Home gym

The weather outside is frightful (a little ditty to keep the Xmas cheer going), and the gym is so far away, so I've been making full use of my "home gym."


Intro - the home gym.


We live in a 1-bedroom in San Francisco so a "real" home gym is unthinkable. I've made due with a corner full of equipment and I'm quite proud of my home gym - what's more, I know it works.







Here are the basics:

• Bosu Balance Trainer Home Version - that half ball thing on the bottom works miracles! I use my Bosu to stand on and lift weights (working posture + muscle), do pushups on, and occasionally do situps on.
• Resistance Band - the red cords are magic workers for the thighs. I won my resistance band in a pushup contest with my running club - these are great for doing side-steps with or using for the biceps and doing curls.
• Body Ball (55 cm)- the perfect pushup helper/enhancer. My body ball acts as a pushup enhancer and doubles as a chair when we have company. Many people use the ball for posture (they'll use this at work instead of a chair) but I would fidget too much so I leave it in the "gym."
• 15 lb weights- my ideal weight for curls, pulls, pushes, and more. I've been doing the same arm workout for about 7-years (yep, it's time for a change) but it really works! I'll do 3 sets of 15 curls, then 3 sets of 15 pulls (where you have one knee up on a bench and are leaned over in a table top position), and 3 sets of pushes (same setup as the pulls but instead of pulling the arm from hip to waist you're extending the arm straight behind you).
• Yoga Kit - I call it my kit but it's really a hodge podge of yoga gear I've accumulated over the years (they sell the goods in kits though). The essentials for yoga are: the mat, the block (I can barely touch my knees let alone toes so this helps in stretching), and the strap (awesome for a post run stretch).
• Foam Roller- I have the small one for rolling out my IT band - it hurts like heck but works.
• The stick - the newest edition to my gym (thanks Santa!) and I LOVE it!!! The stick is great for rolling out sore muscles and the IT band.

On the wish list?

• Valeo MB8 8 lb. Medicine Ball- a ball that you hold for side twists which works the obliques to make an awesome beach bod.
  
• Foam roller- I have the small one, now I want the long size. The small one is good for working out sore muscles, the long one is good for making muscles sore - I use it at the "real gym" to lay on and try to balance while lifting one leg then the other.