| By Jane Ward
Getting fit is one of the most common New Year’s resolutions but probably one of the most frequently broken. Falling into bad habits or neglecting your gym membership can happen very easily, especially when the bad weather means you just want to curl up with a hot drink. Home exercise equipment is a good way to incorporate exercise into your day to day routine, but many machines can be expensive and take up too much space. These five pieces of equipment are affordable and can be easily stored, even in small apartments. Skipping Rope Skipping regularly can help to tone the muscles in your upper body and legs and can help to define abdominal muscles and reduce cellulite. 10 minutes of skipping is roughly equal to half an hour of running at 5.7 mph and burns more calories. Skipping is an aerobic activity which can help make your heart stronger and more efficient. As well as the physical benefits skipping can also help to improve co-ordination, agility and speed which improves performance in Rope jumping improves your co-ordination, speed and agility - which can vastly improve performance in other sports. Always wear a good quality pair of running shoes to absorb the impact.
Resistance Band Resistance bands are small enough to fit in a handbag but can be used to tone nearly all the main muscle groups of the body. With one band you can tone your chest, biceps, triceps, shoulders, upper and lower back, quads calves and abs. The bands are inexpensive and come in a variety of different strengths depending on whether you are a beginner, intermediate or an advanced user Pilates Ring Pilates rings offer an alternative to toning with traditional weights. They’re low impact and can aid with weight loss when used as part of an exercise routine. The rings come in different sizes but most are roughly around 16 inches in diameter with foam grips on the outside. They can be used in a number of ways to tone arms, legs, and your all important core muscles. The ring is incredibly strong and flexible, by placing it between your legs or squeezing it you are using its own resistance to exercise your muscles. There is also a variety of different abdominal exercises incorporating the ring. Mini Stepper Mini steppers fairly cheap to buy and are excellent for toning your legs and buttocks. There are different variations of the machine but most are a basic two-platform stepper that simulates continually walking up stairs. Some come with built in bungee resistance cords to tone arms while stepping. The best part of the machine is that it’s relatively silent, so you can try and get into a routine of using it while watching TV in the evening or listening to music. It’s also quite compact and will fit under a bed or in a wardrobe.
Waist Twisting Disc Waist Twisting Discs are low impact and ideal for all ages and levels of fitness. The discs are roughly the same size as a vinyl record and about an inch thick and work by standing and simply twisting your waist back and forth. This motion helps to tone muscles, slim your waist and get your heart pumping.
Tips: Lots of exercise equipment you buy at home will come with instructions or a dvd to show you different exercises you can do. If not there are plenty of websites offering advice and video tutorials on how to use the equipment. You should wear runners even when exercising indoors as they reduce the impact on your joints. Make the most of the space you have. If you find you need distractions when you’re exercising store your equipment near a TV or Radio, this will also remind you to use them, even as you sit down to watch TV at night. If you’re using an exercise video you may need to adapt it to suit the space you have. If you are limited for space repeat an earlier move while the tape moves on until it reaches a sequence you have room to perform. If you’re bored with a piece of equipment it will become more difficult to use it which is why versatile equipment is best. You could also arrange to swap equipment with friends and family every few months. |
