Resistance Bands And Tubing.
Resistance bands or tubing can be used for a full-body strength workout, attractive features include low cost, light weight, portability, and ease of storage. As with weights, you can measure how challenging the resistance is by how many repetitions of an exercise you can do, if less than eight, resistance is too high, if more than 12, it is too low. Positioning your hands or feet closer together or farther apart on the band or tube before starting an exercise helps vary resistance. Try different positions to learn which make repetitions easier or harder.
Hand Weights.
Depending on your current strength, start with sets of weights as low as two pounds and five pounds, or five pounds and eight pounds, add heavier weights as needed. Dumbbells with padded center bars and D-shaped weights are easy to hold. Weighted bands that strap onto wrists and kits that let you screw weights onto a central bar are available, too. Weights are a good place to save cash by checking sports resale stores.
Exercise Mat.
Choose a nonslip, well-padded mat for floor exercises. A thick carpet or towels will do in a pinch.
Ankle Weights.
These are optional for strength exercises like the side leg raise and hip extension. Look for comfortably padded ankle cuffs with pockets designed to hold half-pound or 1-pound weight bars to add as you progress. Ankle weight sets are usually five to ten pounds. A single cuff may suffice, depending on the exercises you intend to do.
