Everybody knows that exercise has many health benefits but it can still be challenging to stay consistent if you’re strapped for time and cash. However, there are plenty of ways you can get in a great workout without ever leaving your home or jeopardising your ability to meet your financial responsibilities. So which pieces of home gym equipment will give you the best home gym at an affordable price? We’ll explain all.

Skipping Rope

Looking for an excellent cardio workout from home that costs just a fraction of the price of an exercise bike or treadmill? Look no further than the skipping rope. Boxers have been using these simple contraptions for their staple conditioning workouts for decades and there’s no reason why you shouldn’t too. In fact, there are many reasons to skip rope but, if the incredible value for money doesn’t sell it to you, nothing will.

Yoga Mats

You can find these iconic mats in yoga classes throughout the world. But apart from the traditional Indian practice from which they derive their name, they also facilitate other forms of exercise such as Pilates or just plain old stretching.

You can even use them to make basic calisthenic exercises such as push-ups or sit-ups to provide cushioning and traction as you exercise, making the whole home gym experience more comfortable – especially if you have hardwood floors.

Resistance Bands

Elasticated bands make for a great way to get a sweat going. They provide more resistance the more that you stretch them, meaning that you can easily control how hard you’re working.

Resistance bands are great on their own but you can amplify their potential using the following simple trick:

• Tie knots at either end of a piece of cloth
• Put them through the band
• Then insert the knots into the edge of your door frame
• Finally, close the door

You should now have your resistance band firmly anchored to the door frame. This simple setup will allow you to perform a whole library of exercises, ranging from isolation exercises such as bicep curls or tricep pushdowns to compound lifts such as rows or lat pulldowns. It all depends on the part of the doorframe to which you attach the band – the choice is all yours.

Gymnastics Rings

With nothing more than two circular handles and a pair of straps, gymnastics rings let you take a serious upper body workout with you wherever you go. As long as you have something from which to hang them, you’ll be able to perform exercises such as pullups, dips, rows and push-ups whenever you want.

What’s more, you can modify the difficulty of these exercises thanks to the rings’ adjustable strap lengths. This means that you can scale your workouts to your level, making rings suitable for beginners and pros alike.

What are your favourite pieces of low-cost home gym equipment? Why do you like them? Share your thoughts with us below!