The Cheapest Exercise Equipment for those who don’t like to exercise.

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Are you looking for the cheapest exercise equipment? Well, how does $8.00 sound to you? Cheap enough?

Maybe a little too good to be true? Well, yes and no.

Technically speaking its not labeled as exercise equipment. It’s just a Step Stool. From Ikea. That’s it.

‘Stepping’ for aerobic exercise and weight loss is nothing new, there are actual ‘stepper steps’ you can buy. but they are kinda ridiculous for the price. What, the pink and teal siding exercise platform step doesn’t match your decor?

And they are big and bulky and you’d need to store it somewhere inconspicuous.

A Stepping Stool, the absolute cheapest exercise equipment, on the other hand, is small, compact, and looks very natural in a kids bathroom, in a pantry, or closet.

What I like about the Ikea Stepping stool, is that it’s a little bit higher than kiddo ones from walmart, so you get a better workout with each step, and it can hold up to 330 pounds – so no worries about it breaking (although the plastic-ness of it does make you wonder sometimes).

The downside to a stool is that it has a much smaller foot hold area. so each step should be used with deliberateness and care.

This is actually a really great place for me to add my official warning.

I am not a certified fitness instructor or health physician at all. It is always best to talk with your Doctor before starting any form of exercise, and these movements come with their own risk (like misstepping) and should be used with great care.

If you want the safest and best exercise stepper platforms, you should probably stick with the exercise step platform walmart has available.

I really do mean this, one of the ‘sisters’ from tryitdietsisters broke her leg by taking a misstep. (How weight broke my leg) So use caution!

mini stepper vs exercise bike

I love stepping because I can get into a repetitive motion, and can watch shows while I workout. An exercise bike should also be quiet enough that you can use it while still keeping your mind occupied with something else. The downside to a bike, is that A, it’s more expensive, and B, it takes up more room in your home.

So if you are looking into something safer, yet still pretty affordable, check out this dual elliptical/exercise bike. It might not be the cheapest exercise equipment, but it’s pretty good.

That being said, let me continue with what I like about using the stepping stool from IKEA.

Another great thing about my makeshift stepper, is that it is silent! it doesn’t make any sounds while you use it for stepping. which means you can watch your favorite tv shows or netflix while working out, and won’t have to miss any of the awesome dialogue. (while paying attention to footing)

Now, on to how to use the stepper for step aerobics.

For me, the moves have to be repetitive and subconscious so that I can watch a movie, and at the end, voila! I also have finished working out at the same time. Because let’s face it, working out can get boring really quick.

I am also a ‘build up to exercising’ type of person. I find that the more I exercise, the more I want to exercise and the more I want to push myself. But it is HARD to just start and jump right into it. So with Stepping, I have my ‘bare minimum’ rules and style for working out.

This is the ‘Step up, Step down’ basic move.

And I will do this for 20 minutes (sitcom style, like American Housewife or Fresh off the Boat) and I can definitely feel my heart beat faster and my breath going deeper, but i’m not sweating like crazy or falling over with exhaustion. I leave that for the next week when I add weights.

Here is the first week basic move:

So. Step up on left leg, lift right leg into your chest as you crunch down a bit. lower right leg onto floor. put left leg on floor. put right leg on stool, lift left leg into chest, crunch down, put left leg on floor, put right leg on floor, put left leg on stool, repeat.

You can get going pretty good and a rhythm will show up and you can just go for 20 minutes not thinking about it. You work your legs, core, and with variations, you can work your arms as well.

Second week:

I keep my leg lift but now add weights. That really gets the burn going!

I can keep the arms stationary, or I like to do opposite arms up with the opposite leg (right arm, left leg and vise-versa)

Try out Bicep Curls

or Arms overhead

Or the stepping crunch

There is not much else to it. you can find plenty of youtube aerobic stepper exercises if you want to bump it up a notch. But for me that means watching a video instead of a show, so i’ll keep getting my cardio where I don’t have to think about getting cardio.

You may also like my SUPER EASY SQUAT CHALLENGE. Seriously, it takes me less than five minutes a day, and I’ve got good legs because of it. Give it a try!