My 3 Favourite Home Exercise Equipment

If you can't get your hands on a set of dumbbells, or are looking for some extra equipment to spice up your home gym, these are my 3 favourite and what I would recommend to everybody:

1. BOSU

• Check it out here.

• Stands for "BOth Sides Up" since you can use it blue side up or black side up.

• Benefits: 

  • Multifunctional: Not only is the BOSU a balance aid, helping users prepare for unstable conditions that you experience in everyday life, but it also assists it a number of other types of training (e.g. stretching, rehabilitation, cardio and strength).

  • Improves balance and stability: If you can balance on a BOSU ball, you can master uneven ground anywhere (especially if you can do it on one leg)! It really challenges all of your stabilizing muscles and core.

  • Increases workout intensity: By performing your normal exercises like squats, biceps curls, and push ups with or on the BOSU, it makes them much harder since it challenges your balance.

  • Increases body awareness: By standing on the BOSU and having to stabilize yourself, you generally feel which muscles start shaking, which start burning, which side you're better on, etc. Noticing these small changes will allow you to continue developing your body awareness. Every time you do it, you'll improve and notice different things.

  • Adds variety: Great way to change up your traditional exercises. Not only does this keep things fun and interesting for you, but for you body as well, preventing adaptation. Forcing your body to adapt to changes in your routine helps you stay balanced and able to face difficult tasks you encounter in other fitness situations, or in your daily life. 

• Examples: Push Ups, Squats & Biceps Curl

2. TRX/ Suspension System

• Check it out here.

• Benefits: 

  • Good for all levels: Whether you're a kid just starting out, an elite athlete, or elderly, there's something here for everyone. 

  • Versatile: This baby can go anywhere! It can be used in a home, either by anchoring it to a wall/ceiling or with a over-the-door hook. It can go outside too, hooked on a fence or around a sturdy tree branch. It also packs up nicely so you can travel with it.

  • Improves cardio & strength: There are so many different exercises you can do with the TRX that it can work your cardio and strength! For example, make a Burpee more challenging by sticking your foot in a strap. This will challenge both your strength and cardio.

  • Works entire body: You can literally work your whole body with these straps and vary the intensity from high or low!

  • Low impact: This is a great way to get in a strength training session without using weights or jumping. By using your bodyweight and challenging your stability, it makes for a great workout!

  • Great for core: Since the TRX challenges your stability, your core muscles need to work extra hard in order to keep you from falling over. Some of these muscles include your abs, back, and booty.

• Examples: Push Ups, Burpees & Triceps Extensions

3. Sliders/ Gliders/ Gliding Discs 

• Check it out here.

• Benefits: 

  • Improves balance and stability: These discs usually require you to stay still while moving a body part independently from everything else. This majorly works on your balance and stability. 

  • Great for core: By challenging your stability the way they do, the discs require you to engage your core (and quite frankly your whole body) throughout the exercise - if you don't, you'll likely fall. 

  • Increases workout intensity: Since your feet or hands are never leaving the floor, the discs require your muscles to work throughout the whole exercise, thus increasing the workout intensity. On top of it, most exercises require you to go at a slower pace, challenging your muscles even more.

  • Adds variety: You're able to do a variety of different style workouts with these discs, ranging from cardio, to strength, to Pilates. It's also a great way to spice up old exercises, making them more fun for your body and mind!

  • Low impact: Since weights and jumping aren't necessary with this piece of equipment, it's a great way to have a challenging low impact workout!

• Examples: Side Lunges, Reverse Lunges & Mountain Climbers

P.S. You’ll notice that in my three videos I was located in various rooms of my house. I specifically did this as I wanted to show you that you can workout anywhere. If you’re not sure what to do, check out any of my DIY at home workouts, join my clients in an awesome online group class, have workouts specifically catered to you and your needs while I instruct you through them at the day and time of your choosing. #noexcuses