Gym Train Like Apro
If your workouts are in need of refreshing, apply a little science to your home fitness. Consider these gadgets your new spotters
01 The Time Lord
Training at home should never mean resorting to a structureless, improvised plan. This wall timer will allow you to focus on your EMOMS and AMRAPS without the distraction of a vibrating iphone that periodically switches to the lock screen. It even keeps tabs on how many sets you’ve done, while a dual-colour display and bright LED (that’s not a type of workout) guarantee that you can’t miss it – even when you’re mid-burpee. Bulldog Gear Timer £ 225 bulldoggear.eu
02 The Wheel Deal
If you want serious lower-body power and cardio fitness but can’t handle another spin instructor shouting, “Ride into the weekend!” the Atom is for you. Engineered to mimic the feel of a real ride with integrated gear shifters, it offers training plans and data analysis via the Wattbike Hub. Atom Wattbike £ 1,599 wattbike.com
03 The Musical Motivator
Stick most speakers in your home gym and they’d get the job done – but what you really need is one that performs just as well during your rainy park sessions. The Boom 3 wireless speaker is waterproof enough to handle the heaviest downpours and comes with a 15-hour battery life. Plus, you can sync it with a friend’s during your next buddy workout. UE Boom 3 £ 129.99 ultimateears.com
04 The Wrist Assessor
Activity-tracking is just the first step on your journey to carefully calibrated fitness. The Whoop strap also analyses an often overlooked but equally important variable: your ability to recover. Monitoring patterns in your heart rate and sleep states, it tells you whether you’re in beast mode or, er, least mode, so you can ensure you’re always bringing your A game. Whoop Strap £TBC whoop.com
05 The Shape Shifter
Smart design is as much about saving space as anything else. The Kettle Gryp – a lightweight, durable handle – attaches to your dumbbells, making them suitable for all of your go-to kettlebell moves. And it’s far cheaper than having 150kg of metal delivered to your door. Kettle Gryp £ 34.95 kettlegryp.com
06 The DOMS Zapper
This is about as close as you’ll get to letting tech do your training for you. Attach the “pods” to the muscles you want to focus on and use the app to activate them with a light, painless electric current. Use it during your warm-up to increase power output, or as part of your recovery plan to ease tension. What happens in between is still down to you, mind. Powerdot Uno £ 179 powerdot.co.uk
07 The Multi-tool
If you can’t afford to give up floor space to a full lifting station, this folding rack will allow your home gym to double as a spare bedroom on rest days. Fix it to your wall, then pull it out to use the “spotter” arms, wall-ball target, dip station attachments or pull-up bar. You can move the bed back out when you’re done. Mammoth Lite Wall Rack (Short) £545 bulldoggear.eu