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For many, having your very own gym at home is the dream. No need to pay monthly membership fees, no waiting around for someone else to finish with the equipment and, best of all, no commute. You might believe that a home gym is a treat only reserved for those of whom have a spare room and/or garage, but you would be wrong. Building a home gym is possible even when space is at a premium. Whether you have a lot or a little room to play with, you can create a fitness area suited to your needs with state-of-the-art gym equipment. Designing Your Home Gym Before you rush off and buy all the equipment you would find in your dream gym, first, you need to take the time to plan and design your home gym. After all, there is no point in investing in numerous pieces of equipment if you haven’t the room to house it all. You might also be pleasantly surprised by how much equipment you can fit into your home gym if you were to move a few things around. Here at UK Gym Equipment, we offer a free 3D design service for both commercial and home gym use. This will allow you to not only create a detailed plan of your gym area but to also visualise how it will look once you have moved in all your equipment. This service comes with absolutely no obligation to move forward with your design, so you need not worry about being tied into any commitment when you use our 3D design service. Should you wish to proceed with the design created by our service, the UK Gym Equipment team will be more than happy to discuss moving ahead with your project. What Are You Hoping to Achieve? When building a home gym in a garage or spare room, you need to consider precisely what it is you are looking to achieve from your workouts. Is your target to lose weight? Build muscle? Or a combination of both? Depending on what your fitness goals are, this will help you to decide which equipment is best for you. Cardio machines such as treadmills, exercise bikes and cross-trainers can all take up a lot of room as, too, can strength-training equipment like barbells, bench presses and more. The best home gyms include a variety of both strength and cardio equipment, with aerobic and anaerobic exercises making up vital elements of your fitness regime. That means it is all about finding the right balance. If you are uncertain as to what equipment will best serve your needs, you can refer to our workout posts over in our blog section which detail the best exercises and equipment you need to achieve your fitness goal. With exercises that require little to no equipment, as well as making use of bulkier pieces, you may just be pleasantly surprised by how much you can achieve in your space. Storage Storage is key when it comes to building a home gym, especially when you add in other factors such as shared space and the potential for young children to be in and around the equipment. It can make for a safety hazard if heavy pieces are left out and unattended. It may be worth considering foldaway solutions that you can get out as and when you intend to use them and safely store away when you are finished. Treadmills, bikes and rowing machines can all be purchased with folding options that not only allow for safe storage, but all for you to make more use of the space you have. Storage racks are another key component of any gym, regardless of whether it is at home or in a commercial setting. Rather than having dumbbells, kettlebells and medicine balls kept on the floor, you can store them safely outside your workout area on a rack out of harm's way. Imagine being in the zone, pushing yourself in the middle of an exercise only to trip over a dumbbell that has been left on the floor. That is a very real hazard that can result in serious injury. Gym Flooring Arguably, the most important piece of equipment in your home gym isn’t any of the cardio or strength-training pieces but is, actually, your flooring. When you workout in a commercial gym setting, you will notice the use of hard and rubber flooring, depending on the section of the gym you are in. This has been used for a reason, with noise reduction and protection against the heavy equipment in mind. In a home gym setting, especially when other people are in the building, you have to be respectful of others. They probably won’t want to hear you banging and clanging as you smash a workout, which is why rubber gym matting is something that you should consider. The noise-reducing qualities of rubber mean that, if you happen to drop weight such as a kettlebell, dumbbell or another piece of equipment, it isn’t going to echo around the house. As well as the noise-reducing aspect, protection against the equipment is even more important at home. Carpets will show indentation when heavy pieces are placed on them, while hard flooring can show indentation over time which can be costly to repair. Should you wish to be able to easily move your gym space in the future, for whatever reason, tiling mats will be the best solution as you will be able to put them down and take them up just as easily. Budget When you come to think about building a home gym, you must have a budget in mind and, most importantly, stick to it. Commercial-standard gym equipment rarely comes cheap, but neither should you have to pay over the odds, either. At UK Gym Equipment, you will find a vast array of high-quality equipment with various finance options available to suit your budget. With a set budget in mind, you can price up each aspect of your home gym and work towards creating your own ideal fitness space tailored to your specific requirements. For more information on how to build your own gym at home, please do not hesitate to get in contact with a member of our team today.

It is no secret that running on a treadmill can be more than a little boring. Even avid runners bemoan the thought of replicating a 10K or half marathon run on the treadmill, which is why mixing up your workout by incorporating HIIT sessions will do wonders for your motivation as well as your fitness. Many gym-goers, especially those who have only recently invested in membership, force themselves to run at a constant pace for a prolonged period believing this to be the best way to build fitness and burn body fat. While this will help you to achieve your goal, you should know that a HIIT treadmill workout can help to burn abdominal fat quicker than constant cardio. Here, UK Gym Equipment introduces you to several interval cardio treadmill workouts that you can perform either at the gym or in the comfort of your home if you have access to a treadmill. Before you begin, you should experiment with the top speed and incline that you can sustain your effort at for a minute. What You Will Need for Our HIIT Treadmill Workouts Treadmill Standard 30-Minute Cardio Workout on a Treadmill Our first workout is a variant of the standard 30-minute HIIT treadmill session that you may have already come across via a quick Google search. The warm-up is included as part of the 30-minute HIIT workout and you must do so, otherwise, you run a real risk of injury should you jump straight into a sprint without warming up your muscles beforehand. Minutes 1-5: 3-4mph, 1% incline For the opening five minutes of this session, you should ease yourself in with a gentle jog on the treadmill to limber up your body ahead of the introduction of intervals. If you wish to begin at walking pace then that is fine too. Anything in the region of 3-4mph and a small 1% incline will form the basis of a solid warm-up ahead of moving into your interval training. Minutes 5-26: 7x one-minute sprints at 6-8mph, 4-5% incline; 7x two-minute recovery at 4-5mph, 0-1% incline As we move into our HIIT cardio treadmill workout, your body should be feeling limber and warmed up, ready to push itself to its limit. During the one-minute sprints, you should be performing at around 90% effort. If you are unable to sustain a sprint at the speeds and/or incline listed above, then you should perform this exercise at a level appropriate to your fitness level to avoid the risk of serious injury. This is a standard HIIT routine and one that makes for a fantastic cardio workout, as well as being one of the best treadmill workouts for speed. The inclusion of an incline is optional and can vary depending on your level of fitness. If you are a beginner, we recommend starting with an incline between 1-2% and working your way up to 4-5%. After every sprint comes a two-minute recovery, which should be at a pace between 2-3mph slower than your sprint speed. You mustn't stop as the idea of this exercise is to train your body to recover whilst still moving. Minutes 26-30: Gradual slow of pace (0.5mph each minute) Once you have completed the interval session, you will finish with a four-minute warm-down lowering the pace by 0.5mph after every minute. Pyramid Intervals In an earlier workout post, we introduced pyramid intervals (on that occasion performed on an air bike). This same HIIT workout routine can be adapted to the treadmill, making for a fantastic, yet challenging, interval training session that will get you hot and sweaty. This routine begins at the bottom of the pyramid with a 10-second sprint and 50-second recovery, working your way to the top of the pyramid, where you sprint for 50 seconds with just 10 seconds to recover, followed by a return to bottom with a 10-second sprint. One cycle can be performed in nine minutes so, depending on your fitness level and/or time available, you can choose to perform one, two or three cycles. Before beginning this routine, make sure to warm-up with a steady five-minute walk or jog on the treadmill. Perform each sprint at 6-8mph with 4-5% incline and recovery at 4-5mph, 0-1% incline. Minute one: 10-second sprint, 50-second recovery Minute two: 20-second sprint, 40-second recovery Minute three: 30-second sprint, 30-second recovery Minute four: 40-second sprint, 20-second recovery Minute five: 50-second sprint, 10-second recovery Minute six: 40-second sprint, 20-second recovery Minute seven: 30-second sprint, 30-second recovery Minute eight: 20-second sprint, 40-second recovery Minute nine: 10-second sprint, 50-second recovery Up the Hill While our previous workout was all about going up and down the pyramid, our final treadmill interval workout is all about moving up the hill by increasing the speed and incline. This workout can be performed in 20 minutes, making this an ideal session for anyone that struggles to fit daily exercise in around a busy day. Minutes 1-5: Warm-up with a gentle walk or jog at a comfortable pace (able to sustain a conversation) Minute six: 4-5mph, 1% incline Minute seven: 4-5mph, 2% incline Minute eight: 4-5mph, 4% incline Minute nine: Recovery (walk or jog at 3-4mph, 0-1% incline) Minute 10: 4-5mph, 1% incline Minute 11: 4-5mph, 4% incline Minute 12: 4-5mph, 6% incline Minute 13: Recovery (walk or jog at 3-4mph, 0-1% incline) Minute 14: 6-8mph, 2% incline Minute 15: 6-8mph, 4% incline Minute 16: Recovery (walk or jog at 3-4mph, 0-1% incline) Minute 17: 6-8mph, 3% incline Minute 18: 6-8mph, 5% incline Minutes 19-20: Warm-down at the same sustained pace as your warm-up These are just a small selection of our favourite HIIT cardio treadmill workouts and hope that you feel the same way as us when you have given them a go. Do not hesitate to take our ideas and adapt your sessions to suit your fitness levels and goals. If you would like some information on the best treadmills available from UK Gym Equipment, please get in touch with a member of our team today.

If you want to get those gains, you must eat, sleep and live the gym life, right? Well, only half right, because here at UK Gym Equipment we are passionate about ensuring that everyone can achieve their fitness goals both in and outside of the traditional gym setting. Building muscle is much more than banging and clanging hundreds of pounds of iron day in and day out, there is a strategy to it and, if you aren’t targeting the correct muscles or utilising the proper technique, you can lift as much weight as you like. Here, we will introduce you to some of the best home workouts to build muscle that will see you getting those gains both with and without the use of traditional weights. In this post, we will include home workouts to build muscles without weights and exercises that make use of equipment such as dumbbells and weighted bags. You can either use the below exercise as a routine in itself or incorporate your favourite aspects into your muscle-building workout at home.  What You Will Need for Our Home Workouts to Build Muscle Dumbbells Weighted Bags Press-Up We have included the press-up on a few of our workout posts now, but the simplicity of this exercise along with the results it produces simply cannot be ignored. There are several variants of the press-up that you can, and should, utilise as part of your workout routine – regardless of whether you are working up a sweat at home or in the gym. The five types of press-ups we recommend are: Conventional press-up – standard press-up position with your hands placed flat on the floor shoulder-width apart Wide press-up – standard press-up position with your hands placed wider than shoulder-width Diamond press-up – standard press-up position with your hands placed centrally, close enough for your thumbs and index fingers to touch to form a diamond shape One-arm press-up – start in a standard press-up position and place one arm behind your back, using your standing arm to perform the exercise. Perform a set of 10-15 reps and switch arms Stair press-up – using your stairs (or a sturdy table if you do not have any stairs available), place your hands on a step at a comfortable level, place them a little closer than shoulder-width apart, and keep your body straight whilst staying on your toes. Perform the exercise, lowering your chest down towards the stairs and push yourself back up for one rep If like many, your current workout routine makes use exclusively of the conventional press-up, you are missing out on working much of the chest area. By incorporating all of the above variants of this simple yet effective exercise, you will notice a difference in the size and frame of your chest in a few weeks. Dumbbell Circuit It is probably fair to say that anyone who has ever tried their hand at strength-training has used a set of dumbbells at least once in their life. The go-to muscle-building workout for beginners in this instance is the bicep curl which, while it is an effective exercise, much like the conventional press-up it is far better as part of a series of workouts. To help you get the most out of that set of dumbbells you have got hidden away, the UK Gym Equipment team have compiled our favourite exercises to help build muscles in your arms. If your goal is to build arms that would leave Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson eager to learn your secrets, then take note: Standing Dumbbell Bicep Curl We know how this one works. Stand straight with your feet shoulder-width apart, a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing away from your body at waist height. Slowly curl your hands up towards your shoulders, working the bicep, and slowly return to the starting position. Slow and steady wins the race, with the resistance of a slow and constant movement helping to build strength. Standing Dumbbell Tricep Extension Whereas biceps normally get all the love, the triceps are often forgotten. Not in our circuit, where we make a point of working the triceps. For this, only one dumbbell is required. Standing up straight, hold one end of the dumbbell with both hands, making sure to keep your wrists locked. Hold the weight up above your head for the starting position and, gently, lower the dumbbell down behind your neck and back up again. Dumbbell Hammer Curl Once again, stand upright with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand placed down by your side. With your palms facing in towards your waist, curl the dumbbell up towards your shoulder one arm at a time. Lateral Raise As the name of this exercise suggests, this will work your lateral muscles, which are the largest in the upper body – so you mustn't disregard them. Starting in the same position as you would the dumbbell hammer curls, raise both arms out wide keeping them straight. Make sure to maintain proper form and engage the medial deltoid (the muscle which helps to lift the arm and move the shoulder) during this exercise. Seated Dumbbell Kickback At the end of this tiring dumbbell circuit, you can take a seat. Don’t get too comfortable though, because you still have one more exercise remaining. The seated dumbbell kickback once again works your lateral muscle and, while this may seem a simple exercise, we guarantee you will feel the burn coming off the back of the other exercises in this routine. Begin by sitting forward on the end of a bench (a stool will suffice) with a dumbbell in each hand at chest height. Kickback your arms, taking the dumbbells behind your back whilst keeping your arms straight, and bring them back to the starting position. Handstand Wall Walk This exercise requires no equipment other than a wall that you can utilise as part of the exercise. Before beginning, make sure your trainers are clean to avoid footprints on your wall! Adopt the push-up position with your feet up against the wall. Perform the exercise by walking your feet up the wall while walking your hands towards the wall until you are in a full handstand (or as close as you feel comfortable). Slowly, walking your feet down the wall and your hands back to the starting position to complete the rep. The core focus of this exercise is to build muscles in your shoulders, with extra gains to be had in your abdominals and triceps. Powerbag Squats By now, we all know what the benefits are of the squat, which builds core strength and balance. By adding in a weighted bag, this only intensifies the results. There are two variants of the powerbag squat, consisting of holding the bag on your shoulders in a fireman’s carry style and across your upper back. Conventional Powerbag Squat Adopting the traditional squat position, placing your feet a little more than shoulder-width apart, hold the weighted bag and position it across your shoulder, keeping your elbows tucked in as you do so. Perform the squat by bending your knees, lowering your body, and come back up again. It is important to maintain form during this exercise and engage your core for best results. Powerbag Back Squat Similar to the conventional powerbag squat, adopt the same position only this time you will be holding the bag on your back. As you hold the bag in position across your upper back, keep your elbows in tight. Perform the exercise as many times as you feel comfortable doing so. Achieving Your Goals With our selection of easy home workouts to build muscle, there is no excuse not to be hitting and exceeding your fitness goal. All the equipment mentioned in the above workout routines is available from UK Gym Equipment’s website. For more information on how our strength-training equipment can help you to achieve your goals, please do not hesitate to get in touch with a member of our team today for more information.

When working out from home, you might feel that getting a good leg workout without the gym is impossible. When you are unable to push the boundaries on the leg press at your local gym, there are still routines that you can perform at home which will aid muscle development and strength. All that you need is a leg workout plan which you can call upon to form part of your fitness regime that focuses more on balance and technique and rather than the actual weight you are moving. With home gym equipment available from UK Gym Equipment, there is never an excuse to skip leg day. Our series of leg workouts will work all of the main muscles in your lower half, such as the quadriceps, hamstring, adductor and calf muscles. If you are an avid runner, adding these exercises into your cross-fit sessions will help to reduce the risk of common injuries such as aggravated IT Band Syndrome, as well as improving your overall performance. What You Will Need for Our Home Leg Workouts Dumbbells Plyometrics Boxes Medicine Balls Calf Raise This first exercise is easy and doesn’t require any equipment at all, making for an ideal warm-up before you get well and truly stuck into your workout. The calf raise works both your hamstrings and glutes; plus, the more reps you complete the harder the exercise becomes as you begin to feel the burn in your calves. You can try to complete as many reps as you like, perhaps challenging yourself to better your previous total but, for beginners, we recommend trying two or three sets of 10 reps and seeing how you feel. You may also wish to perform this exercise whilst holding a light set of dumbbells to increase weight and resistance. If this begins to hurt, you should stop and rest, otherwise you may cause yourself an injury. Lunge This is an exercise that will sap away at your energy, working your quads, hamstrings and glutes – making it a favourite amongst personal trainers that love to push their clients' boundaries. The lunge features in most leg workout circuits and for good reason - it yields results. To perform this exercise, start with your feet shoulder-width apart and move one foot in front of the other, as though you are taking a big step, before gently lowering your back leg until the knee is bent approximately 90°. Gently return to your starting position and repeat on your opposite side. Again, you can elect to perform this exercise whilst holding dumbbells, but for beginners, we recommend focusing on perfecting the technique. Start with 10 reps per leg and, as you get stronger and more confident, push up the number of reps on each side. Stiff-Legged Deadlift For this exercise you will need a set of dumbbells, so if you elected to perform the other exercises with them then great, if not then it is time to get them out. If you are going straight into the stiff-legged deadlift after completing your set of lunges, prepare to feel the effects with this exercise that targets the glutes and hamstring muscles. Begin standing, holding a dumbbell in each hand with your knees bent slightly (keeping your knees bent throughout the exercise) before bending at your hips, lowering the weights down in a forward motion. Keep your core engaged and, when you begin to feel a stretch in your hamstrings, slowly and gently straighten your body back into the starting position. This exercise will yield better results when performed at a gradual pace rather than at speed, which will only increase your risk of injury. Beginners should aim for around three sets of 10, with those more experienced upping the number of sets and reps to suit. Squat Jump If you have access to plyometric exercise boxes then that is a bonus, otherwise, as long as you have space to jump backwards and forwards that will suffice. The squat jump will strengthen your thighs, glutes, hamstrings and calves as well as providing a cardiovascular workout. The explosiveness of this exercise will work wonders for increasing the strength in your lower muscles, which weightlifters will notice in their performance. Begin by standing in a squat position with a plyometric box in front of you (if you do not have one, ensure you have enough space to jump into) and jump onto the box. Carefully jump back down again and repeat the exercise. Beginners may aim for two sets of 10 reps, with those that are more advanced choosing to increase to around four or five sets. Single-Leg Hip Bridge Our final home leg workout exercise will see you make use of one of our favourite pieces of gym equipment, the medicine ball. The single-leg hip bridge works your glute muscles, as well as your hips and knee extensors. This exercise will also provide a solid workout for your core muscles, although that is not the focus of our home leg workout routine today. Begin lying on your back holding the medicine ball up in the air with both arms (slightly bending your elbows) and bend your knees. To begin, tighten your core muscles and lift one leg straight up in the air and thrust your hips up, with the weight of your body distributed on your grounded foot and shoulders – hold for one second and lower back down to complete one rep. This exercise will burn any energy you have left at the end of this circuit but still aim for two sets of 10 reps. If you are still feeling strong, go ahead and continue the exercise until you can do no more. All the equipment that make up our home leg workouts for mass and strength are available directly from UK Gym Equipment. For more information, please get in contact with a member of our team today.

Just because you aren’t able to hit the gym for whatever reason doesn’t mean you can’t take on an effective full-body workout. Our 30-day full-body workout challenge is the ideal introduction for those at the beginning of their fitness journey, gently easing you into a daily routine which increases in intensity day by day. This home workout challenge can be done at a time most convenient to you, meaning that you can complete the routine either first thing in the morning or as the last thing you do before you go to bed. Also, do not stress if your home is not giving your local gym a run for its money when it comes to equipment because the only thing you need is weights such as a barbell or dumbbells. The majority of the exercises in our 30-day workout challenge require nothing more than the motivation to push your limits and enough space to perform a plank and star jump. Exercise Mats Dumbbells The Exercises That Make Up Your Routine Our 30-day home workout challenge consists of six different exercises that will increase in the number of reps and time as the month goes on. These exercises are: 1.Push-Ups: 2.Squats: 3.Star Jumps: 4.Deadlifts: 5.Crunches: 6.Plank: These six exercises make for a full-body workout that will work all areas of the body without going out to the gym. If you have just a few minutes to spare, either because your work schedule dominates most of your time or you are at home looking after the children, each daily routine will only take just a few minutes to complete. What makes this an ideal workout challenge for beginners is that all of the exercises are generally very simple to execute, therefore being suitable for anyone regardless of their fitness level. As you work through the 30-day challenge and your level of fitness begins to improve, you will notice core areas of the body – such as your abdomen, chest and legs – become leaner and stronger, making it easier to hit your daily target. The 30-Day Full Body Workout Challenge Exercise Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Push-Ups 2 Reps 4 Reps 6 Reps Rest 8 Reps 10 Reps Squats 10 Reps 12 Reps 14 Reps Rest 16 Reps 18 Reps Star Jumps 10 Reps 12 Reps 14 Reps Rest 16 Reps 18 Reps Deadlifts 10 Reps 12 Reps 14 Reps Rest 16 Reps 18 Reps Crunches 20 Reps 25 Reps 30 Reps Rest 35 Reps 40 Reps Plank 1 Min 1 Min 10 Secs 1 Min 20 Secs Rest 1 Min 30 Secs 1 Min 40 Secs             Exercise Day 7 Day 8 Day 9 Day 10 Day 11 Day 12 Push-Ups 12 Reps Rest 14 Reps 16 Reps 18 Reps Rest Squats 20 Reps Rest 22 Reps 24 Reps 26 Reps Rest Star Jumps 20 Reps Rest 22 Reps 24 Reps 26 Reps Rest Deadlifts 20 Reps Rest 22 Reps 24 Reps 26 Reps Rest Crunches 45 Reps Rest 50 Reps 55 Reps 60 Reps Rest Plank 1 Min 50 Secs Rest 2 Mins 2 Mins 10 Secs 2 Mins 20 Secs Rest             Exercise Day 13 Day 14 Day 15 Day 16 Day 17 Day 18 Push-Ups 20 Reps 22 Reps 24 Reps Rest 26 Reps 28 Reps Squats 28 Reps 30 Reps 32 Reps Rest 34 Reps 36 Reps Star Jumps 28 Reps 30 Reps 32 Reps Rest 34 Reps 36 Reps Deadlifts 28 Reps 30 Reps 32 Reps Rest 34 Reps 36 Reps Crunches 65 Reps 70 Reps 75 Reps Rest 80 Reps 85 Reps Plank 2 Mins 30 Secs 2 Mins 40 Secs 2 Mins 50 Secs Rest 3 Mins 3 Mins 10 Secs             Exercise Day 19 Day 20 Day 21 Day 22 Day 23 Day 24 Push-Ups 30 Reps Rest 32 Reps 34 Reps 36 Reps Rest Squats 38 Reps Rest 40 Reps 42 Reps 44 Reps Rest Star Jumps 38 Reps Rest 40 Reps 42 Reps 44 Reps Rest Deadlifts 38 Reps Rest 40 Reps 42 Reps 44 Reps Rest Crunches 90 Reps Rest 95 Reps 100 Reps 105 Reps Rest Plank 3 Mins 20 Secs Rest 3 Mins 30 Secs 3 Mins 40 Secs 3 Mins 50 Secs Rest             Exercise Day 25 Day 26 Day 27 Day 28 Day 29 Day 30 Push-Ups 38 Reps 40 Reps 42 Reps Rest 44 Reps 46 Reps Squats 46 Reps 48 Reps 50 Reps Rest 52 Reps 54 Reps Star Jumps 46 Reps 48 Reps 50 Reps Rest 52 Reps 54 Reps Deadlifts 46 Reps 48 Reps 50 Reps Rest 52 Reps 54 Reps Crunches 110 Reps 115 Reps 120 Reps Rest 125 Reps 130 Reps Plank 4 Mins 4 Mins10 Secs 4 Mins 20 Secs Rest 4 Mins 30 Secs 4 Mins 40 Secs Our 30-day challenge includes a rest day after every three active days, which you can use either to kick back and relax on the sofa or to incorporate some cardio into your fitness regime. While the latter days of our challenge may look daunting now, by taking things one day at a time then we are confident that you will navigate your way through the UK Gym Equipment 30-day full-body workout, albeit whilst breaking a sweat! For more information on the range of fitness equipment available from our website please get in touch with a member of our team via the contact page. Alternatively, you can view our other workouts on our blog, giving you further inspiration on how you can achieve your goals both in and outside of the gym.

While you may be constantly told that to see the gains you want, you need to hit the gym whenever you can, that doesn’t necessarily mean its true. The same goes for those men that are more interested in losing inches around their waist as opposed to gaining around their biceps. Being able to hit the gym every day or every other day simply isn’t a possibility for many of us; with commitments such as having children to look after, hectic work schedules and being constantly on the move, finding the time for a trip to the gym isn’t always feasible. Not only that, but some simply prefer to workout in the comfort of their own home, and that is completely fine, too. Whether your goal is to lose weight or build muscle (or a combination of the two), an effective home workout routine for men and the equipment can be all you need to push you to your limit and see results. What You Will Need for our Home Workout Routines for Men Weighted Bags Suspension Training Air Bikes Full Body Weighted Bag Workout for Men The weighted bag is a fantastic piece of equipment that lends itself to all manner of workouts, greatly improving the effects of even the most basic of exercises. Acting as an ideal substitute for barbells, dumbells and even medicine balls in some cases, providing an excellent home workout routine for men. For the following workout routine, you should perform 20 reps of each exercise per set, allowing for between 30 and 45-second rest in between each set: Curtsy lunge Start with your feet shoulder-length apart, holding the weighted bag in both hands out in front, and move down slowly into a curtsy position until your thigh is parallel to the floor. You can perform either 10 straight reps on each leg or alternate to make up the 20 reps for this exercise. Make sure to keep your back straight and your abdomen tight to see the most benefit of the curtsy lunge. Burpee If you thought a regular burpee was difficult, just wait until you introduce the bag as part of the exercise. Begin in the upright position, holding the bag in front of you and place it down on the floor as you kick into the push-up position. Push up on the bag and bring your legs up and raise your body up and clean the bag up and raise overhead to complete one rep. The burpee is a full-body workout in itself and the weighted bag only intensifies this exercise. Snatch Replacing a barbell for a weighted bag, the snatch is an exercise that looks simple but can require some mastering to complete correctly. Standing upright with the bag being held down (hands facing towards your body), lift the bag up above your head and your arms raised up in one smooth movement, ensuring to keep your back straight to avoid injury - you could always wear a belt to help avoid this. The explosiveness of this exercise is fantastic for your body composition, as well as developing your balance which can easily be transferred over to other workouts which in turn help to improve your performance. Lateral pull Start in a push-up position with your arms straight out in front of you and the bag positioned underneath your torso. Pull the bag to the side with one arm for one rep and then the opposite arm for another rep. This exercise does wonder for defining the shoulder muscles, as well as your body’s overall balance. Suspension Training If your home lends itself for an area where you can install suspension training equipment, then you can introduce a whole new aspect to your home workout plan. Scientifically proven to improve total body strength, stability and heart health, you can introduce new elements to your favourite exercises. Here are our personal favourites, with the suspension element added for extra effect: Plank Place both feet inside suspension rings raise slightly off the floor and assume the push-up position. The suspension keeps your core straight which will work your abdominal muscles and burn fat in the process. Lunge Stand upright with one foot inside a low-raised ring and perform a lunge on your standing leg, alternating legs after 10 reps. Suspension press-up With the suspension rings hanging freely at chest height, grasp each ring and lean into them so as your body is at roughly 45 degrees. Keep your body straight with your hands shoulder-width apart and perform a push-up action. Pyramid Intervals Cardio makes up an important aspect of any men’s home workout plan and if you aren’t a fan of running or prolonged sessions on the bike, a HIIT session on an air bike is the ideal solution. In this period interval workout, you will work your way up to a 50-second sprint and back down again in under 10 minutes. First minute: sprint 10 seconds, rest 50 seconds Second minute: sprint 20 seconds, rest 40 seconds Third minute: sprint 30 seconds, rest 30 seconds Fourth minute: sprint 40 seconds, rest 20 seconds Fifth minute: sprint 50 seconds, rest 10 seconds Sixth minute: sprint 40 seconds, rest 20 seconds Seventh minute: sprint 30 seconds, rest 30 seconds Eighth minute: sprint 20 seconds, rest 40 seconds Ninth minute: sprint 10 seconds, rest 50 seconds By incorporating all or just some of the above exercises and gym equipment into your home workout, you will be well on your way to achieving your fitness goals. For more information on the range of equipment available on our website, please get in contact with a member of our team today on 01733 204430 or send us a message via the contact page.

Push your body to its limit with a women’s home workout plan that will see you burn calories, tone your body and have you feeling great and fully motivated to smash your next workout. The best part is, in order to achieve the same results a personal trainer would be proud of, you don’t need to dedicate a large amount of time in doing so, you just need to eat well, train smart and remember to rest – meaning that anyone can take the time to transform their body. It is understandable with a seemingly never-ending list of things to do during the day, that finding time for exercise doesn’t always feature highly your list of priorities. After all, when you take into consideration the time it takes to travel to and from the gym, as well as the workout itself, it can account for a good few hours of your day. That’s why, at UK Gym Equipment, we make commercial-standard equipment available to buy for personal use, increasing the quality and effectiveness of your home workout – helping you to meet your fitness goals sooner. What You Will Need for Our Home Workouts for Women Dumbbells Medicine Balls Exercise Mats Treadmills 10-Minute High-Intensity Core Workout This first workout will require no other equipment than a simple exercise mat, keeping your itinerary to the bare minimum. The challenge is simple: set the timer on your phone to 10 minutes and keep your body moving without any breaks as you take on the following exercises: 10 burpees 40 mountain climbers 20 squats 10 backward lunge jumps – right leg 10 backward lunge jumps – left leg 5 push-ups When you reach the end of the routine, keep repeating the cycle until the timer runs out. This home workout routine is fantastic for working your abdomen and your glutes to the maximum. While 10 minutes may not sound a long time, you can expect to feel the burn while burning a high number of calories - if you maintain the intensity throughout. If you feel as though you still have something left to give after this total body workout, you can easily incorporate this as a warm-up into your main workout or combine with any of the other workout ideas in this blog post. Medicine Ball Workout When it comes to body toning exercises for females, there are few better pieces of equipment than the trusty medicine ball. Ensuring that we put in the effort by upping the ante for any workout routine that it is a part of, the medicine ball can work wonders as part of your home workout. Below we have compiled a fantastic medicine ball-centric workout that you can perform in your home gym. Perform each of the following exercises as many times as you can for 45 seconds, allowing for a 15-second break before moving on to the next exercise in the routine. Lunge With Medicine Ball Pass Start off with a wide split stance with the medicine ball at chest height. Begin the motion by bending both of your knees into a lunge, passing the ball between your legs from one hand to the other. Straighten up your legs with the ball back at your chest to complete one rep. Alternate to the other side after your first 45 seconds. Bicycle Twist with Medicine Ball Just the same as a traditional bicycle twist, lying flat on your back with both of your legs raised off the ground and your knees bent. Hold the medicine ball in your hands above your chest and curl your body upwards, turning your torso so as your right elbow touches your left knee and vice versa in the next rep. Medicine Ball Deadlift Begin with your feet shoulder-width apart either side of the medicine ball placed on the floor, standing up straight. Keep your arms straight and bend your knees to pick up the ball, straighten up your knees and, keeping the medicine ball at arm’s length, bring it up to your thighs. Pause and repeat the motion, this time placing the ball back down on the floor between your feet to complete one rep. Plank with Medicine Ball Tap Begin in the traditional press-up position with the medicine ball placed on the floor in front of you. Hold the plank for the duration of the 45 seconds whilst tapping the top of the ball with alternating hands. Russian Twist with Medicine Ball This is a firm favourite amongst gym-goers who seek out the medicine ball, mainly because of the benefits this exercise has for working your abdomen. Whilst sitting on the floor with your knees bent at a slight angle and your feet off the floor, lean back at roughly a 45-degree angle whilst holding the ball to your chest. Tighten your core and rotate your torso from left to right, moving the ball from one side of your body to the other. Dumbbell-Treadmill Circuit With a combination of cardio and upper-body strength training, this dumbbell-treadmill circuit will provide an intensive home workout for any woman with access to equipment at home. This workout will see you jumping on and off the treadmill, performing reps with your dumbbells in between stints on the exercise machine. Five-minute warm-up: Walking on the treadmill at the pace of a brisk walk, maintaining good posture One-minute run: Increase the speed of the treadmill where you can run at a fair pace for a minute before getting off the treadmill One-minute dumbbell exercises: Perform any exercises with dumbbells weighted to suit you, such as a bicep curl, overhead press, triceps extension or any other favoured motion. Repeat for 60 seconds Repeat the circuit for 20 minutes. To make it extra challenging, why not experiment with increasing the speed of the treadmill each time you go back onto the machine Five-minute cool-down: Decrease the speed of the treadmill to a slow walk, allowing your body to cool down for the remaining five minutes of your workout These workout plans are designed so that any woman, or man, looking to reach and maintain their fitness goals can do so in even the tightest of schedules. If you would like some more information on the range of fitness equipment stocked by UK Gym Equipment, make sure to get in contact with our team today on 01733 204 430 or send us a message via the contact page here and we will get back to you as soon as we can.

When you are dedicated to your fitness regime but are hard-pressed for time, a quick 10-minute, targeted workout that you can use to get your heart racing is highly effective. Here at UK Gym Equipment, we can relate to the struggle of finding time to fit a workout in amongst a hectic day, but it is possible! In just 10 minutes, you can complete a quick full-body workout that will work all the major muscles in your body. This is ideal for high-flying professionals who struggle to even find time for breakfast, stay-at-home parents who are running around after the children all day and anyone who simply wants a quick daily workout routine they can perform at home when pushed for time. Below you will find quick home workout ideas that incorporate the use of gym equipment available online from UK Gym Equipment, as well as quick home workout routines that require nothing more than your body weight. What You Will Need for Our Quick Home Workout Routines Exercise Bikes Combat Gloves and Mitts Dumbbells Cotton Hand Wraps Punching Bags 10-Minute Interval Training From the comfort of your home, all it takes to work leg muscles such as your quadriceps and hamstrings, as well as calf muscles such as the gastrocnemius and soleus, is a high-intensity 10-minute workout on your exercise bike. HIIT training is fantastic for burning fat and building muscle and this quick home workout makes for the perfect start to a busy day. Begin your workout with a fast-paced warm-up cycle of 60-second without resistance. Move into 45-second sprints on high resistance, followed by 15 seconds of recovery with little to no resistance – repeat this eight times. End with a 60-second cycle like your warm-up to cool you down at the end of your workout. We recommend between three and five HIIT workouts per week for maximum results. Remember to take rests days as these are essential to allow your muscles to recover and grow. Daily workouts without allowing your body to rest increases the chance of injury – however, when you leave between 24 and 48 hours to recover, you will notice how much stronger your body feels as a result. Home Dumbbell Exercises If your goal is to increase muscle mass and strength as well as lose weight, these sets of dumbbell exercises can work your whole body and produce amazing results. All you need is a quality set of dumbbells in a range of weights you feel comfortable using and you can begin your 10-minute blast. Begin your workout with four sets of farmers’ walks over a 20m distance. Simply carry a dumbbell in each hand down by your sides and walk forward taking short quick strides as fast as possible. Complete two sets of 10 reps of bent-over rows, which will target a number of upper body muscles such as your biceps, lats, traps and rhomboids. Tighten your core, keep your back straight and head up as you bend over and pull the dumbbells up to you in a rowing motion. Remember to keep your elbows in! Next, complete two sets of 10 reps of the two-arm dumbbell stiff-legged deadlift. As shown in the above video, your starting position should be stood up straight, feet shoulder-width apart with your arms by your side with a dumbbell in each hand. First, bend down as though you are touching your toes, extending through the waist and slowly returning to your starting position. This exercise targets the lower half of your body, working to tone the muscles in your legs. Move into the one-arm swing, performing four sets of 10 reps in total, alternating between arms. As you move into a squat position, swing the dumbbell between your legs and swing your arm back up to head height as you raise from the squad. This exercise will work your shoulders, quadriceps, lower back and posterior chain, as well as working on the strength of your grip and coordination. Finally, end with 25 goblet squats to finish off your workout. Stand with your feet slightly further than shoulder-width apart and hold the dumbbell with both hands in front of the chest. Slowly drop into the squat and move back up into the standing position. Repeat this movement to feel the burn running through your glutes. Home Boxing Workout This workout can be completed either with a punch bag and gloves, or shadowbox for similar results. You simply do not know how fit you are until you turn your hand to boxing – even the fittest of athletes can find themselves blowing in the middle of a round of boxing, which is the king of intense workouts. This workout, at least on paper, is simple. Five 90-second rounds separated with 30 seconds of recovery time making for a solid 10-minute workout that will work every part of your body. Approach each round with full commitment for best results and utilise the proper technique, as simply throwing random punches at a punching bag can lead to unwanted injuries. To begin, you must adopt the correct stance, depending on whether you are right-handed (orthodox) or left-handed (southpaw). For an orthodox stance, your body should face towards the right (your left leg should be in front with the right leg behind), and your left hand should be leading in front of your right. This will be the opposite way around to adopt a southpaw stance. On the bag, there will be three main types of punches you will use: the jab, the hook and the cross. A jab is a straight punch thrown with the lead hand, while a hook is a punch to the side of the opponent’s head with the same hand. The cross punch is designed to be the most powerful with all the body’s weight behind the punch, thrown by the dominant hand which is placed either on or under the chin. The cross and jab are often combined for what is commonly referred to as a ‘one-two’. During each round of the workout, attempt as many punches as possible while remembering to remain mobile. Pretend that either the bag or your shadow is an opponent, incorporating dodges and weaves into your combinations. At the end of the five rounds, you can retire to the sofa for a well-earned rest. Remember, if you are using a punching bag you should wear hand and wrist wraps under boxing gloves as the heavy impact can lead to injury. Any of the above routines make for fantastic quick home workouts to lose weight that you can perform in around 10 minutes, easily fitting into even the busiest of schedules. For more information on the range of equipment available from UK Gym Equipment, please get in contact with a member of our team today.

Just like charity, fitness begins at home – with a healthy diet combined with daily exercise acting as the most effective means of burning off excess fat. If finding time to hit the gym is something that you struggle with, then no doubt being introduced to the best cardio exercises you can do at home will be something that interests you. With equipment that can fold away and stored easily after use, you needn’t worry about a lack of space hampering you from achieving your fitness goals. From treadmills to rowing machines to cross-trainers and exercise bikes, there is so much variety when it comes to cardio workouts at home that are suitable for beginners (as well as the more seasoned athlete) The UK Gym Equipment team, specialising in the world of fitness as they are, are well placed to offer professional advice to help you achieve your goals, as well as recommending the best equipment to get you there. What You Need for a Home Cardio Workout With each piece of equipment available, you can tailor a workout to suit your fitness goals. Whether you want to begin with easy cardio at home on your machine or want to up the ante to really work up a sweat, you will find something here for you. We present to you two different workouts for each machine option, differing in intensity, perfect for the days when you truly want to push yourself as well as recovery days when you just want to keep yourself active. To get the best results, it is recommended that you do 30 minutes’ worth of cardio three times a week mixed with a healthy balanced diet. Treadmill Workouts When you think of cardio, the faithful treadmill is likely one of the first exercise machines that will typically spring to mind. Running is one of the most popular activities for anyone looking to burn fat and lose weight, because you need only comfortable clothing and a pair of running trainers to take part. However, as we know all too well in the United Kingdom, the weather outside isn’t always the most inviting to hit the roads, and often the next best thing is to run indoors – and why not when you can do so from the comfort of your own home. Run/Walk 5K You have likely already heard of the Couch to 5K running program that is designed for those completely new to running looking to improve their physical fitness. This can be easily achieved on the treadmill, mixing running and walking in your workout with the goal of eventually being able to complete a 5K run, as well as gradually reducing your walking time as you become fitter over time. Begin by walking on your treadmill for five minutes to warm your muscles up nicely, and then alternate between running and walking every 60 seconds for 20 minutes. Depending on your fitness level, as well as the level you set yourself, this can work up quite a sweat. Sprinting/Jogging If it’s a high-intensity workout you crave on your treadmill, you can trade in the running and walking for sprinting and jogging in a HIIT (high-intensity interval training) workout. If you haven’t been running for very long, we highly recommend keeping to the running and walking workout whilst you build your physical fitness, as well as improving your running technique. For this HIIT workout, warm-up by walking or jogging for between five and 10 minutes on the treadmill before eight interval sprints. Sprint for 30 seconds as fast as you can before returning to jogging pace for 90 seconds (or 60 seconds depending on how you are feeling). Complete 8 x sets that will challenge your stamina and recovery rate, as well as providing a fantastic workout for your leg muscles. Cross Trainer Workouts Looking for a workout that will work the entirety of your body? If so, investing in a cross-trainer lends itself for results as the best cardio for weight loss at home. As a beginner, the cross trainer is a fantastic introductory machine because not only can you see results in a matter of weeks, but the low-impact nature makes this a suitable option for anyone that suffers from niggling injuries such as sore knees. Constant Pace – Alternating Between Forwards and Backwards Depending on your fitness level, aim for a constant pace for between 15 and 30 minutes at a good level of resistance. Used properly, the cross trainer will work your upper body as well as your lower half acting as a good overall strength trainer. Alternate between moving forwards and backwards on the machine, working the quadriceps and glutes as you pedal forward and the hamstrings and hip extensors as you pedal back. Interval Training Similar to the HIIT workout on the treadmill, the cross trainer also lends itself to a full-on high-intensity workout that will improve muscle strength, as well as providing the ultimate fat burning cardio exercise you crave. For this, warm your body up with five minutes of light peddling on the machine before introducing 10 x high resistance intervals. For our workout, ramp the cross-trainer’s level up high and pedal as fast as you can for 45 seconds, before returning the level down to low resistance for 45 seconds. Complete 10 sets and feel an almighty burn letting you know you it was a job well done. Remember to stretch your leg muscles out after completing interval training on the cross trainer so as you don’t suffer from stiff and sore muscles as a result of a build-up of lactic acid. Exercise Bike Workouts One of the most popular home cardio exercise machines, the bike makes for a practical means of working up a sweat whilst watching your favourite television shows. As well as that, the bike is always the cardio workout of choice for beginners at the gym due to its simplicity. 15-Minute Dash This quick 15-minute workout is ideal for beginners looking for a cardio workout at home, especially if you normally struggle to find time to exercise. Begin your workout with a five-minute warm-up by cycling at a high speed with little to no resistance. For the next five minutes, alternate between sitting and standing every 30 seconds – this might not sound like much, but you will soon feel your legs tire as you push on the pedals. With your leg muscles now nicely burning, turn the resistance level up high and cycle as fast as you can for 60 seconds before gradually turning the resistance down for the remaining four minutes of your workout. 30-Minute Interval Training Our final workout is one that will get your heart racing over the course of an intense 30-minute workout. We break this down into three parts, building intensity as we go, then gradually reducing the intensity over time. Cycle 1: We begin with a five-minute warm-up of fast peddling on low resistance. Next, peddle for 20 seconds on a medium resistance level followed by a lower level for 10 seconds. Do this eight times over (4 mins total).Finally, we spend 60 seconds cycling on a low resistance. Cycle 2: We cycle on medium to high resistance for 60 seconds, following by 60 seconds on low resistance. Repeat this five times (10 mins total). Cycle 3: Peddle for 20 seconds on a medium resistance followed by a low resistance for 10 seconds. Do this eight times over (4 mins total). Then we gradually cool down, reducing intensity for 6 minutes to end the workout. Any of the above workouts will act as a fantastic introduction for beginners looking to find the best home cardio exercises to kickstart their fitness regimes. This also demonstrates the flexibility of investing in a cardio machine that lends themselves to a wide variety of workouts of differing intensity, whilst being practical for homes with even the smallest of space. If you would like more information on the range of new and refurbished equipment available from UK Gym Equipment, please do not hesitate to get in contact with a member of our team today.

When it comes to building muscle and looking your best, a lot of people strive to get the Hollywood-style six-pack. Whilst this is by no means the definition of strength or athletic ability, it’s still undeniable that developing your core strength is an essential part of achieving overall fitness. Fortunately, most home ab workouts require basic equipment, if any at all, removing any need to go the gym and allowing the development of this muscle group to occur whenever you have half an hour spare. As suppliers for both professional gyms and home gyms around the country, the team here at UK Gym Equipment know plenty about what techniques can be used to achieve your goals, as well as the equipment that will get you there. Using this knowledge, we have put together a great home core workout for your abs and obliques, but before we get onto that, it’s important to be aware of what you will need. What You Will Need for This Workout Workouts can vary massively depending on your goals and needs. Often, at home workouts for your abs can be designed to remove the need for any equipment at all; however, this often cuts down the available exercises massively, meaning that you end up doing the same things repeatedly just with a very slight variation. We don’t want anyone to spend thirty minutes doing crunches, which is why our home ab workout includes a few basic equipment items that help broaden the available exercises. Pull Up/Chin-Up Bar Weight Plates Dumbbells Gym Ball Exercise Mat The Workout Complete this workout as a 3-round circuit, with 30-60 second breaks between exercises. The aim of this workout is to push your abilities so, particularly upon the first attempt, you can expect to fail and miss reps during certain sets. Hanging Leg Raises x 15 Targeting the lower abs, hanging leg raises are an intense and highly focused activity that will leave you with a burn. Start by hanging from the pull-up bar using whatever grip you feel most comfortable with. Your legs should be hanging straight down, though not so loosely that your body is swaying. From here, raise your legs whilst keeping them straight until they are forming a 90-degree angle with your body. Exhale during this movement and once completed, hold the position for at least a second before lowing your legs to their starting position, then repeat. The key to success in this exercise is being slow and measured. All actions should be deliberate and controlled. For those looking to take this exercise to the next level, consider holding a dumbbell between your feet; though, don’t add this weight prematurely as it could cause injury. Russian Twist x 15 Covering the full range of core muscles including the often-forgotten obliques, this exercise is a fundamental core activity that offers advantages and growth opportunities across the board. Begin by laying on your exercise mat with your knees bent and feet flat, or seated on an inflatable gym ball instead for an extra challenge. Lean back so that your body is at a 45-degree angle and keep your back straight. This can be challenging during the exercise but is key to getting the full benefits. Afterwards, reach out in front of you with your arms straight holding a weight plate (if you are missing one, a dumbbell or medicine ball will work) and contract your core muscles. This is the starting position for the exercise. From here, lift your feet off the ground and twist your body to a comfortable maximum, keeping your arms straight out in front of you and allowing them to travel with the rotating motion. Afterwards, twist to your maximum in the opposite direction and then repeat. Twisting in both directions is counted as a single rep. As always, control is key to avoid injury and maintaining time under tension is only beneficial for muscular development and growth. Dumbbell Crunch x 15 Unfortunately, whilst we want to avoid doing continual crunches, it’s still important to do some. A weighted dumbbell crunch is a great addition to any home core workout, regardless of length or time available. Start by laying on your exercise mat with your feet flat on the floor. Then, to reach your starting position, raise the dumbbell above your chest and hold it with both hands. If you do not have a dumbbell, a weight plate or medicine ball and can also be effective. Then, exhale and slowly curl your head, shoulders and chest upwards towards your legs, keeping the weight reached towards the ceiling. Return the starting position by slowly curling back downwards. Again, control and time under tension will help with muscular development and, for an additional challenge, considering raising your feet off the ground so that your legs form a 90-degree angle. Hanging Knee Raises x 15 Returning to the pull-up bar, hanging knee raises push your lower abdomen a little bit more. As with the previous hanging exercise, begin by hanging from the pull-up bar with your legs straight down. This is the starting position for this exercise. From here, bring your knees up to your chest in a slow and controlled manner, holding the contraction as they touch your abdomen. After a second or two, return to the starting position and then repeat. For additional difficulty, add a dumbbell between your feet or alter from a rep-based movement to a time-based routine and do a full minute-two minutes of knee raises. Plank – 1 minute Finally, conclude the circuit with a basic plank. Lay down in a prone position on your exercise mat, supporting your weight using your forearms and knees. Then, when you are ready to commence the exercise, lift your body onto your toes. Ensure that you keep your back straight throughout the exercise period. To increase difficulty, consider adding a weight plate or medicine ball to your back. Alternatively, you can simply plank for a longer period of time or raise an arm or leg to increase strain on certain areas and offer an imbalance. That’s all there is to it. Using this simple but effective home workout for your core and abs, you can start generating the growth and definition where you want it. It’s important to note though, muscle development is as much about diet as exercise so be sure to pair this routine with effective nutrition to see the best results. If you are looking to complete your home gym, or simply grab that piece of equipment you’ve always wanted for yourself, be sure to explore our range of strength training apparatus. At UK Gym Equipment, we specialise in offering both new and refurbished fitness equipment options so whatever your needs or budget, we can help. Don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any queries.