Exercise Equipment You Can Make at Home

In times when money is tight, some find it a challenge to afford the gym membership, fitness club membership or exercise equipment for their home that they feel they need to get a good workout. In some circumstances, people actually use these limitations as reasons not to exercise or begin dieting (I met someone like this recently, read my post about it here “Weight Loss Done Cheap“). The truth is that exercising at home can be very inexpensive, or cost you nothing at all, and the quality of your workout solely depends on you and not on the exercise equipment you may or may not have at hand. If you want to lose weight then you are going to need to exercise more. Start today, don’t put it off until you can afford a gym membership or a piece of equipment. If your budget is small, try these suggestions for exercise equipment you can make at home.

Don't let your budget stop you from getting a good workout - lots of exercises are cheap or free, like jogging. Try these great suggestions for exercise equipment you can make at home.

Gym memberships are great when trying to get into shape, or when trying to stay in shape. The big problems with memberships are that they can be too expensive, and many are hard to get out of when the gym situation is no longer working. Some people, especially those with some weight to lose, often feel uncomfortable in a gym atmosphere anyway. If you want to work out, but do not want to go to the gym, there are affordable ways to workout at home (also see the post, “Tips for Working Out at Home“). You can even make some things on your own so you do not have to buy expensive equipment you may not use for very long.

An exercise bench is something that you can use for many different types of exercise. This is something you can make very easily as long as you pay attention to all aspects of staying safe. You need a thick, wide board that can accommodate your body weight. This board can be leaned on something so you have an incline on which to do crunches or other ab exercises. You can also use it flat as a weight lifting bench. Just make sure your board is covered to avoid splinters, and also secured so that it will not fall and injure you while you are exercising.

Got rope? There are plenty of things you can do with a sturdy and lengthy rope. Remember to use gloves when exercising, however, as you can hurt your skin. A rope tied to a sturdy and weight bearing tree limb can be used to climb either the rope or the tree. You can also use that rope to pull various items that offer resistance. This builds muscle. Rope can also be used for skipping. Jumping rope can be a great cardio workout.

Though pull ups are often neglected for more modern types of exercise, this is one great way to build muscle and get the heart moving. A chin up bar can also be used for hanging upside down to do stomach crunches. You can buy a metal pipe or like-material from your local plumbing or home improvement store. Make sure your bar is secured into studs so that it will not fall while it is holding your weight. Also make sure you have enough clearance at the top so you do not hit your head while attempting your exercise.

Don’t forget that there are smaller things you can do at home to enhance your chosen exercise. If you are doing cardio in front of your television or dancing along with your stereo, you can use canned foods as weights to add some resistance. You can use your stairs for a great workout that gyms can only mimic with a machine. Also, don’t underestimate the power of just walking, jogging and biking outside to find something to do. Those exercises can be the most fun.

I’m sure there are many other types of exercise equipment you can make at home. If you have one that you have tried and liked, please share it with us. Also, please visit these related posts “Exercises You Can Do While Sitting“, “Fun Exercises That Can Help You Lose Weight” and “Exercises You Can Do At Work” for more great tips and ideas for inexpensive ways to workout.