The Home-Training Guide

By Joe Stankowski

Build a gym body without a gym membership. Here’s what you need to gain muscle and lose fat in the comfort of your own home.

The gym will always be a great place to get in shape, but it’s not for everyone. Some people simply don’t want to display shortcomings in front of strangers. Others use gym-phobia as an excuse not to work out at all. We’re here to help with an effective program you can do at home, which will allow you to save money (no gym dues) and time (your home is always open), and spares you the parade of nakedness that is a health-club locker room.
Most guys don’t have the cash or the space to outfit a high-end home megagym, so start small. (Our home “gym” will set you back less than $350.) Whether you’re looking to begin a fitness routine for the first time, or you’re a devout gym rat who just wants to squeeze in an occasional quick workout at home, you only need to have a few things on hand. The following is our list of essential home-training gear, and some suggestions on how to put it to use. Follow this guide and you’ll end up in better shape than most guys who spend hours at their local pumping ground.

JUMP ROPE

It’s perhaps the most deceptively simple piece of fitness equipment you can buy, not to mention one of the cheapest and most easily stored. Jumping rope takes care of virtually all your cardio needs. You can jump at a steady pace to imitate a jog, or alternate intervals of fast jumping with slower bouts for a more intense conditioning workout. You can also integrate the rope into all kinds of other training. Try running sprints in your driveway, and then lightly skipping rope in between for an active recovery. Make up your own circuits, doing a set of pushups, pullups, and then rope jumping for a total-body blast that works your muscles as well as your heart. Yet another advantage is the quick footwork you’ll develop, which will serve you any time you play a sport.
Best of all, the rope is a hard toy to get bored by. With all the jumping variations you can do—such as crossovers, one-legged jumps, and jumping with alternating legs—it’s not likely you’ll over master the rope. One downside is that jumping rope does require a certain amount of space, particularly overhead. If you don’t have a spacious room or garage (or it’s too cold to go outside), you could invest in a “ropeless” jump rope. Handles with light weights attached by a short string simulate the movement of a rope, allowing you to work out without whipping a vase off the shelf. You won’t build the same kind of coordination and cardiovascular fitness you would with a real rope, but it’s not a bad substitute, especially if you’re brand new to exercise.
Most jump ropes go for about $10; the ropeless kind (which also counts calories, jumps, and workout time) is $50 @ jumpsnap.com.