Best home gym equipment to stay fit

There are countless home gym equipment that can help you achieve any fitness goal, whether you're a beginner or an advanced level fitness junky.  

The key to finding the best workout equipment for your home is to only purchase the items you will actually need. 

To help you choose the right gear for you and your home gym, The Business Standard has spoken with Md Zahedul Islam (Manob), a fitness expert, who has been working as a personal trainer for a long time. 

"Nowadays city dwellers prefer a home gym as it has become hectic to go to the gym regularly. Home gyms should be built based on one's requirements. For example, if somebody wants to do cardio, we'll design a home gym accordingly. On the other hand, if somebody prefers to do free hand exercise, they will only need a few accessories and a workout regime," Zahedul said.

He added, "Any kind of workout regime should be balanced and a proper; nutritious diet is very important to stay healthy and fit."

All gym equipment are divided into two categories - commercial and semi-commercial. Zahed said that cardio, weight lifting and free hand exercise are three ways to workout at home. Here is a list of the necessary equipment: 

Motorised treadmill 

Price: Tk1 lakh to Tk1.20 lakh

Places to find: Shah sports, Sports World and AKC sports

Treadmills are highly beneficial for achieving a variety of fitness goals and are a great piece of equipment for working out. 

Numerous studies have found that running on the treadmills for 30 minutes at a steady speed helps lose weight and tone muscles. 

Treadmill exercises also significantly improve cardiac health and help reduce chances of cardiovascular diseases. You can maintain a steady heart rate throughout the entire exercise regime. 

Running or walking on the treadmill raises your heart rate to a healthy level which warms you up for other exercises, such as weight training or other cardio exercises.

Treadmills and cross-trainers are highly required for cardio. There are many motorised treadmills available which are perfect for a home gym. Treadmills for homes are motorised, foldable and do not require electricity.

Many American brands such as Infinity, Sole Fitness and Life Fitness are being imported in Bangladesh from Taiwan and China. 

Some Chinese brands are also available in many Bangladeshi shops. Shah sports, Sports World, AKC sports, etc. import good quality gym equipment in Bangladesh. 

Elliptical trainer

Price: Tk60,000 to Tk70,000

Places to find: Shah Sports, Sports World and other online shops

The cross trainer, or elliptical trainer, is another great piece of equipment which is beneficial for health in many ways. Elliptical trainers are also important for cardio and calorie burning exercises. 

You can buy elliptical trainers at Shah Sports, Sports World and other online shops at various price ranges. 

"I usually don't recommend cycling exercises to my clients for various reasons, but a cross-trainer is a good equipment to add in the home gym equipment list," said Zahedul. 

With elliptical trainers you can perform both high intensity training and steady cardio workout. Cross-trainers strengthen the muscles, heart and lung, thus improving stamina.

Depending on your body weight, you can burn around 270 to 400 calories in 30 minutes with cross training.

Push-up accessories 

Price: Tk500 to Tk1,000

Places to find: Unimart, Othoba.com and AKC sports

Push-ups have a variety of health benefits and there are accessories to help you perform push-ups with ease. 

Push-ups also improve cardiac health while improving strength and help build muscles. It is also a great workout for your upper body and back. 

Performing push-ups correctly can be a daunting task but push-up bars can help beginners get used to the straining exercise.

Accessories for push-ups can be found at any store that sells gym and sports equipment. 

You can find push-up accessories at Unimart, Othoba.com and AKC sports at a reasonable price. 

Kettlebell and dumbbells 

Price: Tk1,000 to 2,000

Places to find: Shah Sports, Sports World and Daraz

Kettlebell and dumbbells are essential for a full body workout and building strength. These are useful for your home gym if you are aiming for muscle and strength building. 

You can perform similar exercises with both kettlebell and dumbbells. However, with dumbbells you can lift the same amount of weight on both sides and are ideal equipment to work several muscle groups simultaneously. 

You can purchase both kettlebells and dumbbells from any store that sells sports and workout equipment. Daraz has some interesting combo offers for kettlebells and dumbbells. These come in different sizes, qualities and colours. 

Home sit-up assistant 

Price: Tk800 to Tk950

Places to find: Life Fit, Infinity, Daraz and Othoba.com 

Sits-ups are one of the best ways to tone your abdominal muscles. It also helps to improve your posture by working your lower back and gluteal muscles. Having a sit-up assistant at home will help you strengthen, tighten and tone your core, reducing risks of back pain and injuries.

If you add a home sit-up assistant alongside your yoga mat for a light and free hand exercise regime, you are well prepared to have a great workout session for abs, core and a total body toning work-out. 

By doing sit ups regularly, you can have a strong core to keep your body balanced and stable as you move throughout your daily and athletic activities. This activity will help your pelvis, lower back, and hip muscles to work together with your abdominal muscles. 

You can find home sit-up equipment at Daraz and Othoba.com from brands such as Life Fit and Infinity, among others. 

Resistance band 

Price: Tk230 to Tk2,500

Places to find: Nutrition Depot, Daraz and other online pages

Resistance bands are mostly used as an alternative for weights for strength training. It is a great addition to a home gym due to the fact that it takes up practically no space for storage in contrast to weights. 

These bands work by straining your arm and leg muscles to help them get toned. You can also use them on their own, or add them to more standard exercises to level up your resistance for a more diverse workout session.

There are mainly two types of resistance bands available in the Bangladeshi market - singles and a set of five. The single belts can be used for different workouts, whether you're lifting weights or doing yoga. Simply strap one belt onto your thighs and you are all set to work them out without a machine or weights.

The set of five is more versatile than the single ones and works your muscles like a pair of dumbbells would. The five different bands have different levels of resistance. You can hang it up on a wall for doing a number of strength training exercises. 

Resistance bands are easily available at any gym equipment shop. You can also find them online at Nutrition Depot, Daraz and other related online pages at different price points.