Dan's Papers - February 15, 2008 - Setting Up for the Perfect Home Workout

Is the cold weather relegating you the indoors? Are you left vegging out and indulging in just a little too much reality TV? Fortunately, the end is near. There's a wide variety of home exercise equipment that will motivate you to get in shape, without leaving the confines of your cozy abode.

One of the most cost-effective equipment options is considered balance balls. It's great for improving agility and coordination, but while you're getting used to them, you may want to hold onto a wall or prop the ball against something sturdy for stability. A great balence ball exercise is to position the ball under your hips and lower torso, with your knees straight or bent, and your hands behind your head. Slowly roll your body down the ball. Lift your chest off the ball, bringing your shoulders up until your body is in a straight line. Make sure your body is in alignment and that your abs are pulled in.

A great exercise for firming up your posterior is to lie on the balancing ball with your head, neck and shoulders supported and your knees bent - a tabletop position. Lower your hips towards the floor without rolling on the ball. Squeeze the glutes to raise your hips until your body is in a straight line like a bridge. You can hold weights on your hips for added intensity if you like, but make sure you press through your heels and not your toes.

In addition to balancing balls, treadmills, exercise bicycles, and elliptical trainers are all popular choices especially for those who have basements where they can set up these large pieces of equipment. Treadmills are great -simple, easy. Not to mention, running is a wonderful way to clear your head. When purchasing a treadmill look for a steady pace, wide belt, incline and speed settings as well as a safety shut-off. Varying speed, resistance and incline allows you to build endurance while burning calories. However, in the $1,000+ range, treadmills are a substantial investment.

Stationary bikes are another widely used piece of machinery for exercising at home. They offer a non-impact cardiovascular workout and are perfect for someone who is just starting to exercise, since there's no learning curve and you can control the workout easily. Bikes primarily workout leg and posterior muscles and come in a variety of price ranges, but they typically start at around $500.

Lastly the elliptical trainer offers a non-impact workout appropriate for just about anyone. The movement is horizontally oval and you can adjust the resistance for varying degrees of intensity. They typically start at around $600.

If you're not ready to invest in any exercise equipment there are countless ways to exercise without machines. Some of my favorite workouts involve front lunges - taking a giant step forward with your right leg, keeping your left leg behind, and your knees at 90-degree angles and behind your toes. Then, push through the front heel to straighten your leg. Repeat this movement and then switch to other leg.

Another easy exercise entails getting on your hands and knees and extending your right leg straight out behind you with your toes resting on the floor. Then, squeeze your posterior to lift your leg to hip level. Hold this position and slowly lift your left arm to shoulder height, using abs to keep you upright. Hold for 2 counts and repeat using your other arm and leg.

Remember to always begin your workout by stretching or walking in place for at least 5 minutes and to buy proper sneakers and workout clothing. There are also countless pilates, yoga and meditaion books and videos that can help guide you through your workout. So get up and start getting in shape - the summer is only a few months away!