10 gadgets for fitness at home

Daily activity and sports contribute to better well-being, mood and are generally beneficial for health. Especially considering the sedentary lifestyle and the transition to remote work. Not every person will go to the gym to exercise. There can be a lot of reasons for this: from an irregular work schedule to simply not wanting to be among a large number of people. But this problem is completely solvable. There are many interesting gadgets that will help you keep fit at home. And these are not only obvious fitness trackers. There are much more interesting devices that we will talk about today.

Running or walking track

Of course, one of the most obvious gadgets for exercising at home is a treadmill. But there may be a problem with placement in small apartments. Now there are many models that have a folding design and can be stored under the bed or in a closet. They are not as functional as larger models, but they perform their function. For example, FitLogic T116. The speed range is 1–14 km/h, and the maximum user weight is 120 kg. There is a display, 36 installed + 3 user training programs, contact pulse measurement and the ability to store in a vertical and horizontal position. Dimensions when folded are 155x75x12 cm.

Separately, it is worth mentioning the subclass of treadmills. They have a very limited maximum speed, but are even more compact. And, in combination with a lifting table, you can equip a workplace at home that allows you to work and play sports at the same time. One of such treadmills is the KingSmith Fitness WalkingPad C2. It is compact and folds in half for storage. The maximum speed is 6 km/h. It can withstand a weight of up to 100 kg, and can count steps. It has a remote control and the ability to connect a smartphone. It is claimed that the storage area is only 0.5 m².

Smartwatches and fitness bands

Wearable electronics have already become an everyday thing. Smart watches and fitness bracelets are used even by those who do not play sports at all. But, undoubtedly, they will also be useful for home sports. There are many models. Both more specialized ones like Garmin, and more mass Apple, Samsung, Xiaomi, etc. If we talk about the most popular models, then now it is Apple Watch Ultra 2, which is suitable only for iPhone owners. They have a titanium case with 10 ATM water protection, a 1.92-inch OLED display 502x410. They can track heart rate, blood oxygen level, temperature, stress level, number of steps, speed, route, do ECG and a lot more. Of course, notifications, replies to messages, calls, etc. are supported.

For Android, the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra is better suited, which is also equipped with a titanium case, which provides water resistance up to 10 ATM. The watch display has a diagonal of 1.5 inches, uses a Super AMOLED matrix with a resolution of 480x480 pixels. An important difference of this screen is the peak brightness of 3000 nits, which will be enough for any conditions.

The Galaxy Watch Ultra features 24/7 monitoring of physiological parameters such as heart rate, blood oxygen saturation, body temperature and stress levels. The device also tracks physical activity, including steps, speed and distance, and supports an electrocardiogram (ECG) function. Additionally, the smartwatch provides the user with notifications, the ability to respond to messages and make calls. The device is integrated into the Android ecosystem.

A much more affordable option is a fitness bracelet. For example, one of the most popular is the Xiaomi Smart Band 9. Of course, it is much less functional, but for some this will be enough. It has a 1.62-inch AMOLED display 490x192, the case is water resistant to 5 ATM. Notifications about messages and calls are supported. Fitness functions include step counting, calories, a heart rate monitor, blood oxygen level measurement, sleep tracking, swimming mode, etc.

Smart jump rope

There are already jump ropes equipped with gyroscopes, Bluetooth and other electronics. Why is this done? First, they can automatically count the number of jumps, training time (or a timer). And in some of the most advanced models, calories and pulse. Sensors for measuring pulse are located on the handles, and to calculate calories you need to enter your data: weight, height, etc. Such jump ropes are usually equipped with displays for tracking basic data, as well as Bluetooth for connecting to a smartphone. Applications for them offer training statistics, various load programs and even metronomes to maintain a stable rhythm.

There are a lot of models and the price range is quite large. Among the current models, the Mijia Smart Skipping Rope is interesting, because we are talking about training at home. A classic skipping rope requires quite a lot of free space. And an interesting feature of this model is the ability to hang complete weights on the handles instead of a cable. This allows you to work out in a very limited space. Of course, this is not a complete replacement for the classic version, but it is better than nothing.

Smart scales

Smart scales are not a new category of devices for a long time, but they can differ significantly in functionality. It is difficult to call them a fitness gadget, but they allow you to have detailed information about the state of the body. Thanks to which you can adjust physical activity, diet, etc. The most advanced models are able to track a number of health indicators. For this, electrodes are used, which the user stands on.

If we talk about more functional models, it is worth mentioning the Beurer BF 880. In addition to weight, the model can measure body mass index (BMI), the amount of fluid in the body, the metabolic rate (BMR), the proportion of fat, bone and muscle mass. The scales are equipped with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for synchronization with the branded application. The Beurer BF 880 have a built-in memory for 8 users with automatic recognition.

Electronic expander

An unusual gadget called Activbody Activ5 is positioned as an electronic expander. It is designed for isometric exercises and using your own body as a support. The developers claim that you can train anywhere and offer a proprietary application with a bunch of exercises for different muscle groups, progress tracking and individual programs that are calibrated to the user's strength level. Due to its compact size, Activ5 allows you to conduct 5-minute workouts in sitting, standing and extended positions for convenient use at your desk or at home. How it works:

Smart dumbbells

Smart dumbbells are a specific category of gadgets. And the choice is still minimal. From what I immediately managed to find, a fairly simple but interesting model is the Move It Smart Dumbbell. One of the huge number of startups acquired by Xiaomi. Sets of 2 dumbbells weighing 0.5, 0.75 and 1 kg are produced. Yes, the weight is minimal. But there are certain exercises that require very little weight. First of all, they are focused on cardio.

In fact, the black round "puck" with a screen is responsible for tracking movements, which contains all the electronics, the screen and the Bluetooth module for connecting to a smartphone. Next, you need to install a proprietary application, in which all training will be tracked. The application has a bunch of training videos, as well as the ability to work out together and compete with each other. Of course, you need to have two sets for this.

Wall-mounted boxing trainer

Quite an interesting gadget is the EasyFit EF-0351 wall target for practicing punches with gloves. It is mounted on the wall in two ways, one of which allows you to remove it or adjust the height. It is battery-powered and has a backlight. The user can choose from 15 training modes and independently adjust the pace, gradually speeding up or slowing down the punches. There are 15 speed levels in total.

The target is made of ABS plastic, resistant to mechanical damage, and soft artificial leather. The target has a built-in Bluetooth module and speaker. You can connect a smartphone and practice to your own music.

Chest pulse monitor

Smartwatches and fitness bracelets can measure heart rate. But their accuracy is usually not very high. For more serious sports, especially running, cycling or swimming, you should buy a chest heart rate monitor. It has a much higher measurement accuracy. For example, the Garmin HRM Pro Plus. It transmits real-time heart rate data to compatible devices via Bluetooth and ANT+. The gadget has a built-in memory in which it can record the number of steps, calories burned, minutes of training, etc. This is convenient for training without a connected smartphone or watch.

It has a water resistance class of 5 ATM, so you can swim with it. Unfortunately, to access all the functions of the heart rate monitor, you need a Garmin smartwatch. In this case, data on running dynamics will be transmitted. But this solution is used by most similar devices. For example, Polar or Suunto.

Yoga mat with built-in sensor

Something more exotic was found on the crowdfunding platform Indiegogo. This is a smart yoga mat SmartMat. It is a responsive surface with a sensor that determines the accuracy of balance and alignment in certain positions and is able to give real-time advice on improving performance. At the same time, the SmartMat can recognize more than 62 different yoga poses. So you can take your SmartMat with you to the yoga studio and follow and repeat the teacher. Instructions can be displayed on the screen of a smartphone or tablet connected via Bluetooth, or in the form of sound signals to wireless headphones. There is also a Zen mode without prompts. Connection to devices on Android and iOS is supported.

Hula hoop with spin counter and weight

And let's end today's article with another unusual gadget. This is the HMS HHM21 magnetic hula hoop, which has an unusual folding design of four parts with metal latches and a weight. Which makes it more compact than traditional options and more suitable for use at home in limited space. Additionally, the hula hoop has massage inserts. It is equipped with a display for tracking the main parameters of the workout, such as time, calories burned and the number of revolutions.