3 Must Haves For Exercise Equipment

Mind is All

In order to get stronger and tone your muscles, you don't need a full gym in your basement. You can really get on your way to shaping up with the right exercises and a little bit of equipment. You only need a resistance cord, dumbbells and an exercise ball to get you on the way.

When you are considering dumbbells you have a few options. You can purchase individual set weight dumbbells. These do take up a lot of room though so if you are short on space this may not be your best option. There is also adjustable dumbbells. You can get a basic set with different weighted plates, which can be fairly inexpensive. I kind of like the Cap Barbell 40pound set because of it's nice storage case which uses up little room. The Bowflexs Adjustable Dumbbell is another popular choice.

I personally also like to have resistance bands or cords also. Dumbbells work great on your arms, but bands can be used for your back and legs as well. You can purchase bands individually or as a set. These take up very little space and are easy to take with on vacation. The only downside is with resistance bands you never know the exact weight you are using like a dumbbell. The more tension you cause in the band the more work your muscle has to do.

Finally a ton of exercises can be done with either the resistance bands or dumbbells while sitting on an exercise ball. Exercise balls really force your core muscles to work a lot to keep your body balanced. Your core muscles are vital to your posture and also the health of your back. I consider an exercise ball a must have for any house. Strength Ball Training is a great way to learn about exercise ball workouts.