Purchasing a home gym can become quite a daunting task. Walk into any sporting goods store and your senses will quickly become stimulated. Your eyes will gaze at all the attachments and cables. Your ears will hear the greasy sales pitch from the store associate. Your mouth will drop to the floor when you realize a home gym is going to set you back thousands of dollars.

Consumers have alternatives to the clunky and expensive home gyms on the market these days. A few simple pieces of equipment can save you precious space and loads of cash. You may have heard of the following home gym alternatives, but rest assured they are just as effective as the super-duper model 5000 brand in your local sporting goods store.

A high quality adjustable bench is the first low cost piece of equipment. An adjustable bench will replace the need for an incline bench, a flat bench, and a decline bench. One adjustable bench will save you hundreds of dollars compared to buying all three single benches. An adjustable bench is highly versatile and can be used in almost any exercise.

A set or two of dumbbells is next on the shopping list. Dumbbells have long been hailed as the better choice among strength training equipment. They are much smaller than large home gym machines and much cheaper. The beauty of free weights is you can start off with 1 or 2 sets and as you become stronger you can purchase higher weights. Dumbbells are extremely versatile as well. Almost every exercise incorporates the use of weights.

The last low cost piece of equipment is a burst resistant stability ball. These balls are the best thing in fitness these days. They are excellent for abdominal work because they support the spine and isolate the stomach muscles. A stability ball works the abs more than a crunch or sit-up could ever dream of. These balls are highly versatile. The ball may even take the place of a bench in some exercises.

All three pieces of equipment are low in cost, are extremely versatile and save loads of space compared to a bulky home gym. While this equipment may not be very jazzy, it will get the job done for less money and they will take up less space in your home. Beginners or those on a budget should rejoice at the simplicity and versatility that an adjustable bench, dumbbells and a stability ball bring to fitness.