Cheap exercise equipment - affordable options

While some may be able to afford treadmills and exercise bikes most people are simply looking for cheap exercise equipment that will fit into their budgets as well as their apartments. A number of cheaper and more compact options are available for various purposes. Free weights are an excellent and cheap option for strength training and simple objects like jump ropes can be great for aerobic exercise. TV infomercials advertise many fantastic devices claiming to make weight loss easy. Don't be fooled by clever gimmicks. When it comes to weight loss and exercise there are no miracles, only self-motivated hard work.

The following are examples of some of the more popular cheap exercise equipment options:

The exercise ball:

The exercise ball is an excellent option for a good workout at a reasonable price. The inflatable ball can be used in conjunction with weightlifting, bodybuilding or aerobics and is perfect for use at home. The key is instability. By making the exercise unstable it targets and forces many smaller muscle groups into action in order to keep the body balanced. There is a variety of different exercises targeting different muscles meaning that the exercise balls can be used for a number of applications. Exercise balls can cost as little as £10.

Aerobic steps:

One of the best ways to lose weight and get fit is to do aerobics and surprisingly enough this can be done on a budget. Step aerobics videos can teach you all the moves and all that is required is a step. These are raised platforms that are used to imitate the action of going up and down stairs with a number of variations to make it more challenging. Raisers are usually included and are used to make the step higher and, therefore, more of a challenge. The prices range from £20 to £200.

Ab exercisers :

Everyone has seen these advertised on TV. Devices of various shapes and sizes claiming they can work miracles and give you the perfect abs in days. Don't believe a word of it, if it sounds too good to be true it usually is. There are some ab exercisers that help with form and posture which may make crunches more enjoyable or help to make the process easier. The fact is that any exercise you can do with an ab exerciser you can without. Buying one of these devices is a matter of personal motivation. Prices range from £10 to £100.

Buns & Thighs exercisers:

Most people will have seen infomercials on TV showing all sorts of different contraptions designed to tighten your hips, thighs and buttocks. Some are more effective than others and some are also more expensive than others. You can achieve the same results that this equipment can just by doing simple lunges, however, if you feel it helps to have an exercise machine then do go for the cheaper ones. Prices generally range from £6 for a resistance band to £130 for a 'bun and thigh' machine.

© The Pink Fridge Online Magazine 2008 - Cheap Exercise Equipment

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