Maybe you think going to gyms in a pandemic is insane. (It is.) Maybe it’s also time to cut costs. It’s getting cold fast, and soon running and walking outdoors won’t be an option. And yet you find yourself looking around your place wondering where you’d even fit workout equipment. Luckily there are ways to get cardio and strength training in at home on a budget with limited space.
First we need to look at the basic parts of you that need exercising.
1. Heart
Cardio promotes heart health, can be used in tandem with strength training to maximize weight loss, and offers mental health benefits.
At-home exercise: Jumping rope
Jumping rope is fun and offers a full fledged cardio workout at home, getting your heart rate up and warming up/working out your arms and and legs simultaneously.
This DEGOL tangle free jump rope is only $7.99 and has over 17,000 4 and 5-star reviews.
2. Core
Abs, lower back
At-home exercise: Ab roller
The ab roller is a simple piece of machinery that builds ab and core strength fast. Most come with thick knee pads for comfort. Because of the difficulty, Amazon recommends a wider one for beginners
Here’s the best overall ab roller recommended by Amazon.
3. Legs
Quads, calves, butt
At-home exercise: Resistance bands, free weights
These Booty Bands ($15.99) fit around your legs to provide a range of resistance when doing squats, lunges, and other leg exercises. And look at dat ass:
4. Arms
Biceps, triceps
At-home exercise: Push ups, pull ups, free weights, exercise bands
I enjoy free weights because they can be carried to make squats and lunges harder, but they take up more room and they’re pricier than bands. This is a reasonably priced ($40) set of dumbbells on Amazon. It has weights in 3lbs, 5lbs, and 8lbs with a stand.
Amazon spent more than 25 hours testing resistance bands and Bodylastics stackable resistance bands set was their overall pick at $49.95. It’s amazing that a package that weighs a little over 3 lbs will add between 3 and 96 pounds of resistance to your workout!
Lastly, if you’re looking for a comprehensive, space-saving solution and you have $179, the BodyBoss 2.0 is really well reviewed by thousands of people on Amazon. And you also get access to a free “Start Up Workout Program” when you buy through Amazon.
