The home stretch

Tired of going to the gym and competing with sweaty bodies to usethe equipment, or doing a class that's so overcrowded you can'tmove? Perhaps the solution lies in a home gym. You don'tnecessarily need to dedicate extra space to bulky equipment you'llnever use. There are other options - from elastic bands andexercise balls to mini-trampolines. Among those who have the room,commercial-sized treadmills and elliptical trainers are popular.
At the high end of the scale is Technogym's Kinesis Personal.Taking up less than 1 square metre, it's a multifunctional piece ofequipment that uses co-ordinated resistance movements to buildstrength, flexibility and balance.
"It can be used to do yoga, pilates and tai chi as well asfat-burning exercises and for rehabilitation," says Technogymspokeswoman Frederica Cortezzi.
If space is tight, a foldable treadmill might be an option.According to the American Council on Exercise, a brisk 20-minutewalk will burn about 99 calories; two minutes of tooth brushing sixcalories; 30 minutes of gardening 160 calories; 20 minutes washingup 51 calories; and sweeping the floor 150 calories.
But if you're bent on using exercise gadgets, one of the latest isthe Power Plate My5, said to be a favourite of Madonna, ClaudiaSchiffer and Natalie Imbruglia.
"The Power Plate is designed to maximise muscle action andincrease the intensity of your workout, ultimately gaining resultsin shorter time periods," says Liam Fitzpatrick, from PowerPlate Hong Kong.
According to Fitzpatrick, the My5 is a zero- to low-impact devicefor musculoskeletal fitness, wellness and general health needs thatenhances strength and sports training and performance. It's afree-standing, vibrating pad on which anything from squats andlunges to crunches and hops can be performed.
Another device, Precor's Adaptive Motion Trainer, allows users toinstantly vary their stride length and pace without pushing anycontrol buttons on the display.
For a more traditional approach, Precor's Hong Kong distributor,David Chan Tai-wai, recommends the At Home range, which includesthe new 9.27 treadmill, or the EFX range of cross-trainers andellipticals.
Other options are offered by True Fitness' Residential, whichincludes ES and PS treadmills, ellipticals and cycles. Its TSXaelliptical is the only machine that has the ability to train inthree separate positions to work the entire body eithersimultaneously or in isolation.
Working out at home doesn't necessarily mean a dedicated room andbig, fancy equipment. Since they appeared nearly 50 years ago,Fitballs and the more recently developed Bosu (both sides up) havebecome staples in any good exercise routine. They provide a levelof instability that works to increase abdominal and back muscleactivation and therefore improve core strength.
Indy Ho Man-kit, a physiotherapist and trainer at the Asia Academyfor Sports Fitness Professionals, says both can be used to exercisewhile standing, jumping, squatting, twisting or bouncing, and whilelifting weights. "Bands such as Flexibands are another usefultool, and in some ways are better than hand weights for use in thehome," says Ho. "This is because these elastic bands canbe used at different angles of resistance to train various bodyparts more effectively."
Skipping ropes have long been regarded as handy home cardioexercise tools, but Ho says they are not for everyone."Skipping properly requires co-ordination and balance. Peoplewith poor co-ordination or high body weight, such as obeseindividuals or pregnant women, would find it difficult. Skippingalso requires both feet off the floor and therefore is high-impacttraining, which may not be good for the elderly or those with jointproblems."
Foam rollers may be just a roll of foam, but they're cheap,versatile and light. Using them makes an abdominal workout moreinteresting, and harder because it incorporates all the stabilisermuscles. "The soft supporting surface and the rollingcharacteristic of the foam roller may also be used to self-massagetight areas," says Ho, adding that equipment such as hulahoops and wobble boards may not be as effective as they're made outto be, as caloric expenditure is quite low and misuse may increasejoint wear and tear.
No matter what form of home exercise people choose Ho recommendscaution. "Most people exercise in bare feet at home, whichleads to foot injuries. People should also inspect the surfacethey're working out on and check it's not slippery or too soft. Forexample, beds don't provide enough support for the spine andsitting on a low stool is stressful for the lower back."
There are many pieces of equipment designed for home use and easystorage. Kettler's mini-steppers and mini-cycles, for example, fiteasily into cupboards or under beds and can be used to tone andstrengthen legs and arms.
Requiring a little more space, the Urban Rebounder is amini-trampoline. "It provides a great cardio workout whilestimulating the autonomic nervous system," says Kevin Rushton,from Optimum Performance Studio.
"Studies indicate the jumping movement stimulates thelymphatic flow by up to 30 times compared with when you're resting.The immune system is therefore improved and muscles, bones,connective tissue, digestion and elimination are all helped becausethe body's working against gravity. There's virtually no stress onjoints either."
He also recommends the TRX, a body-weight-based training methodusing industrial elastic with handles fixed to a ceiling."Development of the TRX began in the elite US Navy Seals, whowere looking for ways to stay in peak condition in difficult andcramped circumstances."
So if you get kitted out, there'll be no excuses for escaping yourexercise routine. Without having to set foot outside your frontdoor, what could be easier?
Fancy footwork
At a meeting on cellulite reduction, American beauty specialist andfounder of skincare company Bliss, Marcia Kilgore, hit on the ideaof the Fitflop. With no time for dieting or exercise, Kilgoredecided the world needed a comfortable runaround shoe, to tone andtrim legs.
Fitflop's mid-sole material is designed to destabilise the footwhile in motion. A similar gait pattern to walking barefoot meanslegs and hip muscles work harder and calorie burn rises. Fitflopsclaim to improve muscle tone, reduce body fat and even potentiallyease back pain.
Working on similar principles Masai Barefoot Technology (MBT) is arange of footwear created by Swiss engineer Karl Mueller. Afteryears of aches and pains, Mueller was trying to reduce shockimpacts on the skeletal system. He studied the Masai people of EastAfrica, known for their upright posture attributed to walking longdistances barefoot on irregular natural surfaces. Mueller madeshoes which make the ground feel uneven, much like walking on sand.MBT is said to improve posture and strengthen core and backmuscles.