A lot of people think that it’s not really necessary to invest in exercise equipment in order to keep in shape. After all, what did our ancestors do? They exercised primarily by remaining active - not because they wanted to, but because it was necessary to survive.

In fact, it’s only comparatively lately that we, as a society, had to “invent” good home gym exercises in order to make up for the lack exercise that we were getting in our normal day to day actions. So what are the best low-cost forms of exercise today?

Of course, the 2 most well known type of exercise that practically requires no equipment except possibly a pair of athletic shoes are walking and running. Of these, walking is probably the best as there is less joint impact from the constant pounding of the foot on pavement.

Another excellent low cost exercise is jumping rope. This exercise is one of the best for the cardiovascular system. It helps to build up heart strength, lung strength, and endurance. Equipment is also very inexpensive in that all you need is a rope, and you’re ready to go.

So often, swimming is brought up as one of the all time best exercises - and it’s true. Swimming exercises the entire body - especially the large muscle groups which don’t often get much exercise. Swimming is a low impact exercise making it a very suitable exercise for those with joint problems. And it burns calories at a crazy rate - just ask Michael Phelps. In fact, swimming’s only problem is that you need access to a pool to take part in it.

And, finally, there’s resistance bands. Resistance bands are great in that you can use them practically anywhere. They’re not expensive, they’re easy to use, and they can even be fun.

All of this goes to show that if you really want to exercise, it’s not necessary to invest in some home fitness gym or expensive exercise equipment. Often the best exercise is one that you can do with most of the equipment that you already have or discount fitness equipment.

Any medical information published on this website is not meant as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with a qualified health care professional.