The fun part has arrived: choosing specific equipment!
I love body weight exercises, and for me a stability ball is a staple of any gym. Stability balls are great for core exercises, stretching, or variations on basic dumbbell exercises. Unfortunately, the first $20 ball I purchased did not inflate spherically and did not bounce. So next time I was at my gym, I took note of the brand they used and later purchased it from Amazon (Versaball, 55 cm).
My one splurge item was a Bosu ball. These are surprisingly expensive (at least compared to stability balls) and I also decided to go with the brand name option to ensure quality. The bosu ball has long been one of my favorite pieces of equipment at the gym. I am so excited to finally have one for myself!
The space of our basement and the height of the ceiling (7′ 2″) don’t allow for a full bench/squat rack. I mean, a small one would fit…but that would be the only thing there! For now, I was able to snag a bench for free from a woman in my local BuyNothing group. This adjustable bench will be perfect to use with a set of adjustable dumbbells my brother gave me as a birthday present last year. We also may eventually be able to pair this bench with some standalone benchpress/squat (as opposed to a rack).
BuyNothing is a group on Facebook that encourages upcycling, sharing, and donations to others in your neighborhood. Nothing is allowed to be bought or sold. At least in Seattle, these exist in different neighborhoods, so you never drive 40 minutes just to pick up an item. I encourage you to see if your local community has a BuyNothing group (or something similar)!
It would be VERY easy for me to go hog wild with workout equipment, but I am trying to make very intentional purchases. So far, I’m happy with the recent additions and I’m excited to continue shopping around! I think my husband tires of hearing about *potential* purchases, but I remind him that imagining the possibilities is sometimes just as fun! Anyone else agree with me?
Home Gym Progress
- Cost of paint: $6
- Floor mats: $36
- FireStick: $40
- Bosu Ball: $120
- Stability Ball: $40
- Bench: $0
- Dumbbells: $0
- Total against budget: $242
- Budget Remaining: $758
Read the rest of the story below:
Post 1 – Painting the walls
Post 2 – Flooring
Post 3 – CycleOps and Entertainment