Sports Fitness Buying Guide

Bored with exercise? No sweat! Switch it up with top gear and fun ideas.

Create a home gym you love.

Exercising consistently is easier when you don’t have to go anywhere, but what do you need for a home gym? The best home workout equipment consists of different types of machines, from exercise bikes to weight stack home gyms, to keep your body on its toes.

Tip:
Help keep your heart healthy with 25 minutes of cardio, 3 days a week.* Hop on the treadmill or for low impact, use the elliptical or exercise bike. Any activity that gets your heart rate above what it is at resting is considered cardiovascular exercise!

Start strength training to boost metabolism.

Adding weights to your fitness routine helps strengthen different muscle groups, improves bone health and reduces risk of injuries.**

Tip:
To get stronger faster, try supersets, an exercise that targets and fatigues the same muscle groups with quick, back-to-back exercises. For example, do 45 seconds of push-ups followed by 45 seconds of chest-presses, with little to no rest in between. Repeat each exercise three times.

Think outside the home gym.

Gym equipment is great, but getting outdoors is an easy way to keep exercising fresh and fun. Mix up your workouts with cycling, swimming, kayaking or jumping on the trampoline.

Tip:
Find an outdoor area with a long flight of stairs to run or walk up briskly, 10 times in a row. Set a timer and try to beat your time by five seconds every round!

Stay flexible with stretching.

Balance your strength training with rest and more restorative exercises, such as yoga and Pilates, to maintain mobility and help your muscle groups recover. Inversion tables can help promote blood circulation and relieve pressure on the spine to reduce back tension. Consult with you doctor to see if it would be right for you.