For many of us, getting to the gym on a daily basis, or even every other day, isn't always possible. Work, school, kids, spouse and even weather can stand between you and a good workout, unless you have a good backup plan aka a home gym. Yes, it is possible to get a great workout in the comfort of your own home with a few key pieces of equipment and the ability to tune out distractions.

There are a few pieces of equipment I always recommend prospective home trainers consider investing in, none of which will cost you anywhere near a gym membership, and all of which are highly functional:

1. Chinning Bar — A sturdy chinning bar is a versatile piece of equipment that alone can work your back, arms and abdominals. If you pair it with the next item on my list, you can work pretty much your entire body.

2. Suspension Trainer — There are several brands of suspension trainers out there, including ones by TRX, SKLZ, Jungle Gym XT, and Rip:60. Suspension trainers are as versatile as they are effective!

3. Ab Wheel — You can get these for a song online (I've seen them for under $10), and yet as cheap and simple as they are, ab wheels are perfect not just for strengthening and toning the midsection, but also for working the shoulders, arms, back and chest.

4. Bands — Resistance bands have become increasingly popular over the last decade, and for good reason. The range of resistance a set of bands can provide is huge, and they can be used to work pretty much every body part.

5. Adjustable Dumbbells — Several companies make adjustable dumbbells, which can be set to various weights by either dialing or locking a pin in a nesting stack of weight plates. They're pretty ingenious and can be used for almost any weight-bearing exercise. They're also a little more expensive than the other items, but worth it.

With these few items, and possibly a padded mat, you can do some pretty sophisticated workouts with an endless variety of options. Add some bodyweight exercises into the mix, such as pushups, crunches, reverse crunches and planks, and you'll wonder why you ever spent money on a gym membership at all!

WHOLE BODY HOME WORKOUT:

1. Chinup — As many as you can

2. Deep Knee Bend — 20 reps

3. Pushup — As many as you can

4. Hanging Knee Raise — 10 reps

5. Band Side Lateral Raise — 10 reps

*Perform all exercises in a row as a circuit with as little rest as possible between sets. When the circuit is completed, rest three minutes and then repeat it. Repeat three more times for a total of five circuits.

To find out more about Shawn Perine and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.