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With a month of 2012 under our belts, many Americans have now transformed their healthy New Year’s resolutions into routine daily practices where exercise and diet remain a major priority.

While going to the gym to work out remains the best option for novice athletes’ quest for physical fitness, avid jocks (such as myself) understand that working toward the perfect body comes with a cost.

Typically, gym memberships (for people under 30) are $30 per month or $360 a year.  Yet, once you reach age 30, or if you live on the east or west coast, gym memberships can get as high as $60 per month or $720 annually, and sometimes more.

However, many homeowners want to stay active, but may not be in a position to spend an extra $30-$60 per month, or just don’t have the extra time to get away to the gym. No problem! They can get their exercise by adding sports equipment to their homes!

Here are the top five exercise pieces to incorporate into your home.

Ping-Pong Table

Starting Cost: $140

If you have never played table tennis, you may be under the false impression that the sport requires little to no effort, resulting in little to no exercise performed.  Yet, reports illustrate that an intermediate game can burn from 250 to 600 calories per hour!

Most Ping-Pong tables are collapsible. Whether you decide to place it in your basement, family room, or on your patio, when the table’s not in use, you can easily fold it up and out of the way, so you won’t have to compromise your home space.

Basketball Goal

Starting Cost: $70

If you love basketball as much as I do, you probably wouldn’t move into a home without either a basketball goal attached to the garage or sufficient enough space for a basketball court in the backyard.

Basketball goals are one of the most common sports additions for homes.  Pickup games are not only fun, bonding experiences for families, adding a basketball goal to your backyard may be the first step on your child’s path to the NBA.

With quality basketball goals selling for as low as $70, you can get a lifetime’s worth of bragging rights with your children, for less than you may pay for a sit-down, family dinner at a restaurant.

Volleyball Net

Starting Cost: Net $15,  Ball $7

Believe it or not, reports show that volleyball is the second most popular sport in the world, surpassed only by soccer.

If you have two trees in your backyard, the only apparatus you need to start up a friendly match is a net and a ball.

Since its creation in 1895, the rules of the game have evolved, resulting in numerous variations such as:

• Newcomb ball
• Footbag net
• Sepak Takraw
• Beach volleyball
• Footvolley
• Sitting volleyball

With so many fun ways to utilize your volleyball equipment, you’ll be hard pressed to find a more convenient way to burn 250 to 540 calories!

Soccer Nets

Starting Cost: Net $29, Ball $8

I initially realized how common movable soccer goals were when I moved to the suburbs and began to ride my bike from home to the gym.  I noticed groups of children playing pickup soccer games in front of their homes, as well as individual kids practicing free kicks in their driveways.

No matter what your age, soccer is a fun way to exercise and test your competitive aptitude.  Plus, if you decide to join a soccer league, you can burn as many as 933 calories during a 90-minute game.

Treadmill

Starting Cost: $126

Treadmills are a great way to get a morning or evening run in without leaving the privacy of your home.  Also, most treadmill units employ an 18-inch two-ply belt to combat even the most rugged running styles.

Many treadmills come equipped with tracking devices that show the user updates on both how many miles they have run, and also how many calories they have burned during the run.

While treadmills may look bulky, with one fold you can collapse your treadmill and store it against a wall or in a closet until you’re ready to complete your next workout.

Adding a piece of sports equipment to your home can promote family bonding while contributing to a healthy lifestyle.

Make the most of your home space and consider adding a piece of sports exercise equipment today.  You never know, your purchase may turn out to be an investment in your child’s professional career.

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