IMPROVE YOUR CARDIO FITNESS
Kick-start your journey to a healthier heart
1 APEX
Partnering with popular London spin studio Boom Cycle, Apex is one of the latest additions to the at-home bike workout scene. £1,200 buys a sleek and capable bike, while the £30 per month subscription gains access to hundreds of live and on-demand classes. The bike syncs to a smartphone or tablet via Bluetooth and sends live workout data to an in-workout leaderboard. All rides are logged, so it’s easy to track progress and hit those fitness goals. £1,200 + £30p/m, apexrides.com
2 SCHWINN AIRDYNE A8
Sometimes referred to as ‘the Devil’s Tricycle’ in fitness circles, the humbling Air Bike packs enough air-generated resistance to bring even the fittest folk in the world to their knees. A brutal combination of upper and lower body work means it is possible to take a heart rate from resting to max threshold in seconds, making it a brilliantly brutal HIIT machine. Better still, it doesn’t require power and serves as a brilliant, low impact way of toning muscle, too. £1,099, fitness-superstore.com
3 WATERROWER A1
Sleek, stylish and arguably the closest sensation to real rowing you can get without venturing outdoors, the WaterRower A1 would make a solid addition to any living room, even if it never gets used. But that would be silly, because this solid Ash machine features WaterFlywheel technology, which feels and sounds like you’re skimming along the open water. Low impact, high-intensity workouts don’t get much more aesthetically pleasing than this.
£799, waterrower.co.uk
4 CONCEPT2 SKIERG
The chances are you’ve never been Nordic skiing, so trust us when we say it is one of the most demanding workouts a human can endure. Working the legs, arms and core in unison, the Concept2 SkiErg mimics the movements required to traverse tough, snowladen terrain and is guaranteed to set pulses soaring. It builds muscle and improves aerobic fitness with the same trusted flywheel resistance and electronic monitoring systems found on Concept2 rowing machines. £700, concept2.co.uk
5 MYZONE MZ-3 BELT
Gamification and social interaction: two buzzwords in the fitness game right now that have proven to motivate, challenge and improve overall fitness levels. MyZone, essentially a smart heart-rate tracker and an app, sees users earn points for their effort. Exercise in a higher heart-rate zone and you earn more points. This, in turn, sees you climb a leaderboard made up of anyone in your social network or gym group. £129.99, buy.myzone.org
6 MEGLIO SKIPPING ROPE PRO
Skipping isn’t just for kids in the playground, as the potent mixture of fast feet and excellent coordination make it one of the easiest ways to raise the heart rate and torch calories. Lightweight aluminium handles and stainless steel ball bearings in this bad boy equate to a silky smooth rotation. Plus, there’s 9ft of easily adjustable rope to play with here, so it’s suitable for diminutive beginners and fleet-footed giants alike. £11.99, mymeglio.com
7 APPLE WATCH SERIES 6
The latest Apple Watch is geared towards the active, as it goes beyond basic heart rate monitoring and now measures the oxygen saturation of the user’s blood. A greater SpO2 level indicates that more oxygenated blood is being delivered throughout the body, which is a good thing. Throw in accurate step counting, an alwayson altimeter and improved sleep tracking and you have a great platform for measuring health. From £379, apple.com
8 GARMIN VIVOACTIVE 4S
Where do we start with this thorough fitness tracking device? Body energy levels, blood oxygen saturation, stress tracking, hydration tracking and, of course, wrist-based heart-rate monitoring all come crammed into this small but stylish device. Better still, it features workout animations on the wrist, so there’s now no excuse to not get your heart rate spiking with some perfectly executed squats. £259.99, garmin.com