I've been assembling an inexpensive home gym so I don't need to waste time and money driving to a real gym, with an emphasis on strengthening core muscles.
I recently bought this balance board
https://www.amazon.com/Series-8-Fitness-Series-8-Balance/dp/B01N9NPAZNfor $5 at the local
Five Below store. It looks a bit flimsy, and probably isn't for heavy people, but it's light, compact, and, unlike most balance boards, when it tips too far, the edge touches the floor (or fitness mat, if you want to avoid scratching your floor), and stops it before you fall off. It isn't on their website any more, but it was still in our local store.
A good ab workout to try to keep it balanced as you move.
I also bought their $5
Ab roller. Also a bit flimsy, but after buying and returning another ab wheel, the ACF Ab Roller, from Amazon, because they had jammed the handles on so far that I couldn't get them off to mount the wheels, this seemed like a good deal. Seems to work.
And a book,
Anatomy of Fitness: Core for $5 too. Also no longer on five below's website. Very clear pictures, something many exercise books lack.
I also got a bunch of dumbell weights there, at prices below those available from Target and Amazon.
From Amazon, I got an inexpensive 55 cm exercise ball, a smaller ball I can squeeze while exercising (an idea I got from an exercise class) and a good quality
stretch cord set. All look great. I considered getting pull-up assistance straps too, but I'm not sure my indoor door is strong enough to hang them off of.
I got someones 21 speed hybrid bike for free from
http://freecycle.org, though it needed new tires and some work. It fits me much better than my old 10 speed road bike, and is much more comfortable. And I found a park near where I live where I can jog. This is more of an option now that it is getting warmer.
Together with the free exercise video websites linked to from
http://makeyourbodywork.com/how-to-exercise-at-homethat I've already mentioned on
another thread, these are a good start.
One thing I cannot emulate cheaply at home that I would love: a nice long soak in the aquatic center's whirlpool bath (equivalent to a hot tub). Together with a high protein drink, this is fairly effective for getting rid of muscle soreness from exercise. There ought to be something like a sauna suit that holds in a bit of warm water to do the same thing, but I don't know where to look. (I don't have a bathtub where I live.) Anyone know of something along those lines?
And have I missed anything important?