Thinking of working out at home? Here are 10 items to buy for all fitness levels and spaces | Canada Voices

Paul Landini is a personal trainer and health educator in Kitchener, Ont.

We are living in the golden age of home exercise equipment. There was a time, not too long ago, when options for building practical home gyms existed on opposite ends of a long and disparate spectrum. Either you annexed an entire room for the sake of squeezing in cumbersome machines with massive footprints (and price tags), or you cobbled together an assortment of odd objects – a few pairs of old dumbbells and a flat bench, maybe a doorframe pull-up bar – and made do with that.

Those days are long gone. Now, there are so many affordable, space-saving training tools on the market, it’s never been easier to get a great workout at home – even if home is a “cozy” downtown condo. This is great news for anyone who’s planning on making fitness a priority in the new year. While a gym membership guarantees you access to all the equipment you could ever need, not everyone appreciates the manic energy of a bustling weight room. Investing in a few key pieces for your home means you get to train whenever you want, without any inconveniences.

Sometimes, though, having an abundance of choice can be overwhelming. With modern marketing growing evermore slick and seductive, it’s easy to fall for gimmicky gadgets that don’t deliver on their promises. That’s where I come in. The following recommendations come from my own personal wish list. By no means is this list exhaustive, nor are the brands mentioned the only options worth considering. These are simply the items I have my eyes on; the stuff I point my friends, family and clients towards whenever they ask what they should buy. Whether you’re an experienced expert, a complete newbie, or somewhere in between, I’ve got you covered.

Beginner level

Maybe you’re starting from scratch, or maybe you’re reintroducing exercise after an extended break. Either way, your objective is the same: Build the habit, learn the basics. It may be tempting to go all-in on fancy equipment, but at this stage mastering your own body mechanics is more important.

This is why I love resistance bands (such as the ultra-durable offerings from Living.Fit). Bands are just so versatile. They can be used for enhancing basic bodyweight exercises, assisting with mobility work, and adding extra resistance to a variety of traditional strength-training techniques. Add in a high-quality stability ball (Everlast makes my favourite) and you’ve got a portable gym that occupies minimal storage space.

When it comes to cardio training, fast walking is perfect for beginners. Aiming for at least 10,000 steps a day is a good place to start, ideally outdoors, but sometimes Mother Nature doesn’t co-operate with our plans. This is where walking pads come in handy. Their compact design allows for easy storage compared to standard treadmills, with the best of the bunch offering multiple speeds from a brisk walk to a moderate jog.

Intermediate level

Once you’ve been consistently training at least two days a week for six months, your body will be ready for a new challenge. Now’s the time to up the ante by adding more resistance to the mix. For that, you’re going to need some weights.

This handsome pair of adjustable dumbbells from REP Fitness addresses one of the biggest problems with lifting at home: The need for a wide assortment of expensive individual weights. Just flick a few switches and you can move from five to 60 pounds. I’m a huge fan of the Power Wheel, too. One simple device opens up a whole new world of highly effective bodyweight exercises that test your strength and co-ordination.

Rowers are an ideal choice for intermediate-level cardio training. Along with building endurance, rowers target the back and legs – two powerhouse muscle groups that are always worth emphasizing. Concept2 is the market leader in this niche, but the Rogue Echo Rower is fast becoming an industry favourite because of its durability and compact design.

Advanced level

Defining an advanced training status can be tricky. There will be certain areas in which your skills are more developed than others. Your 300-pound bench press will definitely put you in the upper echelon, but can you do a handstand push-up or run 5K in under 20 minutes? Even if you’re a hardened gym rat with decades of training under your belt, there are still loads of new challenges out there.

Take calisthenics, for example. With the Big Bar Pro you can practice your pull-up and dips – two exercises most folks butcher – from the comfort of your living room. And I don’t care how tough and strong you are, a few sets of high-intensity intervals on the AssaultBike Pro X will crush your soul, guaranteed.

Another way for advanced athletes to keep progressing is to work with unique training tools, such as sandbags. Rogue Fitness offers them in weights ranging from 25 pounds all the way to 400 pounds. The awkward nature of handling a heavy sandbag translates into a more functional workout than anything a barbell can deliver.