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A Home Gym for Every Budget
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Equipment and exercises to get you started
Equipment and exercises to get you started
by Barb Gormley
 If, like many Canadians, you’re doing some financial belttightening but still want to stay fit, you could skip the pricey gym membership and work up a sweat at home instead. The trick is selecting several affordable pieces of equipment that together help you target flexibility, strength and cardiovascular fitness. Choose from our tried-and-tested list.
Under $50
Exercise bands are a simple alternative to dumbbells and weight machines. Buy three or four different resistances and lengths for the greatest versatility. $5
Stability balls are a favourite for core strengthening, full-body toning and stretching. Because they conform to your body, they’re comfortable and supportive. Make sure you purchase the right size for your height by checking the chart on the box. $20–$35
Body balls, which are about the size of a soccer ball and softer than stability balls, are ideal for core-strengthening exercises. They deflate easily to toss into a suitcase and blow up without a pump in just three or four breaths. Inflate them until they’re slightly soft, not hard like a stability ball. $10
Pedometers are step-counting gadgets that attach to your waistband. Go for the gold standard of 10,000 steps a day, or just try to increase your steps a bit more each day. Choose a model with a case that protects the face in case it falls off. $20–$35
Customizable DVD workouts such as Go Fitness (from Canadian instructors Sharon Mann, Krista Popowych and Geoff Bagshaw) and Custom Fit Interactive Training (from Montreal instructor David Snively) let you pick from scores of warm-up, cardio, strength and cool-down segments for hundreds of different combinations. $30–$45 (www.sharonmann.com and www.davidsnively.com)
Under $175
The BOSU (“both sides up”) is perfect for balance, core strengthening and a host of other exercises. People of all fitness levels love its versatility. $150 (www.bosu.com)
Sport blocks are ideal for those with little space to work out. A selector pin converts the weight from three to 24 pounds, just like a weight-stack machine at a gym. $170 (www.powerblock.com)
Big bucks
Treadmills let you walk or run regardless of the weather. Look for a smooth operation, cushiony surface, safety shutoff and a variety of program settings. $2,000 and up. Try the Life Fitness T3 (www.lifefitness.com) or Precor 921 (www.precor.com).
Elliptical trainers are the most popular club item today because they offer a comfortable, non-impact exercise activity that almost anyone can do. Each brand feels different, so try several models at the store before buying one. $2,000 and up. Try the Life Fitness X1 (www.lifefitness.com) or Octane Q35 (www.octanefitness.com).
Home gyms are all-in-one machines that let you do strength training exercises such as chest presses, leg curls and triceps press-downs, just like at a club. Before investing, check that all adjustments are easy to make and that the machine runs smoothly and quietly. $1,500 and up. Try the Hoist V1 (www.hoistfitness.com) and the Ironman 600G (www.ironmanfitness.com). thJ
TARGET PRACTICE
Exercises to tighten and tone the tummy and thighs
Inner-thigh blaster (stability ball)
Banish flabby inner thighs by sitting on the ball with your thighs perpendicular to the ground; hold on to a stable object for balance. Squeeze the ball with your inner thighs. Do 20 to 40 repetitions.
Outer-thigh tamer (exercise band)
This exercise looks deceptively easy. With an exercise band tied around your ankles, sidestep with slightly bent knees for several steps to your right, then do the same to your left. Make sure the band doesn’t go slack at any point.
Tummy toner (body ball)
Enjoy the low-back support the ball provides in this exercise.
Sitting with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, wedge the ball into your lower back. Keeping a straight line from your tailbone to the top of your head, hinge back and then return to the starting position. Do six to 12 repetitions.
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