Decathlon, Go sport, specialized websites … The devices, previously reserved for gyms are now accessible and widely distributed. Result: difficult to make the right choices in front of the multitude of the offer. To guide us, we asked the opinion of Alexandre Demarle, high-level sports coach and founder of my Favourite Coach. To read before rushing on the first sports shop!
Having an athlete’s body without leaving home is possible! But provided you choose the right equipment. Interview of a sports coach.
How to equip oneself for fitness at home?
There is no need to invest in high end hardware. Some accessories are perfectly sufficient. The base: a gym mat and 3 types of balls, a soft ball about 20 cm for cladding and balance, a Swiss ball of 55 cm for back work and balls weighted 10 cm. Weighing from 500g to 3kg, they are used as dumbbells to develop and strengthen the muscles of the upper body.
Advantage: they do not damage the floor in the event of a fall.
Elastic bands or tubes, many used in physiotherapy, are the last essential elements. Very effective for muscle building and stretching, they cling to a ramp or door and can be carried everywhere. No more excuses for not playing sports on a trip!
With which budget?
From 150 $, we can have a set of good quality from professional manufacturers like Thera Band. So equipped, taking a few lessons with a coach is the best way to get started and get to know the basic exercises.
What do you think of fashionable powerplates and other luxurious devices and design?
Power Plate, Kinesis Personal, Personality Gym … Hard to resist these sublime and high tech equipment. But are they as functional as they are beautiful? These machines are efficient and good in themselves.
The concern lies more in the use we make of it. Unless you already have advanced sports practice, they require professional coaching. Without this, we risk using it badly and at worst getting hurt. For the Power Plate, an unbalanced platform that only works on the postural, the intervention of a physiotherapist is ideal.
Should we vary the exercises a lot?
The pitfall to avoid in home fitness is the partitioning. One tends to practice a single activity. The best is to vary and alternate cardiovascular exercises with a bike, a treadmill, and work-out, stretching, with the basic equipment or devices listed above.
Are game consoles with multiple sports the solution?
Not so sure, unfortunately … Intelligently designed and fun, they are perfect for fun and romp with friends or family. But they do not replace a real sporting activity.
