SHAPE UP
Workout tools that won't empty your wallet

Fitness Magazine

Gold's Gym trainer Stephen Sapp shows proper use of the exercise ball. Photos by Deborah Booker • The Honolulu Advertiser

Cost: $25 to $40

Works: Abs, back, obliques

Why we love it: Simply stabilizing yourself on a ball works your core muscles; add sculpting moves like bicep curls or shoulder presses and you'll increase the challenge. According to researchers at San Diego State University, doing crunches on the ball is one of the top three exercises to work the rectus abdominus (the "six-pack" muscle).

Best new use: Exercise balls are being added to everything from pilates to ballet classes.

Stephen Sapp, a certified fitness trainer, demonstrates a balance board at Gold's Gym.

Cost: $40 to $80

Works: Shoulders, chest, abs, back, hips, glutes

Why we love it: Like the exercise ball, this device is a great ab toner. Your core muscles remain constantly engaged, even when you're doing strengthening moves for other muscle groups.

Bonus: Learning to balance on this tippy platform reduces your chances of tripping and falling in real life.

Best new use: It's a favorite tool among trainers for squats and other weight-bearing moves. Also gaining in popularity: the Reebok Core Board, a modified version that allows you to adjust the instability.

Stephen Sapp demonstrates how to use a resistance band.

Cost: $5 to $10

Works: Chest, biceps, triceps, abs, shoulders, back, quads

Why we love it: With their varying levels of resistance, portability and supreme versatility, resistance bands are suited to most fitness programs. You could work out with bands every day for a month and never hit the same muscle the same way twice.

Best new use: Long a staple of travelers who want to work out in their hotel rooms, resistance bands have recently caught the yoga and pilates bug. They add resistance and challenge, so you work your arms and legs as well as your core.