Everyone should have the ability to work out at home. That simple idea is why I built GymCrafter. With recent events (This article is being written in mid-March, 2020, right at the beginning of a shelter in place order where I live in Illinois), people who previously relied on commercial gyms for their fitness are coming to the same realization.
The problem is that too many people (and to be honest, I’m one of them) make home gyms out to be some big, extravagant investment that takes up half of your basement or garage. While I’ve chosen to have a full weight training set up at home, that does not mean that’s what everyone needs.
Not everyone wants or can afford a full squat rack, bench, barbell, and bumper plates in their home (for those of you that do, head over to my article on the nine essential items all great home gyms have). For so many reasons, a fully equipped home gym is just not going to happen for a lot of people.
What is someone to do who wants to train at home but doesn’t have the room or the budget for a full gym? Luckily, there are a ton of answers! That’s because the question is “how to train at home with limited funds and space”, not “how to build a home gym with those restrictions”.
Training at home doesn’t have to cost a lot. With a small space and an investment of under $100, you can train effectively! And I mean effectively! You can choose to build an amazing body or simply stay in shape without ever touching a single piece of expensive gear!
What are your goals?
Let’s start with what your goals are. Knowing that will help you get the right things for the job. If your goal is to become more mobile, you’ll probably need a different setup than the person trying to get jacked and strong.
Of course, I’m a massive believer that strength should be the foundation of all fitness pursuits. Getting stronger literally makes everything else easier or unnecessary! Strength aids fat loss, endurance, body recomposition, cardiovascular health, and any other fitness goal you might have.
While your goals may be different than the next person, don’t forget to add a strength component to your home training.
Start by figuring out your goals before you spend a penny. The following guide should have something for everyone, but it’s all pretty effective if used consistently.
If the goal is to spend less than $100, we need to be sure that the minimal amount of things you buy will best help you reach those goals.
Know thyself
Step two is to be honest with yourself. What will you actually use? I’ll share a story of my own wasted money to illustrate.
I used to be a huge fan of unconventional training. Mostly because I didn’t have access to weights, but also because a lot of it is enjoyable. Kettlebells, clubs, maces, and the like are all things I’ve used and very much enjoyed. I still incorporate a good deal of it to this day.
So I thought it made sense for me to buy a sandbag. No, make that a battle bag! Doesn’t that sound cool? There are a million things you can do with them too. In fact, it’s one of my recommendations below. For the right person, this implement is impressive.
I’m not the right person, though. I’ve got a bad back. Training with a sandbag is a ton of bending over and picking up. Then, for good measure, you often lift it over your head. All while the weight shifts and slides and is sometimes very hard to hold.
That’s not ideal for someone with 4 bulged discs in their back. Especially without an in-person coach to help with my form so I don’t hurt myself!
Now I have a sandbag, or, um, battle bag, that never leaves it’s home up against a wall and behind my dumbbell stand. Maybe I’ll get back to it someday, but I doubt it.
Know yourself! What will you actually use? What won’t you use? Don’t buy a treadmill if you hate to run! Don’t buy a weighted vest if you hate pull-ups! You get the idea.
Train at home for under $100!
I’m going to break your options into three groups. The first will be bodyweight training options. Don’t discount this (many people do)! Take a look at the recommendations below and you might be surprised at just how intense and effective this can be made to be with a simple addition or two.
The second group will be inexpensive ways to resistance train. You don’t need dumbbells or a barbell to resistance train at home. I’ll review a few of the best options under $100 in that section.
The last options will cover cardio. Since virtually all machines are over $100, I wanted to give you two killer options that are well under our price goal.
Taking bodyweight training to the next level
Every article I read about training on a budget starts by talking about bodyweight and calisthenics being free. Duh! We all know that. Yet almost no one readily drops down and starts doing push-ups every day. If that were the answer, no one would be buying gym equipment.
Now I’m not knocking this approach. In fact, I’m a huge fan of it. I just think we should skip past the trivial advice of basic calisthenic movements and get you something a little more effective.
So, how do we up the effectiveness and impact of bodyweight training? There are quite a few options! From great programming to some basic gear, you can train for years with just your body weight and make consistent progress the entire time.
Great programming
