Home Gym for the Whole Family

A home gym adds convenience and privacy to your workouts. When you exercise at home, you save time, money, and the rush hour headaches (on the road and in line for the elliptical). Although you might be cautious due to budget and space limitations in your house, building a home gym isn't as impractical as you might think. After all, gym memberships can occupy a large portion of your budget at several hundred dollars per year, and many aren't family friendly either. Your gym can be as simple or complex as you want. Consider the following pieces of equipment:

Dumbbells will help you start a strength training routine. These are often made of metal, but can also be covered with a rubber material to keep them from slipping out of your hands. Expect to pay $15-$20 for a pair of 5-pound weights. Prices will increase as the weight goes up.

Resistance bands are great because they are compact, portable, and allow for a wide range of motion. Resistance bands come in three or four different levels of resistance and usually run around $15 for one band. These can be used pretty much any way that a dumbbell can be used, so if you are in a budget crunch, these might be the better option. Plus, they're great for kids, most of whom are able to lift light resistance but shouldn't lift heavy weights.

A Stability (Swiss, Balance, Physio) ball, no matter which name it goes by, is simply an oversized inflatable ball. These are extremely versatile. You can sit, lie, and balance on them during almost any exercise, rather than investing in an exercise bench. Plus, this unstable surface targets your core muscles and improves your balance and coordination. The balls come in different sizes (based on your height and weight), and a rainbow of colors, and cost around $25 a piece. Another great choice for kids!

An Exercise mat will allow you to stretch comfortably, cushion your body during floor exercises (from crunches to modified pushups), and prevent slipping while lifting weights. Plus, they can roll up out of the way for storage if your space is limited. For about $20 you can get a sticky mat (for Pilates and yoga), which is thin--but better than a hard floor. The price goes up for larger and thicker mats.

Workout DVDs can be great for the whole family, no matter what your goals. There are many workouts made specifically for men, children, pregnant or postpartum women, and even families.
You can get a good set of everything described above for less than $200 dollars. Now that sure beats the gym!