Six types of fitness product to tone up the home gym

Whether it’s a converted shed at the end of the garden, or a redefined child’s room – quickly converted once they move out to stop them moving back in – home gyms are making impressive gains in popularity. But modern workouts are much more than muscle mass and leg-day. Instead, they’ve become an integral, holistic part of our wellness-focused culture.

By keeping this healthy mindset in-house, meanwhile, home gyms perfectly designed around their users’ individual workout and health goals are possible in small rooms, or even small sections of the open plan, without disrupting the delicate balance of the rest of the interior.

Failing to prepare is preparing to fail. Or, in the case of exercise, for a pulled muscle. So let’s learn to walk before we can run – or cycle, row, pull or lift for that matter. Taking the time to stretch properly before a workout is like warning your body to expect exercise. Rollers like PENT Fitness’ ROLA take up little space, while bar racks like WallBars from WaterRower stay out of the way permanently. The Caillou Ensemble mat set from Liu Jo Living, meanwhile, can be used for yoga and double up as low-key moveable seating.

The most popular machines at the gym are often, unfortunately for healthy homebodies, the bulkiest, meaning it can be hard to get hench at home without tripping over the treadmill. The smooth, minimalist lines of the slimmed-down SFE-012 exercise bike from STIL-FIT, however, is far kinder on its surrounding interior, while Technogym’s Mycycling mount does away with the bike altogether to save even more space. If a more natural workout appeals, WaterRower’s Sprintbok is a manual treadmill with a pleasingly natural look, powered solely by its user’s stride.

Working arms, legs and back all at once, rowers are the best machines for all-round fitness. The Augletics Eight rower uses design-conscious materials and folds neatly away to reduce spatial impact in open interiors. With an even smaller footprint, the ¼ sqm SlimBeam cable lift tower adds weight to a workout that remains visually light.

If you prefer lifting weights in front of a mirror or street-facing window, however, cable-free adjustable sets like Technogym’s Wellness Rack save space and let you roam free, Bartmann Berlin’s Trimm dich dumbells look like they’re borrowed from Fred Flintstone but won’t roll over your feet and WaterRower’s Swing Board sculpturally sets eight pre-made ball-bearing bags against the wall.

Core strength isn’t just for athletes and gym marketing. Being able to continue to perform simple tasks you enjoy later in life – and even those you don’t, like bringing in the washing – needs a strong core. Just like a fitness ball, CoreBoard by Holmris demands constant micro-movements to keep you upright at standing desks, while balance wheels like Eau-Me challenge your balance back in the gym. Punch bags also improve strength and stamina for all-round benefits, and the hand-stitched leather finish of DUM’s Cassius bag means the interior can float like a butterfly, even if you don’t sting like a bee.

Although human bodies all need exercise, humans themselves all have different preferences, goals, schedules, lifestyles and available space. The Nohrd Wall from WaterRower puts various essential elements together in a modular system, keeping everything, including motivation, close at hand. Assorted weights, cable pulleys and bar racks combine with a digital personal trainer to track progress and drawers, shelves and fridges to keep accessories, training wear and sports drinks in one place. No unused equipment gathering dust at the back of a cupboard, no lost gym bag and no excuses.

High heat and/or humidity environments help to improve circulation, carrying oxygen-rich blood to repair stricken post-workout muscles, while forced relaxation time in a sauna or steam room has additional mental exercising benefits. But building an entire room inside a home gym can be spatially expensive, no? Not necessarily. Although six enclosed sides are needed to trap the heat, private home saunas need only enough permanent space for a seat, while no floor space is needed at all when unoccupied. Realising this, the S1 Sauna from Klafs extends from 0.6m when dormant to 1.6m when in use, taking only as much space as a medium-sized wardrobe. And S1 can be fitted with glass or wooden doors, meaning it can look like one, too.

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