How to create a gym at home

2020 has probably seen you doing more exercise on your living room floor than in the gym, with YouTube, Instagram Live and Zoom becoming unexpected lockdown lifesavers for workout fans. Convenience, cost and comfort make training at home a triple win. But if tins of baked beans aren’t quite cutting it as dumbbells anymore, it might be time to upgrade your home gym setup. Take your home workouts to the next level with these living-room-friendly solutions, suitable for all spaces and all budgets.

Fancy exploring the world from the comfort of your living room? Thanks to the latest tech, you can. Matrix Fitness uses Virtual Active programming to allow you to escape to a real-world destination via real footage displayed on the console on your treadmill, bike or stepper. Life Fitness machines also offer immersive outdoor adventures, while digital heart-rate monitoring hand sensors and an included telemetry chest strap let you track your fitness and analyse your workouts.

Perfect if you're looking for a fun way to level up your home workout, Power Plate's vibration technology enhances circulation and muscle activation to make simple exercises like bicep curls and push ups even more effective. Potential benefits include improvements in metabolic rate, muscle strength, bone mineral density, balance, flexibility, mobility and recovery time.

The My7 Vibration Plate allows you to access more than 1,000 exercise videos, coaching tips and routines via the touch screen, while the dinky MOVE Vibration Plate is a great space saver if you don't have room for a full home gym. Tailored for post-natal recovery, the Healthy Mums Programme Pack includes a guided 12-week video programme, plus Theraband, mini band, Pilates ball, resistance rope and dumbbells.

The latest home gym equipment blends sleek design with the very latest technology, to keep you feeling fit and your living room looking slick. Ideal for design-conscious interiors fanatic, NoHrD’s beautifully made gym equipment comes in a choice of chic wood finishes, including walnut, cherry, oak, ash and rosewood, allowing you to make a real statement. The range includes everything from indoor bikes, arm bikes and treadmills to swing-bell weights towers and balance boards.

Short on space? Don’t worry – with a few well-chosen accessories, you can still get a gym-quality workout at home. ‘My go-to bits of equipment follow me wherever I go,’ says Scott Humphreys, founder of boutique fitness studio SP Athletic. ‘They allow me to work out at home, and when I’m staying with family or friends or on holiday. Resistance bands, glute loops, a TRX suspension system and a set of ankle and wrist weights are must-haves. If you have the space at home, add a set of dumbbells to your collection – you can’t go wrong!’

Combine the motivational aspect of working out with a trainer with the convenience of training at home by streaming live or on-demand classes using an app such as Fiit, which offers a wide range of cardio, strength and yoga-based classes and training plans to help you achieve your goals – and fit into your life.