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HOME GYM: Work it out
Exercising at home can be convenient and cost efficient, but the choice of equipment makes the mind boggle. Celebrity personal trainer, Christianne Wolff [right], offers crucial advice on how to choose the right gear for your home gym and get maximum results
Photograph: Rex
Most of my clients work out in a park and in their homes - very few actually go to a public gym. Clients, including Pierce Brosnan and Dougray Scott, enjoy taking brisk walks, climbing trees and meditating in the sun. This is all part of their regular routine when filming. Many of my clients are filming on location, so lugging around weights, machines and the odd rower is not an option, but what I do have is a rucksack full of nifty little devices, such as medicine balls and dyna bands, that will make them bend and contort into every imaginable position, for whatever their end goal might be.
Choosing the best equipment First, you must identify your fitness needs, so that the equipment you choose will suit your goals. Then, invest in a decent pair of trainers and workout gear. To cover every aspect of fitness, your home gym should contain basic components for aerobic training, strength training, plus stretching and abdominal work.
With aerobic training your equipment's resistance should be low enough to maintain at least 20 minutes action. Aerobic activity includes jogging, rowing, fast walking, cycling, swimming and using the cross trainer, ski and step machines.
For training at home, buy a basic heart rate monitor, which measures the level of your training. Don't worry about expensive fancy gadgets, they will drive you insane - beeping and craving your attention. Physical Company sells heart rate monitors from £39.99. Go to www.heartmonitors.com to make sure you work your heart rate in the right zone.
There is a bounty of aerobic machines on the market. The number one thing to remember is that you get what you pay for. Anything that will be used repetitively for several years needs to be manufactured to a high standard. Otherwise, before too long it will squeak and rattle, and eventually you'll end up on the floor with just a bar in your hand!
Pierce Brosnan used a great cross trainer from TechnoGym, although this will set you back £7,500. It comes with integrated TV and consol. For a cheaper alternative try searching on eBay [http://www.ebay.co.uk/]: well-made equipment should still be reliable second-hand.
When choosing equipment, watch out for prices too high or too low. You should make sure the components are rigorous and, if the product is expensive, think about whether the machine offers superior features. Is it likely to last longer than its competitors? And will it need less service? Also take into consideration price, safety, space, quiet operation, parts available, effectiveness, adjustability and upkeep.
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[For the full article, more tips and more photographs, see issue 4 of Celebrity Homes Magazine]
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