into a drawer, your
pocket or your purse. Atlus, Theraband, Spri and Challenge
P.R.O. are some band brands we love. The bands cost as little as
$10 for a set of three.
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