Affordable Home Fitness

There are plenty of excuses for not working out: equipment that's too expensive; fancy fitness clubs that are intimidating or too costly; or just not enough time to spend away from the family.

If any of these scenarios resonate with you, Kevin Makely of Bally Total Fitness says not to worry. He visited The Saturday Early Show to show you that a home fitness center can be yours for $200 or less.

Makely is one of the nation's leading celebrity fitness experts, and writes regular columns about fitness for leading national magazines and newspapers. The trainer says he has adopted an "all natural" philosophy to help people reach challenging personal fitness goals. From cardio to strength training, Makely suggested following home gym tools that are inexpensive, effective and small enough to store and use in any room of the home:

Jump Rope

For a cardiovascular workout at home, Makely recommends purchasing a simple jump rope. Professional boxers, extreme athletes and many fitness gurus can't live without their jump rope, he explains. They're portable, inexpensive and extremely effective. And jump rope technology, he says, has come a long way. There are now jump ropes that can actually count the calories you burn during a jumping session. Jump ropes can cost $10 to $20.

Boxing Gloves

Shadow boxing and sparring also make for a great cardiovascular exercise, and you don't need to be in a professional boxing ring to get a great workout. Makely recommends buying a set of boxing gloves, grabbing your favorite workout partner and going through a great boxing routine right at home. Simple moves such as jabs, uppercuts, hooks and kicks will keep you burning a substantial number of calories within a simple 30-minute workout. A set of boxing gloves can cost $20 to $35.

Activity: Plant your feet shoulder width apart. While moving back and forth from foot to foot, hold your hands up to your face in a blocking move fashion. Keep your feet moving back and forth to keep your heart rate up, and make a jabbing move alternately with each hand.

BOSU Ball

For core training that you might get in a group exercise class or on a great in-club machine, look no further than a home-use BOSU Ball. Makely says most gyms utilize these balls within their group exercise programs, but you can get a great workout using the BOSU ball right at home. The BOSU ball costs between $120 and $140. It offers an endless number of core stability training options for home use, according to Makely. He says you can use both sides of the device, either flat or rounded, for weight training assistance, core stability training and abdominal exercises.

Activity: Position the BOSU ball flat side down, round side up. Stand on the ball with both feet planted shoulder width apart and perform a simple squat. All core muscles and leg muscles will engage to keep your balance. For arm muscles and core stability, place the ball round side down, flat side up. Position yourself in a push-up position with hands placed on either side of the BOSU ball. Then complete a set of push-ups.

Resist-A-Ball

Makely says the Resist-a-Ball is another must-have product that is great for home use. Resist-a-Balls come in a variety of sizes and colors and can be found in various retail outlets across the country. In the gym, personal trainers use them to assist with core stability training, abdominal training and stretching. You can use these at home to assist in the same type of exercises and they only cost between $15 and $30, depending on the brand and size.

Activity: For the abdominals, lie on your back and perform a regular sit-up while squeezing the ball under your legs as you keep your legs elevated. Your leg muscles are engaged while your abdominals work harder to maintain balance and conduct the contraction.

Weighted Medicine Ball

If you're looking for a new product to get a great muscular endurance workout, Makely says a weighted medicine ball is an effective tool. These balls come in a variety of different weights from 5 pounds to 12 pounds. Makely says the ball adds great resistance to any training you might currently be doing at home. During your typical abdominal exercises, hold the ball with both hands and you will feel the difference. If you're with a partner, throw the ball back and forth and perform arm drills for bulking up the biceps and increasing back muscle tone. Again, these vary in weight, size, manufacturer and price and cost between $25 and $40 .

Activity: Conduct a standard sit-up while holding the medicine ball with both hands, arms extended. The added resistance will engage both arms and abdominal muscles to improve overall muscle tone more quickly.

Dumbbell Tree

Makely says no home fitness area is complete without a nice set of weights. There are literally hundreds of brands of weights that can come in a variety of colors, shapes, styles and prices. For the beginner, he recommends buying at least three different weight sizes so you can move up or down in weight, depending on the exercises, as you progress through your training.

A Dumbbell Tree is a great place to start. It comes with three different weight sizes and has its own holder to keep the weights secure and out of the way. The weight set he showed on the Saturday Early Show comes with 2 pound, 3 pound and 5 pound dumbbells, but you can also purchase a set that incorporates higher weighted dumbbells if you are more advanced. Add in exercises using the Resist-a-Ball for some effective cross training moves. A basic weight set will cost about $20 to $50 depending on the brand, weight size and material used.

Mat

Makely recommends every home fitness area have a mat for floor stretching, weight training and possible yoga exercises. Any exercise mat will do. They can cost anywhere from $15 to $25 and are a must-have, he says. Not only do they provide padded support for comfort, they also keep sweat off the floors.

Source: Bally Total Fitness