Wackiest ways to summer fitness
Need a self-rolling yoga mat, an aerobic coffee table or a satnav for swimming? SARA MALM digs out the...
NEVER GET LOST UNDERWATER
Swimming in open water can be tricky as you try to navigate some very murky waters. The Marlin headset, which attaches to a swimmer’s goggles, below, provides real-time audio GPS navigation, as well as feedback of pace and performance. Before the swim, the user creates a point-to-point route on a smartphone app. It directs the swimmer to the first waypoint, and when that is reached, the swimmer is told the distance to the next one, and so on. If the swimmer drifts off course, the Marlin lets them know and corrects them. The app records and displays all the data from the swim. £115, platysens.com/marlin
FIRE IN THE RAIN
Prefer to do your training in the rugged outdoors? With the Swedish Fire Knife you’ll never need to fumble for your lighter again when you stop in the wilderness for that muchneeded brew-up. Fitted into the handle of the Fire Knife blade is a magnesium alloy firestarter that produces a 3,000C spark. It also works in wet conditions and promises to produce approximately 3,000 strikes. £33, cotswoldoutdoor.com
GLOVES ARE OFF FOR GIRLS
Don’t be fooled by the kissing-lip designs or shades of pink – this is not a boxing glove with a cute pattern ‘for girls’. Red Corner Boxing Gloves are designed specially to fit women’s hands and fingers. Funky patterns and colours are a bonus. They come in three ranges: Spar, Bout and Fight, depending whether you prefer a ring or punching bags for fitness. From £34.70, redcornerboxing.com.au
PROTECT YOUR POSTURE
Percko vests and T-shirts are designed to help improve posture by reminding you when you slouch. The back and shoulders are lined with sensors which cross down the lower back. If your posture is correct, you do not feel that you are wearing anything different from a normal undershirt, but if you hunch, slouch or move in any way that’s bad for your back, you will feel a slight pull in the right direction, to remind you to straighten up. £111.87, percko.com
THE FLATPACK WAY TO GET FIT
Trust those canny Scandinavians to make home gym equipment fit for an interiors magazine: the Fitwood Of Scandinavia range includes chin and wall-bars, ab wheels and Olympic rings, all designed to sit perfectly in your hygge home. The Snoblock right, made in hardened Finnish birch, could be a boutique coffee table. However, it is also designed to be an adjustable aerobic step, and can be used for everything from dips and step-ups to box jumps and leg raises. Its legs are made from 2in blocks, so the height can be adjusted from 4in to 16in. £1,420, fitwood.com
FLYING TENT
Is it a tent? Is it a hammock? Is it a… poncho? Well, all three! The Flying Tent can be strung up between two trees, allowing the camper to sleep in places where it might not be possible to pitch a traditional tent, such as on wet ground, in river beds and steep terrain. The 4lb tent, which can also be pitched on the ground, can be unfolded and put up in just seven seconds. In addition: the flying tent can instantly transform into a rain jacket, making it easy to transport in wet weather while it protects against the rain. £301, flyingtent.com
SQUASH INVADERS
InteractiveSquash – iSquash – uses a projector and motion-sensors to turn the traditional squash-court wall into an interactive game. With ten games to choose from, players can use the squash ball to beat their opponent at classics such as space invaders, darts and three-in-one. You can even play a tune on a wallsized piano by hitting the keys. Players can control the games they choose from a smartphone app on their phones – or simply by touching controls on the wall. For more serious players, there are several training modes to improve skills and conditioning, such as hit/miss ratio, calories burned and time taken. More information: interactivesquash.com
SNAPBACK MAT
Remember those snap-on bracelets from your childhood? The Yoyo Mat works the same way – in fact, its US inventors were inspired by it. The mat unrolls with the bottom up and you flip it over to use it. A quick click of the metal band on the edges holds it in place and also serves to keep the edges flat against the ground, preventing those annoying curling ends. When the workout is finished, flip it over again, click the metal end, and it rolls up by itself. Now the metal bands keep the mat in a rolled-up state, so there is no need for straps or mat bags to carry it around. Perfect for the travelling yogi. £61.50, yoyomats.com