feeling cautious, i sett le on a ‘gentle’ 3km row. after the first 1km, i’m buzzing and can feel the rust flaking off my underused joints . wow!

bedroom door, my wife looks at the straps, then does a runner. Was it something I said? The TRX Home Gym is simple to use: fix the anchor over the hinge side of a door (or a tree branch if you’re outside), close the door and get training. The adjustable straps enable users to execute a variety of bodyweight moves, guided by video workouts on TRX’s companion app.

Aside from the app’s six free workouts, the TRX store offers many other paid-for workouts tailored to specific fitness goals. Feeling cocky, I choose Military Fitness (£4.95). Big. Mistake. After 30 minutes of hellish single-leg squats and pull-ups on the sex swing – er, I mean the TRX Home Gym – I was 50 shades of shattered. This is a phenomenal piece of kit that could whip anyone into shape.

Day three brings pain in body parts I didn’t know I had, so I rest up and begin regretting taking on this challenge. Thankfully, after a good night’s sleep I’m ready to move on. I pack in a 5km row before breakfast, and schedule another TRX total body workout for tomorrow morning. Let’s have it!

Weeks two and three: simply the beast

I’m really feeling the benefits of regular exercise now, but repetition in the workouts is grinding. It’s time to shake things up with weight training, and the Beast Sensor is just the tech to help in this area. The sensor, coupled with the

Beast Strength app, monitors weightlifting performance to maximise the effectiveness of each rep. Three accelerometers, three gyroscopes and three compasses feed back data to the app about rep speed, velocity and strength. Apart from the lurid colour, I hardly notice the Beast on my wrist. I’ve always enjoyed lifting weights, but the detailed feedback from the Beast is making me love this form of exercise. Via the app, I can see that I’m improving each session. I’m not Hugh Jackman-buff yet, but tickets to this gun show are selling nicely.

HIIT is next. Designed to pack intensive exercises into a short period of time to burn maximum fat, HIIT could be the the perfect solution for time-poor gymophobes like me. Good form is key to maximising the benefits of exercise, but how do you maintain form without a personal trainer? Enter the Moov Now. This affordable fitness tracker attaches to the wrist or ankle, and utilises 9-axis sensors to analyse movement during any of the Moov Now app’s preloaded workouts – think shadow boxing and more. Apparently, it’ll coach me in real time. Let’s see if it actually works...

I prepare for my first round of jumping jacks with a robotic trainer explaining the move, her words coming at me through a pair of gorgeous, sweatproof Bose SoundSport earphones. During the workout, feedback keeps my form in check. My first HIIT session with the Moov Now lasts just seven minutes, but by the time the last stomach crunch comes round, I’m spent.

Week 4 : the f inal push

Jump rope is used by boxers to build stamina. I could use some of that, so I jump at the chance of trying out the Tangram Smart Jump Rope. It tracks the duration and number of skips in each session, beaming data to the Tangram app and displaying skip count on an LED strip built into the rope. Five minutes bouncing around with this thing and I’m ready to strangle someone. It’s hard. But the sadist in me now reaches for the rope each time I want an energy fix. While my six-pack is still a few (thousand) sit-ups down the road, this gorge of tech has helped me enjoy exercise again. My clothes feel looser and my energy is up. Best of all? The majority of this tech can be bought for the average cost of a one-year gym membership. I’m not encouraging you to ditch the gym, it’s just not for me. Thankfully, with fitness tech as accessible and portable as it now is, I can work out anywhere, any time. Right, I’m off for a skip in the park. Thanks to Argos for supplying us with the Pro Fitness Cast Barbell Dumbbell Set (£64.99, www.argos.co.uk)

five minutes bouncing around with this thing and i’m ready to st rangle someone. but the sadist in me now reaches for the rope each time i want an energy fix

Skipping is a great way to lose weight – and I’m not talking about skipping meals!

Snazzy New Balance trainers? Check. Fitbit Charge 2? Check. Motivation? Er, not so much

Getting the latest fitness tech is only part of the job – you also need an ice-cold stare

His workout was put on hold for a few minutes while he caught the end of the EastEnders omnibus

this page “Now I know why Steve Redgrave was given all those medals!”

The Beast Sensor is an essential accessory for serious weight-lifters

Need encouragement during that aerobic exercise? The Moov Now is the one for you

The Fitbit Charge 2 tracks you 24/7 – yep, even when you’re down the pub

For this feature, Chris wore a Saucony Nomad Running Jacket (£81.90, www.jogging-point.co.uk), a dhb Run Hoodie (£30, www.wiggle. co.uk), an Odlo Raptor Running Shirt (£40, www.odlo.com/uk), New Balance Vazee Pace v2 trainers (£100), a Max Speed Short...