If you have big dreams of getting stronger, running faster and losing weight, but you're short on space and money you can still build your own home gym without turning your living room into a weight room and replacing your guest bed with a treadmill. (Your overnight guests will thank you!)
Runners should make at least a little time for strength training to become strong, to get fast and stay healthy. The good news if you don't have to join an expensive gym or even invest in a ton of equipment to get started.
If your home gym dreams are bigger than your budget or available space, I am going to show you how you get everything you need to get started with a strength program in a small space for less than $100. I know, it's not like you have all this money lying around just waiting to be spent on expensive gym equipment, amiright?
Here are six home gym essentials that are inexpensive and can be stored away in a closet when not in use. Prosource is offering my readers a 10% off discount on all home gym equipment when you enter ALEA10 at checkout. Thanks to ProSource!
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How to build a home gym in a small space on an even smaller budget. Save to Pinterest for later.
WARM-UP/COOL DOWN
YOGA MAT
Start with a Yoga mat so those floor exercises are more comfortable. Turn your living room into a private Yoga studio with a cushy Yoga mat and online Yoga classes.
MOBILITY
FOAM ROLLER
A foam roller is a fitness fanatics best friend. A foam roller is the kind of friend who gives you the hard truth and helps you work through your problem areas. It's the friend you love to hate. A small and portable foam roller can help you work through muscle tightness and imbalances for a healthier, more mobile body. Learn more about foam roller exercises for runners in this post.
BALANCE
STABILITY BALL
An effective way to challenge your balance and stability is with an unstable but controlled surface like a physio ball. Most people think of a stability ball as a tool for core exercises, but it can be used to improve joint stability, increase flexibility, improve posture control, improve balance, stabilization, and coordination in the entire body. Here are some ideas for stability ball exercises. With the handy pump (pun intended), you can easily deflate it and tuck it away when not in use.
STRENGTH
LOOP BANDS
I love these loops bands that can be used at home and tucked away in your bag for on-the-go. Learn more about how to use these loop resistance bands for hip strength for runners. They provide the resistance you need to build strength without all the weight.
RESISTANCE BANDS
Forget weight benches, dumbbell racks or even adjustable dumb bell sets when you;re on a budget. We don't have the square footage or the funds for all of that. The good news is that you can get all the strength training you need with resistance bands. They provide resistance that can be progressed as you get stronger for a full body workout without the bulk. Here are some resistance band exercise ideas.
CARDIO
JUMP ROPE
If you're reading this you're probably a runner, so most of the time you get your cardio exercise by lacing up the shoes and hitting the pavement. When the weather or daylight doesn't cooperate with your running goals, a jump rope is a great way to squeeze in some cardio or high-intensity circuits between strength exercises.
All under $100! Use code for my readers, ALEA15, at checkout to save even more!
Prices not guaranteed by Lea Genders Fitness. Prices shown are current as of time of this post. Price are subject to change.
Did I give you any good ideas? You don't need a lot of space or extra cash lying around to get started on a home gym. Once you get a base set up, you can start to add additional equipment as needed.
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Runners who strength train are stronger, faster, and less injury-prone! While focusing on runner-specific exercises, I’ll show you the benefits of resistance training with one piece of equipment—a kettlebell. This program is five weeks of progressive workouts that take about thirty minutes each, two to three times per week.