Who among us hasn’t bought a piece of exercise kit only for it to gather dust in a corner, or start a new life as a clothing rack? That’s because, if trainer is to be believed, we’ve been buying the wrong stuff. “Only buy equipment that you’re going to use as part of your lifestyle,” says Wong, who trains everyone from award-winning actors to elite athletes. “We should do most of our cardiovascular training outside because we spend so much time inside.
At home, work on strength, flexibility and mobility.” , who gets Olympic athletes and Premier League footballers in peak condition, as well as running fitness classes for the over-60s, says that when it comes to home equipment, we should “buy something versatile that can be used for multiple fitness goals – and generations”. Here’s what the experts recommend you invest in, whatever your fitness level.
“At home, you need three things: a form of resistance (weights, resistance bands or gliders); something restorative (a yoga mat); and something regenerative (a tennis ball, a foam roller or, if you have lots of money, a massage gun),” says Wong. “To burn extra calories, wear it throughout the day,” says Wong. “If you have a lighter vest, use it for low-intensity cardio, such as your bike ride or dog walk, to increase the demand on your body.
Lastly, wear it to do resistance training. If you have a 5kg vest, with 2kg dumbbells in each hand, that’s 9kg of work you’re doing from squatting, lungin.