The Olympic season had honestly got me super fitness-oriented! Since then, I’ve been making efforts to work out regularly, eat cleaner, hydrate abundantly, and move my body about as much as I can. COVID-19 has made hitting the gym nearly impossible, so I always turn towards home workouts, and they definitely do wonders. But having the right exercise equipment at home is a must. This prevents injuries and ensures we work out in the correct and safe manner, without pushing or damaging our bodies. In an ode to Olympic season, and to all of us getting fitter this year (hopefully), we’ve curated a collection of super fun and functional exercise equipment for you! Getting fit while being confined to your home has never been easier!
COVID-19 gave the entire world a shock we are not soon to forget and addressing climate change while making it accessible is essential, and WZMH Architects is leading with innovative solutions like mySUN. This compact microgrid, developed with Ryerson University, transforms biking into an energy source capable of powering devices and lighting via a solar bike called the Sunrider. mySUN relies on a plug-and-play system, converting biomechanical power into stored energy. An average cyclist can generate 100 to 150 watts, which is enough to illuminate a 300-square-foot space for a day. By blending human and solar energy, mySUN offers a practical and sustainable approach to reducing fossil fuel reliance while allowing you to meet your work from home workout requirements.
This smart spin bike by PlayPulse breaks the norm of following the exercise instructions on the 24-inch display of the machine – replacing it with an interface for watching Netflix. Yes, that’s right it’s not a spoof! To continue binge-watching, you’ll have to keep pedaling, or else, the screen blacks out and the video stops playing. PlayPulse One also comes with four pre-loaded games when you get bored of over-watching content on Netflix. These games including tank battles, bumper cars, and street racing – work with the same mechanics – the more you pedal, the better you perform in the particular game.
Developed from a collaboration between personal trainers and product designers, AIIR was designed to reduce joint stress and promote healthy posture. Contained within an 8.5″ x 6″ travel case, AIIR Flow is the smaller of the two workout kits and comes with two durable, carbon-steel push-up bars so you can get an arm and chest workout anywhere. The push-up bars come with spring-loaded, folding supports that dislodge from and fold inside both ends of each handle for ultimate portability. The push-up bars pack down to the size of a water bottle and can support up to 300lbs when in use. Each handle was designed to be ergonomic and promote healthy posture through a slightly inclined and elevated build.
The ARENA creates a workout system that can be used across over 300 movement types and in tandem with multiple styles from strength training to cardio, HIIT, athletic training, conditioning, weight-loss, and even recovery. ARENA provides a physical platform for you to work out on, while a motor-controlled high-performance cable passes from within it, giving you the ability to simulate a variety of exercises. The cable is controlled by algorithms within the ARENA that can simulate any force curve as well as dynamically adapt to users speed of movement to help you achieve your desired training result (muscle gain, weight-loss…).
In order to make a kettlebell as inconspicuous as any other living room product, a team of designers created Hi Moon, a circular kettlebell that could easily pass for a modern vase or piece of ceramic artwork. Hi Moon would look right at home beside a small bouquet of flowers or even on the windowsill. Available in three muted colors, Hi Moon comes in coral-green, cloud grey, or peach orange. The array of available color options gives Hi Moon a versatile edge, fitting into several home color and design schemes. No matter where you’re working out at home, Hi Moon adds a touch of style to every home gym and living room.
Perhaps one of the most ingenious uses of patterns I’ve seen in a while, the Kyoma Yoga Mat from 1026 Studio comes with a neat set of graphics printed onto it. However, look closer and they’re actually a catalog of 118 exercises/postures for you to choose from! Fulfilling the role of a mat as well as an instructor, the Kyoma Yoga Mat really gives you a neat menu of positions to choose from. The mat’s graphics are split into two distinct categories with 59 stretching exercises and 59 yoga postures, and there’s even a Kamasutra edition with 59 poses, but hey… we’re a family-friendly website. Go look it up on your own if you want.
Meet the CLMBR, it’s a combination of an elliptical trainer, a bench-press, a stationary cycle, and has elements of cardio dancing, HIIT training, and even rock-climbing in it. Designed to give every single muscle in your body an intense workout, the CLMBR helps 60% more calories than running, rowing & bike workouts… and its vertical design allows it to fit into the smallest of homes and rooms. On the floor, the CLMBR occupies roughly 3×3 feet of space or about as much as two doormats. Most of the CLMBR’s gear is oriented vertically, which allows it to do two things – A. Occupy a fraction of the space of a home-gym yet give you all of it, and B. Use gravity to its advantage to make your workouts more intense and effective.
Designed as a response to several restrictions imposed during the lockdown, the NIKE AIRBUDDY is a conceptual drone that ‘spots’ you while you exercise. It can be carried around via a shoulder strap located on the base of the drone and can be deployed anywhere. Once in the air, the drone connects with your Nike Fitness App and tracks your performance, giving you a comprehensive breakdown of your routine at the end. The drone embodies a clean, sophisticated design language, with 4 rotors branching out of a capsule-shaped body. The drone’s body is outfitted with a single camera that acts as a watchful eye, observing every movement you make like a trainer would.
Merging the home gym with storage capabilities, the Stoyka from product design studio Dydykin is a power rack for the modern home designed to look like high-end furniture. Since physical fitness has become integral to our daily routines, the purpose behind Stoyka aims to strike a balance in using living spaces as fitness studios. In finding that harmony, the designers behind Stoyka integrated a storage system into the power rack, which slides out from behind the power rack’s rear wall. These sliding racks carry enough room to store the power rack’s barbells, round weighted plates, as well as rack accessories like support beams and spotter’s arms.
No hate on Peloton, but the Ciclotte Bike has a strong potential to take over the market with its sleek and space-saving design. The Dyson-inspired aesthetics give it a big edge over the traditional stationary bikes, this almost looks like an accent piece for your living room! The new normal has enforced us to take a hard look at our indoors – and reinvent the services we depended on that are outside our home. One of the major hits in this scene was the gym and fitness department. Not only were your local yoga studios and power workouts now out of the picture, but we also had to look deep inside and bring in the discipline needed to pull this on an everyday basis minus the peer pressure of missing a class.
