News

Most people have memories of playing netball at school, and despite not being able to run with the ball, they will remember it as being one of the most intense sports on the curriculum. It’s 60 minutes of extreme interval sprinting, rapid agility movement and accurate hand-eye coordination. Imagine that on a professional scale as a world-class player, playing some of the greatest netballers in the world; you’re probably tired at the thought!  Professional netball players are among the fittest athletes, but in order to maintain their incredible physiques and fitness abilities, they must undertake a strict gym workout. Whether you’re an amateur netballer or just looking to challenge yourself whilst improving your overall fitness, a professional netball gym workout will serve you well.  We’ve put together this guide on how you can train like a professional netball player with a comprehensive, tailored workout. What to Work An effective netball gym workout will need to focus on five main areas:  Balance Strength Agility Stamina/Endurance Power Netball is an all-encompassing sport that requires players to have multiple athletic abilities, so the first step to training like a professional is making sure you cover each of the above areas in your workout. Netball strength and conditioning exercises need to be combined with stamina and agility, which is what you’ll find in the below gym workout for netball players. Balance Exercises  Netball players often land on one leg, meaning they require excellent balance to maintain their position and not fall.  Single Leg Landing  One of the core exercises netball players incorporate into their gym routine requires no equipment and is known as the single-leg landing. It involves jumping vertically with as much power as possible and successfully landing on one leg. Make sure your foot and knee are aligned during the landing and are straight. Bowing inwards could cause injury. This will not only build strength in the leg but will greatly improve balance. Three sets of six on each leg will be sufficient.  It’s important to note that netballers commonly suffer from knee and ankle injuries from landing incorrectly. Single leg landings are a good exercise to work on proper form and avoid injury in play.  Single Leg RDL  There’s a high chance a netballer will have to catch the ball on one leg. Whilst single-leg landings will prepare players for this, a single leg RDL will go a long way in a game when a player needs to lean forwards and catch the ball. Standing with feet shoulder-width apart, lean forwards and raise one leg, making sure the back of the leg is aligned with the rest of the body. Three sets of six are recommended.  To avoid injury, make sure your leg on the ground is straight with the foot pointing forwards and the knee aligned with the foot.  Single-Leg Squat Nearly all professional netball players will incorporate single-leg squats into their workout routine to build leg strength and enhance their balance. The premise is simple: stand with feet shoulder-width apart, put one leg forward off the ground and engage in a normal squat. Do three sets of five to build up your ability.  Strength Exercises  Netballers need overall strength to succeed at the game, but they need a lot of leg strength specifically. Some of the balance exercises listed above will help to improve strength, but here are three additional exercises that can be undertaken in conjunction with them. Seated Leg Press A seated leg press targets almost all of the lower half of the body, including the calves, quads, glutes and hamstrings. Using the seated leg press machine, sit in an upright position with your feet hip-width apart and flat against the backplate. Adjust the seat so that your knees are at a 90-degree angle and press, making sure your legs and completely straight and your knees do not lock when extended.  Doing two sets of 10 and gradually increasing the weight in line with your fitness levels is a good way to develop all of the major leg muscles associated with netball.  Calf Raises  With strength training, there’s a tendency to focus on the upper legs, but maintaining the calves is just as important. Calf raises increase lower leg strength and aid balance, making them a core exercise for professional netball players to incorporate. A set of 20 should be weaved into every workout for maximum results.  Bench Dumbbell Tricep Extensions  For netball players, being able to move fast is key, but so is being able to throw powerfully. One way netballers achieve this is to engage in upper body strength exercises. One of the best for working on powerful throws is to do bench dumbbell tricep extensions. Laying flat on your back on a bench with your feet firmly on the floor, take a dumbbell in either hand and fully extend your arms with your palms on the dumbbells facing each other. In a controlled fashion, lower the plate of the dumbbell above your head, hold for two seconds and extend. Do two sets of 10.  Agility Exercises  Agility training for netball players is largely the same as it is for rugby players and basketball players because, like them, netball players need to be able to weave in and out effortlessly.  L-Drill  Rapid changes in direction are part and parcel of being a professional netball player, and few exercises prepare netballers for such demands as L-drills. You will need three cones placed in an L formation. First, run from one cone to the one that is directly opposite it. Make sure you touch the ground before running back to the first cone. Once you’ve returned to the first cone, run back the second and run around it, heading for the third middle cone. Run around it and back to the first cone. Repeat this five times.  Shuttle Run A big part of netball is being able to rapidly sprint when needed. One way to work on this is through interval sprint training, and whilst this will enhance stamina, it won’t necessarily do much for agility. To combat this, professional netballers often incorporate shuttle runs into their gym workouts. You will need two cones placed 75 feet apart. The concept is simple: sprint from one cone to the other repeatedly. You can sprint forwards, backwards and side to side. We would recommend doing three sets of eight.  Stamina Exercises  A netball game is 60 minutes of high-intensity action. Those who lack stamina will not make it as a professional netball player, and those who are at the top of their game need to maintain it by incorporating stamina into their gym workouts.  Mountain Climbers  Mountain climbers are a full-body workout. In addition to toning the core and working the hips and legs, mountain climbers are typically undertaken at a rapid pace which makes them a fantastic cardio exercise, therefore great for building stamina.  Assuming a plank position, you are essentially running horizontally. Try and do 30 seconds without stopping. The more you do them, the better you will get and the more endurance you will have to see out a game of high-intensity netball. Climbers  Another exercise that gets your heart rate pumping and builds up your stamina for a game of netball is using the climber machine at the gym. Doing 30 seconds of intense climbers will rapidly increase your heart rate whilst working your whole body – especially your legs. It’s a hard exercise but will train you to be able to physically and mentally continue during an intense game.  High Knee Tuck Jumps  As mentioned previously, netball players need to have a lot of power and you can combine power and stamina in the form of high knee tuck jumps. They will also help with balance. Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart. Using your lower body, jump as high as you can, bringing your knees up to your chest in a tucking motion. Land with your legs bent and immediately jump again. Repeat this 10 times at a rapid pace to get your heart pumping and to build stamina.  Power Exercises  For netball players, power is essential. Every movement needs to have a purpose, especially for attackers and defenders. A lot of the exercises mentioned above will aid power, but here are a few more workouts that professional players weave into their gym routines.  Box Jumps  Not only do box jumps enhance balance and leg strength, but they also build overall power because you’re required to generate an explosive action from a stationary stance. Standing with legs shoulder-width apart, bend and push through your legs to land on the box in front of you in a stable manner. Jump off and repeat 10 times. Gradually, you’ll be able to increase the height and you’ll find you’re able to generate more power from a neutral position.  Medicine Ball Wall Throws  Medicine ball wall throws are a core part of most professional athlete’s workouts, and netball players are no different. Standing with your legs shoulder-width apart, make sure the ball touches the wall when you’re stood at full arm extension. Assume a squat position and throw the ball upwards with power so that it bounces off the wall. Catch the ball and repeat for 20 reps. This will work most of your body whilst working on the explosivity of your throw – perfect for netball players.  Summary  Working out like a professional netball player is no mean feat and requires a broad-ranging gym workout regime. For optimum results, you’ll want to do all of the above workouts in a circuit three times a week. Pair it with regular distance running and other exercises to keep in the physical condition expected of a professional netball player and you’ll be dominating the court in no time! Here at UK Gym Equipment, we have a range of equipment that you can use to bolster your netball workout. To find out more, please contact us. 

Tennis is, arguably, the most physically demanding sport of them all. There is no hiding place, especially in a singles competition as one player battles against another on the opposing side of the court. Often, a match is not won through technical ability alone, but by simply either outlasting and/or overpowering your adversary. One of the best examples of a tennis player whose physical condition has played a key role in their success is Serena Williams who has won no less than 23 grand slam singles titles. Williams’ strength and stamina, combined with her world-class ability, has made her one of the sports all-time greatest players. Through her dedication to her conditioning, such as strength-training exercises, Williams’ fastest official recorded service speed is 128.6mph, which is almost 60mph faster than the United Kingdom’s national speed limit! Quite simply, you wouldn’t want to be the player across the net attempting to return her service. So, what kind of exercises to improve one’s tennis game do the world’s elite perform in order to be the best? Here, we will pick out a selection of gym exercises to boost your tennis game. Arm Strengthening Exercises for Tennis A powerful service game demands well-conditioned biceps, triceps, and shoulders, as this is where your power derives from. Not only will this benefit your service, but you will also see a huge difference when it comes to hitting volleys, adding more winning shots to your arsenal. Tennis, although one of the hardest games to play, is also one of the simplest – hit the ball so that your opponent cannot return it. The harder (and more accurately) you hit the ball, the less likely your opponent is to return it. Bench Press The bench press is an exercise that almost anyone who has ever stepped foot in a gym has performed (correctly or not is another matter entirely, however). This exercise engages the chest, shoulders and triceps, hitting many of the core muscles that tennis players rely on. Beginners should look to introduce themselves to the bench press using lightweight dumbbells to perfect their technique before moving onto heavier barbell weights. You will see greater benefits performing a bench press with the proper technique and low weights than you will with heavy weights and poor technique. Bicep Curl The bicep curl, which obviously works the bicep, is another key exercise for tennis players around the world. When you think of tennis players and bulging biceps, Rafael Nadal is the name that comes to mind. The Spaniard, affectionately regarded as the King of Clay, doesn’t just work his biceps for aesthetic purposes, but because it allows him to hit explosive cross-court shots that win points even when the rally looks a lost cause. As we have pointed out in previous workout posts, the secret to performing an effective bicep curl is to use the whole range of movement, rather than cutting your reps short. Wrist Curls As well as well-defined arms, a good tennis player requires strength in their wrist, which is arguably the most important part of their body. You can have all the power in your chest, biceps and triceps, but if your wrists are letting you down, you aren’t going to be able to transfer that power to your stroke. Wrist curls are similar to bicep curls, only that the range of movement is limited to your hand with the rest of your body remaining still. Sit on a chair or bench with your hand holding a dumbbell (palm facing up) above your knee and, slowly, curl your hand up and then back down. A strong wrist will allow you to drive the ball with better power and accuracy. Tennis Exercises with a Medicine Ball As well as boasting strong arms and chests, every great tennis player demands incredible core strength. Male grand slam tennis is played to a best of five sets – that means players may be performing highly intensive bursts of speed and power for multiple hours. In 2010, the world record for the longest professional game of tennis was set at Wimbledon and Nicolas Mahut and John Isner played for an incredible 11 hours and five minutes, over the course of three days. Some exercises that can be incorporated into your workout routine to develop your core strength using a medicine ball include: Medicine Ball Slam The medicine ball slam is a simple exercise that works the abdominal muscles of the body with little to no risk of injury. With a medicine ball on the floor in front of you, stand up straight and pick the ball up, lift it over your head and slam it back on the floor in one swift movement. Pullover Crunch The pullover crunch is similar to a standard crunch, only that it is performed whilst holding a medicine ball in your hands. Begin by lying on your back with the ball held out behind your head and perform the exercise by lifting your shoulders and back, bringing the ball in front of you. Russian Twist The Russian twist is another simple yet highly effective exercise that will leave your core burning. In a seated position, simply move the medicine ball from one side of your body to another by engaging your core muscles. Performed correctly, it shouldn’t take too long before you feel the effects of this exercise on your abdominals. Ace Your Next Game By incorporating any or all these exercises into your gym routine, you will soon notice improvements in your tennis game. We suspect that your opponents will also notice your improved conditioning as you notch up ace after ace, giving them little chance to hit a return. If you would like any more information on the range of gym equipment available from UK Gym Equipment, please get in touch with a member of our team today.

Badminton is one of the most popular racket sports in the UK, and continues to grow in popularity, with such figures as Gail Emms, Nathan Robertson, and husband-and-wife duo Chris and Gabby Adcock – who between them have achieved numerous medals at Olympic and Commonwealth Games – as figureheads within the game.  If you played the sport during PE lessons at school, you’ll remember how tiring it can be.  Although there is no strict time limit on how long a game can last, badminton is typically played as a best of three games, with each game being the first to 21 points wins. When you compare badminton to tennis, a match can last around 45 minutes – shorter than a tennis match.  However, unlike tennis, the shuttlecock can be in play for around 20 minutes, double that of a tennis match. A player can run around four miles per match, making hundreds of quick direction changes, all whilst striking the shuttlecock with a smaller racket face than tennis.  Indeed, badminton players are some of the fittest going and require supreme hand-eye coordination to make the shot.  If you currently play the sport, or you’re looking at improving your physique, following some badminton gym training routines could serve you well.  What key areas are covered?  When playing badminton, a few different areas are covered. Three of these are: Arm strength Core strength Lower body strength A badminton player will work hard on ensuring these skills are the best they can be to give them a competitive edge over their opponent and to give them the best chance of winning. Below are just some of the best ways you can work on each of these areas.  Arm Strength:  Arm strength is crucial to a badminton player’s game, as it’s where they’re going to generate the power for the shot. This feat becomes more impressive when you learn that the strongest players can smash the shuttle at over 200mph.  You can achieve some of these exercises with a few different pieces of equipment, including dumbbells.  Wrist Flexion:  Working on your wrists can help when it comes to playing smash shots, drop shots, and anything you want to deceive your opponent with.  Hold the dumbbell in your hand, keeping your palm facing upwards. Place your hand on the edge of your knees. From there, using forearms only, raise your wrists upwards and hold them there for 3 seconds, before slowly returning them to their original position.  Dumbbell Shoulder Press:  This can be done sitting down, and if doing so make sure your bench is completely upright. From there, ensure your feet are firmly on the ground, before bringing the dumbbell up to your shoulder. Keeping your elbows lined up with your hips, raise the dumbbell up. Hold it for a few seconds, before slowly bringing it back down again, keeping your wrists straight.  Core Strength:  Core strength is key in badminton for several different reasons, such as keeping yourself from collapsing when lunging, generating rotational power when playing an attacking shot, or even simply to prevent injury, as a weaker core can lead to back problems from bad posture.  Side Plank Rotations:  Ensuring your elbow is underneath your shoulder when you’re balanced on your side on the floor, and keeping your hips straight and not flexed, with your other arm starting in a raised position, rotate your arm down underneath your body.  Keep your hip as high as possible as you do so, before holding the position for a few seconds and returning back to the start. Ideally, your head and chin shouldn’t move whilst you do this, so try to keep them as still as you can.  V-Sits:  V-sits are a great exercise for boosting core strength. Simple to complete, and without the need of any additional equipment, start by laying flat on the floor with your arms stretched out above your head.  From there, raise both your legs and your top half, driving your hands towards your feet and using your hips as a pivot point.  Leg Strength:  With badminton players needing to move across the court at speed and often with explosive power to make the shot and keep the rally going, it’s imperative to have strength in the legs.  You can strengthen your legs through squats, both single legs or together, also enhancing balance, but there are a number of other techniques you can use. Having leg strengthening exercises as part of your badminton gym workout will help you make the hundreds of fast, rapid on-court changes needed throughout a match.  Seated Leg Press:  Seated leg presses work just about all of the muscles in your lower half, making them a great tool for improving leg strength for when you’re out on the badminton court.  Sat in a 90-degrees position, and with feet flat to the backplate hips-width apart, press against the machine. You can start with two sets of 10 reps, and as you progress you can gradually start to build up the weight.  When doing leg presses, however, it's important to make sure you don’t lock your knees, as this could cause serious damage.  Whether you’re a seasoned pro, a newcomer to the sport, or simply just looking to train as the pros do, there are a number of different gym exercises for badminton you can perform to keep fit. By doing so you’ll soon reap the dividends on the court. 

Every type of sport is difficult in its own right, but one of the more demanding games is football. It requires agility, strength, stamina, coordination and endurance, which means footballers must undertake an extensive and conclusive workout to keep them in shape.  If you’re looking to shake up your routine, engaging in a football gym workout programme is a good way to try something new and challenge yourself.  Why Choose a Football Gym Workout? You might be wondering why you should try football training in the gym, especially if you’re not a footballer or don’t have much interest in the game, but you don’t need to be an avid fan or participant of the game to reap the benefits of a gym workout.  As mentioned, footballers need to work on several aspects of their overall fitness, and that means their workouts are beneficial for your whole body. They tend to be highly intensive and burn lots of calories and build muscle quickly, making them great for those on a weight-loss or strength-training mission.  Almost everyone can achieve results with a football workout, so if you’re looking for new ways to break up your workout routine but still make progress towards your fitness goals, it’s a good route to take.  Professional Footballer’s Fitness Programme  The way one professional footballer trains will be different from the way another one trains because each player has a different position which will require different training. The difference in skills needed means there is no single football workout, but that’s not to say there aren’t common exercises you can do when looking at how to get fit for football in the gym.  Football Workout Warm-Up Before you start your workout, you’ll need to do a good warm-up which should be at least 15-20 minutes. This is to boost the heart rate and get the blood pumping around the body in anticipation of the workout that’s to follow.  Stretches  To workout safely, you first need to stretch. Footballers have to take great care of their muscles which means stretching forms a very important part of the workout. Static stretches that should be undertaken include: Calf stretches Hamstring stretches Shoulder stretches Upper back stretches Jogging A good football warm-up should always include jogging. This will raise the heart rate and get the blood pumping effectively. Jogging is a good way to start every workout – football-focused or not – as is cycling.  Leg Workouts When you’ve warmed up, you can begin your workout. As you’d expect, leg workouts form a big part of football fitness in order to build strength and power. There are a number of ways footballers do this, including:  Box jumps – these strengthen all of your leg muscles and work on your core, as well as improving your cardiovascular health. You can start off with small boxes and increase the height as you advance. Squats – another good exercise for strengthening and toning legs, squats are also useful for working on core strength and boosting overall athletic ability. Split lunges – it’s imperative for footballers to have good leg and hip mobility, and split lunges are excellent for improving hip flexor muscle mobility. They’re also good for stability and balance which is key for footballers trying to control the ball and cover ground at the same time. Hip thrusts – these mainly work the glutes and hips, but they also work the quads. Hip thrusts are another exercise that are good for maintaining balance and building general muscle strength. Leg press – leg presses are used for resistance training and to build strength in both the calves and the quads, making it an essential workout for footballers. Agility Workouts There’s more to football than just having strong muscles; agility is key when it comes to keeping control of the ball and having a strong defence. Agility exercises footballers commonly undertake include:  Side to side lunges – lateral lunges are a core component of agility training, especially for footballers who often find themselves moving side to side rather than the standard motion of moving backwards and forwards which is what most workouts focus on. Lateral lunges will work the inner thighs, improve balance and build strength. Ladder drills – footballers have to have quick feet, and one way to develop this skill is through doing ladder drills. Agility and speed will be worked on through ladder drills, as well as general motor control which is key when you consider footballers need to use their feet and not their hands. Forward hops – no matter what position you play, you need to have fast feet and good balance. A lot of football is played on one foot when you consider the other foot should be on the ball, especially near the goal. Forward hops are exceptionally simple but effective and can be paired with running and ladder drills for extra precision. Cardio Workouts In addition to strength and agility, footballers need to be able to stay active for an extended period of time which means they need extensive cardio exercises incorporated into their fitness routines. Here are some cardio workouts that footballers typically do:  Skipping – it’s not just boxers who skip, footballers do too. It’s great for fast feet and burns more calories than running! It’s very intense and requires constant movement, making it excellent for building up stamina. Running – the obvious workout for footballers is to run since that’s what they spend most of their time doing, so running is a key part of footballer training. It’s a good idea to practice both sprinting and long-distance running for football training. Boxercise - boxing is the ultimate assessment of your body's fitness levels and this provides the perfect HIIT-style workout that footballers, who are expected to maintain the ability to perform multiple sprints over the course of a 90-minute match. Full Football Workout  A full football workout should comprise a mixture of the above workouts to cover all bases. You can use equipment like rowing machines, resistance bands, weights and medicine balls to enhance your workout which is something footballers often do.  For more information on football workouts, sport-specific workouts and equipment, please contact us

For those who are no strangers to travelling, either for work or pleasure, finding a hotel that offers its own onsite gym is important. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle when you spend a considerable time away from home can be difficult, but this means that for hotel owners and managers, there is a market for fitness-conscious guests – meaning that incorporating a quality gym is anything other than a waste of time and space. It is really important to note that not all gyms are created equal. For example, we have all stayed in hotels that claim to offer state-of-the-art gym facilities only to find a single exercise bike and/or treadmill that has seen better days. That simply does not constitute a gym, that’s nothing more than a lazy afterthought so the hotel can tick another box. For hotels that are serious about offering a gym that satisfy the needs of their guests, below are five essentials – not just limited to gym equipment – that all hotel gyms should include. Heavy Weights (Barbells and Dumbbells) Some people like to lift – and when we say lift, we mean that they like to push their body as far as it can reasonably go. This is how they choose to train and relieve stress which, if they are away for business, they may have a lot to relieve. Offering basic weights that can be found in most high street stores simply aren’t going to cut it for gym fanatics used to pumping weights that would make Arnold Schwarzenegger weak at the knees. We are talking commercial-standard barbells and dumbbells, as well as squat racks and other accessories that can be used in conjunction with weight to aid the user’s workout. Free weights can be stored quite easily with the use of a rack, so there shouldn’t be any issues of not being able to safely store equipment as long as the gym space is of adequate size. Make it a rule that all gym users agree to put equipment back from where they found it before leaving the area, otherwise, they are banned from using the hotel’s gym facilities. As well as heavy weights, make sure to offer a range of lighter weights, too, because not everyone will demand huge plates for their workouts. Make sure that you offer a good variety for the best gym experience. Quality Cardio Equipment As well as top of the range weights, also make sure to offer quality cardio equipment that can be used. Many hotels offer ragged old treadmills and bikes in their facilities that are simply not fit for purpose and should have been disposed of years ago. Don’t make the same mistake of thinking just because a machine ‘works’ that it offers any of the benefits of a well-maintained – it doesn’t and if your equipment shows any sign of a decline in performance, it needs either a refurbishment or replacement. Commercial-standard cardio equipment, like treadmills, bikes and cross-trainers, need not cost the earth. The better the equipment offered in your hotel gym, the more likely you are to see repeat bookings by guests that are often in the area. Word of mouth travels fast, so any positive experience your hotel guests have will be shared with their friends and family. A well-equipped hotel gym makes for an appealing feature on booking sites, especially with an accompanying picture of the area. Additionally, cardio machines also mean that visitors won’t have to try to find a running or cycling route in potentially busy cities they are not familiar with. Space Having the correct equipment is always an advantage, but you can have all the top of the range equipment in the world and it won’t mean a thing if there is not ample space in which to use it. For any hotel serious about creating an onsite gym that guests will be eager to try out, space is a necessity. Gym areas that are too small and cramp in far too much equipment on top of each other aren’t aesthetically pleasing, nor do they allow for gym users to get in an adequate workout. Carefully plan out your hotel’s gym, this is possible using UK Gym Equipment’s free 3D designer, and consider the equipment you wish to kit it out with and, crucially, where it will live. Allow enough space for users to be able to walk around without getting in other peoples’ way. A View If possible, make sure that your hotel gym comes equipped with a view. Working out inside four brick walls isn’t fun and it certainly isn’t inspiring – even the view of a car park is better than that. Not all hotels will be located in the most exotic of locations, and that’s fine, but if your building is situated next to a scenic city skyline, beautiful countryside or even the beach, why not incorporate this into your hotel? A gym with a view is something that those utilising cardio equipment, such as treadmills and bikes, will appreciate – because staring at a brick wall for half an hour is more than a little bit boring. This will also serve as motivation for your guests to continue to make use of your gym facility during their stay and to think of your hotel if they are back in the area, whether that be for work or play. Suitable Opening Times Finally, suitable opening times for your onsite gym are a must. Some hotels only open the doors to their fitness centres for limited hours which means that, by the time guests come back to the hotel, they are disappointed to find the gym is closed. Not everyone likes or has the option to workout early in the morning, so having that option open to them in the evening could be a massive plus in favour of your hotel. If you are looking to revamp your hotel gym with commercial-standard equipment, please take a look at the wide range of new and second-hand equipment on sale at UK Gym Equipment today. All products are tested before sale, ensuring our customers can buy from us with confidence.

Leading a healthy lifestyle from a young age is key for reaping the abundance of rewards of remaining able, mobile and in good health when the twilight years come creeping up. Not everyone looks after their older self when they’re younger, though. The good news is, it’s never too late to get on the path to a healthy lifestyle.  We’ve put together a list of the best home exercise equipment for the elderly, all of which will keep senior citizens moving and active in a safe and beneficial way, no matter their age. We’ve included a range of equipment to suit elderly people of all physical capabilities. We realise many seniors might have joint problems, hip problems, arthritis, diabetes and osteoporosis to name a few.  With this in mind, our list of the best home exercises for elderly people includes something for everyone, ensuring that every senior has the opportunity to stay fit and get moving to some degree.  Leg Exercise Equipment for Elderly Citizens Leg day isn’t just for young gym bunnies; there are plenty of ways elderly people can undertake leg exercises safely at home.  Exercise Bike Compact and easy to store away, exercise bikes are excellent for home workouts because they don’t take up much space and therefore can be neatly placed in almost any corner of the home.  Exercise bikes are fantastic pieces of equipment that offer a wide range of benefits, especially when it comes to strengthening the hips and legs which can often deteriorate in old age. Whilst the lower body receives a full workout, cycling is a low-impact exercise which means it’s particularly useful for those who suffer from joint pain.  In addition to working the lower body, using an exercise bike can also improve your health elsewhere, including your heart. Cycling is an aerobic exercise which means the heart rate goes up and blood flow increases around the body. This strengthens the heart and can reduce the risk of high blood pressure and heart disease. It can also reduce stress levels which is a major plus regardless of age.  Although cycling is generally good for the heart, if you suffer from a heart condition, it’s imperative that you get the go-ahead from your doctor before you impart on a cycling workout.  If you struggle to get on and off an exercise bike, you can instead try an elliptical machine. They can be placed under a table or at the foot of a chair due to their extremely compact size, but they offer just as many benefits as a full-scale exercise bike.  Step Box For those who are agile enough to manage steps, a step box is a great piece of equipment to purchase. This simple item comes with an extensive range of attractive benefits, including improving balance and coordination. Many elderly people suffer from poor balance which makes them prone to falling and injuring themselves, so any exercise that can reduce that risk is a welcome one.  Step boxes are also good for improving your heart health, as well as potentially aiding weight loss. If you struggle with joint problems and osteoporosis, a step box is a great piece of equipment for strengthening bones and muscles in your lower body in a way that is low impact.  You can purchase step boxes of varying heights depending on your physical capabilities.  Arm Exercise Equipment for Elderly People  Maintaining upper body strength is essential for being able to do everyday tasks like lifting a kettle and emptying a bin. There are lots of pieces of upper body equipment available, but we’ve selected the most home-friendly bits for seniors.  Dumbbells  The most basic piece of home gym equipment for anyone is a set of dumbbells. They’re extremely versatile and come in varying weights, making them suitable for people of all physical capabilities. You can use them alone to target one specific muscle group, or you can use them as part of a broader exercise regime such as when doing lunges. You can use dumbbells in coordination with other pieces of equipment, too, such as an elliptical or a step box.  Dumbbells can be used to increase cardiovascular fitness overall and they take up next to no space, making them a good investment for seniors hoping to improve the coordination of their upper body at home.  Resistance Bands Resistance bands are a simple piece of equipment that can be easily stored away in a cupboard or in a spare room. They’re easy to use, making them a good choice for senior citizens looking to get fit. They can be used on the legs, but they’re highly effective at working and toning the arms.  There are a number of ways you can use resistance bands, including standing on the bottom of the band and pulling the top up with your arms. If you can’t quite manage standing up, you can do this exercise sitting down, too. How far you go will depend on how much you can physically manage, but resistance bands are highly versatile and can be adapted to everyone.  Resistance bands are not only good for training and building muscle – they’re low impact and kind on the joints, making them particularly good for those in their twilight years.  Sourcing Gym Equipment for the Elderly Here at UK Gym Equipment, we offer a wide selection of equipment spanning all aspects of working out, including cardio machines like exercise bikes and treadmills to all over body equipment like rowing machines.  Whatever your capabilities are, we have a piece of equipment that can help you get active, no matter your age. If you need help finding a piece of home gym equipment suitable for the elderly, please call our team on 01733 204430.  We offer finance plans to help spread out the cost. To find out more about our finance options and our equipment, or to talk through suitable workouts for seniors, please contact us and we’ll be more than happy to help. 

Many people view P.E. as a non-essential lesson for school children to undertake, especially when it’s compared to subjects like maths, English and science, but it’s actually one of the most important parts of the school curriculum.  Childhood obesity is on the rise in the UK, with an estimated one in five 10-11-year-olds and one in 10 4-5-year-olds being classified as overweight. There are many reasons why a child might be overweight, including: Low levels of physical activity Being fed larger portions than is needed Parents who lack nutritional awareness In an effort to curb childhood obesity and to instil good lifestyle habits in children, schools have a responsibility to provide them with adequate P.E. lessons. For some children, gym classes are the only form exercise they might undertake in a week which means providing an all-encompassing workout is paramount.  This means schools need to have fully equipped gyms with sufficient equipment that gives children a comprehensive workout. School budgets are often tight which makes the need for investing in high quality, multipurpose equipment even more important.  We have put together a list of the top five school gym equipment essentials we believe every school should have; each piece providing children with ample opportunity to get a sufficient workout to remain healthy.  1. Exercise Bikes Having exercise bikes in your school gym is a great way to incorporate a cardio workout in such a way that isn’t as taxing on the body as cross country or distance running. Not everyone is a capable runner, with some people (children included) finding the pressure it places on their joints too much to bear. In this instance, an exercise bike is perfect because it boosts the heart rate and gets the body working, but it doesn’t place any pressure on knees, shins and ankles which can easily become injured through running.  It’s thought that an hour of cycling can burn as many as 600 calories which makes it one of the most comprehensive workouts. Schools can host mock spin classes provided they have enough bikes for every student in class, and it’s something children of all physical capabilities can get on board with. 2. Treadmills  One of the most effective forms of cardio is running. It is a great way to build stamina and endurance in a way that can benefit children in other aspects of their fitness whilst getting their heart pumping and working the legs. You don’t just need to go running on a treadmill though – children who struggle with jogging can walk instead. Treadmills that can work on an inclination are particularly good at building lower body strength whilst working the heart and this can be done whilst both running and walking. Treadmills are exceptionally easy to use which means most children will be able to operate them with no trouble. In addition, the risk of injury is substantially reduced when compared to road running and cross country routes because there are no obstacles to navigate, making it a much safer alternative.  3. Rowing Machines One way to ensure children get a full-body workout is by equipping your school gym with rowing machines. This piece of equipment works the legs, arms, back, chest and core – allowing children to target every muscle group with one session on one piece of equipment. Lots of rowing machines come with games installed on the screen which allows children to remain engaged whilst exercising effectively. Other types of rowing machines are available which have real water – this is particularly good for older children who are looking to develop their resistance training.  Rowing burns lots of calories which will go a long way to burning fat and keeping children from becoming overweight, making it all the more essential for school gyms. Not only this, it’s an effective form of cardio which promotes a healthy heart.  4. Dumbbells  There is more to getting fit than just cardio. Children can vastly benefit from strength training as a way to bolster their ability in other types of exercise, including football, ice skating, tennis, dancing and rugby. Dumbbells are perfect for children because they come in a range of sizes which means there’s a weight for everyone, although they’re more targeted at older children.  You can use dumbbells to do a floor workout which incorporates exercises like lunges and star jumps, making them a particularly useful piece of equipment for schools who don’t have much room for bulky pieces of equipment.  5. Exercise Mats When it comes to school gyms, versatility is essential, and no piece of equipment is as multi-faceted as the humble exercise mat. Exercise mats can be used for everything, from yoga and sit-ups to gymnastics and warm-ups for other forms of sport. Able to lend itself to any sport, gym mats are particularly useful for enhancing flexibility which can help with balance and posture – something that is much needed given school children spend most of their days sitting hunched over a desk.  Get in Touch If you want to find out more about gym equipment for schools, please get in touch with us and we’ll be happy to help you plan out your school gym and kit it out with equipment that will be of utmost use to your children. 

Home gyms are exploding in popularity because they offer convenience and privacy when compared to a public gym, but for all their pro’s, home gyms can be pricey. The cost of equipment can eat up a lot of your budget, and this means lots of people look to cut costs elsewhere – usually on room décor. Home gyms are typically installed in spare rooms, basements or garages. Many of these rooms may already have carpet laid down and painted walls. This can present itself as the perfect blank canvas for a home gym and you might think ‘there’s nothing to change here, let’s get the equipment in!’, but is that really the case? The walls won’t be an issue because they won’t affect your performance; however, the carpet could. If you’re looking at an installing a home gym in your spare room and are wondering if you need to revamp the shell of the space first, we’ve got you covered. In this guide, we’re going to be looking at flooring options for your home gym and seeing whether it’s something you can gloss over, or if it needs some investment prior to your equipment being loaded in. Gym Flooring If you’ve ever been to a public gym then you’ll know they’re often quite neutral. Block painted walls and dark carpet tiles are commonplace, as is anti-slip resin flooring in fitness studios and spin rooms. If you’re transforming your garage into a home gym, you might well already have resin flooring in place, in which case you can install your equipment safely over the top. Resin flooring is great for gyms because it’s anti-slip and it’s solid, and this means when you’re lifting weights or doing equipment-free workouts, the surface beneath your feet will provide you with the support and stability you need. Resin flooring is also particularly good for placing heavy equipment on top of because the equipment won’t sink into the floor and result in indents or holes. The hard surface means equipment will sit level and won’t be at a tilt which makes it one of the safest options for heavy equipment like treadmills, exercise bikes and weight benches. The same can be said for most hardwood floors like laminate, concrete and tiles, but soft floors like carpet don’t offer the same hardwearing properties. Can You Put Exercise Equipment on Carpet? As mentioned, alongside resin flooring, carpet tiles are commonly used in public gyms. This might lead you to believe that you can use carpet in your home gym, but carpet in your home and commercial carpet tiles are in fact very different products. Carpet tiles have a hard backing on them which makes them hard and supportive, whereas carpet in your home is not of the same calibre and does not have the same backing or hardwearing qualities. If you have long/high/deep pile carpet, it is categorically not suitable for a home gym and should be removed without exception. It is far too soft, unstable and slippery for use in a home gym and poses great risks to your safety. In addition, it will almost certainly get ruined by heavy gym equipment and as such, none should be placed on top of it. Short/low pile carpet is slightly different and if carpet tiles are not being used, it is the most common alternative for those looking to install a soft floor in their home gym. So, what exactly can short pile carpet offer you in terms of your workout space? Low cost – carpet is cheap and easily sourced compared to carpet tiles or hardwood/resin Protective – the soft surface means if you slip and fall or drop gym equipment on the floor, the risk of injury or damage is dramatically reduced Less noise – carpet absorbs sounds which means noise is less likely to reverberate throughout the house or echo around the room Aesthetically pleasing – resin flooring can resemble concrete and doesn’t look particularly nice Adaptable - if you’re wondering how to protect the carpet from exercise equipment, installing exercise equipment mats for carpet surfaces on top of the carpet can prevent damage These are all compelling advantages of adding carpet into your home gym, but should you really consider it? Here are some of the key reasons why carpet is not suitable for a home gym: No hard backing – there is no support or stability during heavy lifting or other types of exercise which could cause poor form or injury, even if equipment mats are used because the surface underneath the mat is not hard or stable No grip –gym shoes will likely not grip on short-pile carpet, which could potentially cause you to slip and injure yourself Not hygienic – sweat will absorb into the long fibres of the short-pile carpet and may get stuck, causing stains and/or an unpleasant odour (note: carpet tiles are not the same because they aren’t short-pile and so have fewer fibres for liquid to seep into) Damage – gym equipment is heavy and will cause hole indents on the carpet that will cause irreparable damage Final Verdict There’s a lot to be said for installing gym equipment on top of carpet and there are convincing arguments both for and against it, but generally speaking, unless commercial carpet tiles are being used, it’s not advisable due to the health risks and damage it poses. When you’re designing your home gym, it’s best not to cut corners anywhere. If you can’t afford brand new equipment upfront, we offer refurbished gym equipment as well as finance plans to help ease the burden. We also offer a comprehensive 3D design service to help you imagine what your new gym space will look like in real life. To find out more about any of the services or gym equipment products we’ve mentioned, please contact our team.

Here at UK Gym Equipment, we specialise in selling commercial-standard gym equipment because we believe that our customers deserve only the very highest quality. Certain websites and apps offer heavily discounted products if you are prepared to wait several weeks for delivery, only for customers to realise soon after the items were so discounted at what first appeared to be a seemingly fantastic price. We refuse to settle for anything less than the best, and we certainly would not expect our customers to, either. Even all the refurbished and second-hand gym equipment listed on our website has been rigorously tested to ensure that it meets our high standards. Quite simply, if it doesn’t come up to par, we do not sell it. As a rule of thumb, you should be able to expect commercial-standard cardio machines to have a lifespan of between seven and 10 years, while strength equipment such as barbells and dumbbells should last for more than a decade, but the lifespan will vary depending on the amount of use and care that is given to the pieces. Why We Only Sell Commercial-Standard Gym Equipment We sell commercial-standard gym equipment because our customers expect to invest in quality products when they buy from UK Gym Equipment. As well as that, we recognise the importance of buying a quality product that you can rely on, even after it has been used hundreds and thousands of times. Put simply, buying low-cost, sub-standard gym equipment does not save you money in the long-run as you will have to stump up the costs of repairing or replacing your purchase after just a few uses. Many of the products sold by UK Gym Equipment are covered by a guarantee, varying item by item, giving the customer peace of mind. This demonstrates our belief that the commercial-standard gym equipment available from our website will last for a long time and, if it doesn’t, we will ensure that the product is repaired and/or replaced as necessary. Giving Your Members the Quality they Expect If you are responsible for kitting out a commercial gym setting, your members will expect to be able to workout using high-quality gym equipment – after all, that is why they pay their membership fees. Gyms that choose to invest in poor quality equipment run the risk of having numerous pieces out of order. As a gym member, there is nothing more frustrating than spying what you believe to be the last free treadmill, only to find a notice attached to it. Imagine if multiple treadmills are out of use and, instead of members going about their business as they usually would, they are standing around waiting for a free machine. Many gym members come knowing exactly what exercises they plan on performing, so if they are unable to do so, this can potentially disrupt all members. If this proves to be a constant issue, there is the risk of losing custom to nearby competitors that invest in top-quality equipment – even if their membership fees are more expensive than yours. Gym-goers sign up for memberships because they expect to have access to commercial-standard equipment that they might not otherwise be able to afford or have room to house at home. It will soon show if your setting chooses not to invest in the best equipment on the market and, if you do, your gym’s reputation and custom will slide. Finance Options to Invest in Commercial-Standard Gym Equipment For those kitting out their home gyms, many will be feeling limited by financial constraints. We completely understand, because you do get what you pay for – you can often be expecting to pay out four and five-figure sums for the very best. Here at UK Gym Equipment, while we do stock products in that price range, we offer a means to make even the highest quality of gym equipment affordable for anyone who wishes to invest in it. Our finance options allow for customers to pay month-by-month for commercial-standard equipment. For many, this means that they can benefit from the use of high-quality machines such as treadmills, exercise bikes and cross-trainers, as well as strength-training equipment. No longer will you have to rely on alternative methods that, despite how well they are marketed, simply do not stand up against the type of equipment you could expect to find in the gym. It isn’t just cardio machines and weights available on finance, with storage and flooring solutions also available – ensuring that the space you use matches the quality of the equipment it houses. As we have already mentioned previously, many of our products are sold with a manufacturer’s guarantee so you are covered if anything goes wrong with your product. Buy from UK Gym Equipment Today To invest in commercial-standard equipment that you can expect to last for as long as a decade or more, rather than cheap alternatives, you can buy from UK Gym Equipment today. With a wide range of products available, you will be able to find exactly what you are looking for online. If you require some inspiration, you can view our workouts page where you will find an array of exercises and the equipment you need to complete them. For more information, please send us a message via our contact page and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

The announcement of another lockdown across the country resulted in fitness fanatics who had only just reacquainted themselves with the gym turning to home workouts once more. While some will have been prepared from previous lockdowns with equipment and a routine to match, others are yet to fully embrace the home gym concept. If you live in an apartment or flat with space at a premium, it is understandably difficult. However, you can still find exercise equipment for a small apartment that won’t leave you feeling cramped in your living space. Here, the UK Gym Equipment team present our favourite home gym equipment pieces that will have you coming out of lockdown fit and ready. Once you have invested in the best home exercise equipment for your apartment or flat, you just might join the many who say they won’t be returning to the normal gym setting - even after the pandemic is over. Folding Treadmill The biggest problem with gym equipment, particularly cardio machines, are that they are often big, bulky and take up far too much room. For those living in a studio apartment, you might believe that owning a treadmill is completely out of question - at least it is if you want somewhere to sit and eat. Foldaway options are essential for such living situations and, even though the equipment folds away, you can find machines that still meet commercial standards. What this means is that you need only have your treadmill out when it is in use, instead of sitting in the way and blocking your route through your living area. Most fold away treadmills require very little space to store when folded which means that you should be able to neatly slot your machine away when you have worked up a sufficient sweat. Weights Some weights are easier than others to store safely in an apartment. For example, dumbbells are small (if not bulky) and can usually be stored neatly on a rack or in the corner of a room, but barbells aren’t quite as simple to keep out of harm’s way. This means that you may have to consider your normal routine and how you can adapt your exercise to suit your setting. If you would normally use a barbell as part of your routine, you should be able to adapt the majority of your exercises to use dumbbells. If you view our blog on home workouts to build muscle, you will find a variety of exercises you can work into your routine that can be performed using dumbbells. To complement your dumbbells, you should consider investing in a weight bench that will aid your routine, helping you to perform exercises with perfect form and technique which, in turn, will better work your muscles, making for better results. While weights such as barbells and dumbbells certainly do help you to achieve your fitness goals, there are plenty of home workouts you can perform without the need for equipment. The simple push-up, sit-up, squat and crunch – amongst many others – can also help you on your way to building muscle without the need to hit the gym. Why not incorporate exercises both with and without equipment into a sweat-inducing HIIT workout that you can perform in 30 minutes or less? Exercise Bike If you are not one for running, either because you find it boring or you don’t like the impact that the exercise can have on your knees, investing in a bike could be something for you to consider. An exercise bike isn’t as big and bulky as a treadmill, although you can still find many models that can fold away if you would prefer to have this feature. There are several types of exercise bikes, too, such as spinners, upright bikes, recumbent bikes and air bikes (all of which you will find right here on our website). Finding the right exercise bike depends on what you are hoping to achieve, as well as the setting it will be housed in. Spin bikes are fantastic for calorie-burning HIIT sessions and are incredibly thin, therefore taking up little room when set up. An upright bike won’t take up much more room than a spinner, while air bikes and recumbent bikes will require a little more room due to their design. An exercise bike is one of the favoured pieces of equipment for many home gyms, not just those kitting out apartments and flats, as they allow the user to watch their favourite television series or film whilst peddling away. Additionally, especially for anyone living in an apartment or flat that isn’t on the ground floor, a bike won’t be as noisy as the sound of you running on a treadmill, which might not make you popular with your downstairs neighbours. Free-Standing Punching Bags Living in an apartment or flat means that installing a traditional hanging punching bag may not be an option. All is not lost, however, with free-standing punching bags proving every bit as effective and robust as their hanging relatives. With a base filled up with either sand or water, you need not worry about your bag displacing when striking it. As well as being used as part of a home boxing/boxercise session, bags can also be purchased for MMA training, meaning they are suitable to be kicked as well as punched. They are great for cardio training, especially for those who don’t like running or cycling, but also for stress relief if you have had a particularly challenging time which, if you are reading this during the pandemic, you have no doubt had recently. View the Future Gym Equipment Range at UK Gym Equipment If you would like further inspiration for apartment exercise equipment, why not view the range of Future Gym Equipment on our website, where you will various pieces of fitness equipment suitable for your needs? For more information, please get in touch with a member of our team today either by sending us a message through our contact page or giving us a call on 01733 204430 today.