My top five recommended fitness equipment for home use
People often ask me this question: ‘what are the best exercise tools should I buy to use at home?’
If you have the space to make up your own personal gym at home – that’s great; but first, always ask yourself this:
Am I going to use it?
Is it going to get used for drying clothes?
Is it likely to gather dust?; or
Will it be eventually found in a resting place in a charity shop?!...
Fitness fads, equipment, tools etc come and go. There are lots of gimmicks out there that might cost a few quid, but are no better than getting the same benefits from something more affordable, or even by using your own body weight with the right technique. Some tools are more useful than others and just because I’ve named my top five, it doesn’t mean that you won’t get a great workout from mixing in others.
Note - not all of these will be ideal for everyone at first (that’s not to say they won’t be in the near future). For example, if you have certain injuries, suffer from lower back pain, have heart/lung conditions or other chronic health problems – then you need to speak to a doctor/physio, and then a specialist personal trainer who can help you with a progressive plan of action and ensure that it’s safe for you when you start. Always regularly review your exercise programme with your trainer too.
#1 Suspension Trainer
Before you decide on one of these, you will need to consider where you’re going to hang it. This is normally from an overhanging beam or crossbar or strong tree branch. You can also hang them from a strong door or a hook in the ceiling or wall, but personally, I prefer if it’s away from a wall and has free space behind the anchor point as this opens up many more interesting ways for targeting your core muscles.
Why do I love such a simple looking set of straps? It doesn’t just suit those wanting to challenge themselves but they are very useful for many people who have hip and knee problems. I love the fact that you can work on mobility, power, agility, strength, aerobic fitness, as well as seriously target your core strength. It’s such a simple system – yet you can target nearly every major muscle in your body. It’s why I commonly use them with my 1-1 and group visitors whenever we get a chance.
Where can I buy one from? The best-known brand is TRX – which should last many years, if you look after it. There are cheaper versions from other brands and retail outlets such as Decathlon. Just remember to look at the reviews if you decide to buy a cheaper model. Not all are designed with similar specifications and can sometimes lack a key adjustment element and you want to be confident that they are safe.
#2 The Kettlebell
Strange looking things aren’t they? The great thing is – they don’t need to occupy a lot of space at home. If you’re starting out, I would recommend two different sizes. Once you feel you can progress with the weight, you can always trade them in online and upgrade to a heavier weight.
For beginner ladies – you could start with a 4kg and a 8kg, until you have some of the key movements mastered – the swing, and Turkish Get-up. Those who are used to working out regularly could buy upwards of 6kg and 10kg. For the guys, you might be looking at 2kgs heavier than the starting weights above. If you’re doing a kettlebell workout at least once or twice a week, then you will need to exchange your weights or have a range to play with.
Why do I like kettlebells? Because they help us learn to use muscles that are often disengaged and potentially weak - the muscles on the rear of your body – i.e. the posterior chain, incorporating calves, hamstrings, glutes, latissimus dorsi etc.
They also help you move better. The Turkish Get-up (TGU) is a prime example of a ‘workout in one exercise’. Learn to do the TGU effectively – keep mastering the technique, and it helps you connect your limb (leg and arm) strength to your core, providing suppleness and power. This might be another reason why elite runners like Mo Farah have incorporated kettlebells into their workouts.
However, if you’re using these for the first time, or have forgotten what you did with them the last time – remember - performing kettlebell workouts with incorrect form and technique can damage you, so get someone to show you how, spot you and observe your technique. Even I need someone to spot my form from time to time, so why shouldn’t you?
#3 Dumbbells
Dumbbells can give you a great workout, but make sure you’ve got pairs that will tax you enough. Many people seem to buy pairs of 1-2kgs – these are great if you’re rehabilitating, you’ve got lots of time and want to do lots of repetitions (x50+ per set!), but if you’re looking to tone up your muscles or increase your metabolic rate, you need to go heavier.
For the beginner ladies, you might need a pair of 3-5kgs to start with for your bigger movements, but then move upwards. After a month, upwards of 5kgs would be useful. I would also recommend buying at least one ‘single’ much heavier dumbbell (useful for 1-arm rows, woodchops and similar) starting with an 8kg or a 10kg dumbbell.
For the gents, dependent on your current strength, two 8kgs dumbbells will be a good start (if you haven’t lifted weights before) and a single 12kg to 16kg dumbbell.
#4 Swiss Ball (gym ball)
Some fitness specialists might not agree and think this is an old fad from the past, but if you’ve got space the gym ball is great for people who suffer from back pain, balance, coordination issues and a weak core. They only take about 3-5 minutes to inflate, so even if you’re using one once a week, you can always deflate it at the end of session if you need to store it.
Many of the people I see who incorporate a gym ball into sessions report increased suppleness and significantly reduced back and hip pain complaints.
#5 Concept 2 Rowing Machine (or similar)
If there’s was one piece of home aerobic equipment that I would recommend out of all the rest – it’s a rowing machine. Sadly, they don’t come cheap – but they do retain a fair amount of value over a number of years.
Yes I’m biased! I have a rowing history, on the water and in the gym, and used to lead gym crew rowing classes (rowing’s version of spin classes) – But why have crossfit studios, and rowing classes become so popular, and why would I choose a rowing machine over an indoor bike, treadmill or cross-trainer?
Once you’ve learned the correct technique, rowing workouts are incredibly effective. Nothing against indoor bikes and cross-trainers – but if you’re carrying extra weight and want to ‘lean up’ your physique, you’re going to have to do many hours of cycling on a tougher resistance and cadence to achieve results. They’re fine if you’re lean and maintaining shape - but these machines often aren’t used in the most effective ways, or don’t tax your muscles enough.
The Concept 2 gives you much more, including a lot of feedback in terms of your performance and progression. You don’t just get cardiovascular benefits; the rowing machine is another way of getting some vital resistance training benefits. It’s a whole body workout.
For anyone who needs to rest from their current sport due to injury etc, issues such as painful knees, calves – the rowing machine is also an excellent cross-training tool that can give you gains without putting strain on zones that need less impact.
So, there you have it, or should I sneak one more item in?... A gym mat is always useful too! : ) If you want more specific advice on these items or any others – you know who to get in touch with!
