At home gym wear and equipment

(Image courtesy of Huffington Post UK)

The prospect of spending the next month at home again is a daunting prospect for many of us. Lockdown can be a lonely place and it’s times like these that we need to look after ourselves and exercise is a great for your mental and physical wellbeing. Just because the gyms are closed, doesn’t mean we can’t keep active. If like us find yourself trawling the internet for fitness videos you can follow along to at home, you may need some equipment to fully feel the burn of your workout! Even if you’re not leaving the house, it can lift your spirits to put together a stylish co ord while you smash your workout. Feeling good on the outside can be the motivating factor in helping you to feel good on the inside so we’ve compiled a handy list of where to find cute and affordable workout outfits.

BO+TEE

If you haven’t already come across the brand BO+TEE then today is your lucky day! This brand has only been around for less than a year but has already gained popularity with its colourful and stylish gym wear that you can sport in your living room or feel confident in at the gym when they reopen. We’ve all experienced leggings which look amazing in a bright colour or print but after a few wears, start to go thin and lose their elasticity. You can count on BO+TEE’s leggings having thick material that holds you in all the right places so you don’t feel self-conscious. They always have some sort of promotion on and they also offer student discount! Make sure to keep an eye out for Black Friday sales as well!

(Images courtesy of Twitter)

Missy Sport

This sportswear brand has received very glowing reviews, with customers raving about the quality and its accurate sizing. The range includes leggings, sports bras and shorts in various bright and fun colours. Their sets are perfect for any type of workout you want to do and can even be worn as loungewear while you spend your days at home. Missysport sportswear

(Image courtesy of Missyempire)

Women's Best

Women's Best is a great website to get all things regarding health and fitness. Their products cover beauty, nutrition and of course clothing. Their gym wear is worn by many influencers due to their great quality and flattering fit. Their sports bras offer great support so you can exercise feeling comfortable and secure. They having sizes ranging from XS to XXL , so anyone and everyone can feel good when working out. They even have up to 70% off all their products because of Black Friday, so it's a great excuse to invest in some new gym fits!

(Image courtesy of Women’s Best)

Gym trainers

(Image courtesy of Coachmag)

Having the right trainers is essential to ensuring you can comfortably exercise don’t incur an injury. The type of trainer you choose depends on what type of exercise you do the most. If you’re interested In lifting heaving weights, you need to have a firm and flat grip to the ground, I would recommend buying flat-soled shoes. Converse are a great example.

If your exercise routine is more cardio based , like HIIT workouts then you need supportive shoes that are light so that you don’t feel the weight of the trainers when jumping around and your hips, knees and back are supported. Or, if you’re a keen runner then running shoes are of course the best trainers for you.

I would recommend having a look in Sports Direct, they offer a wide range of trainers for all types of workouts and at a reasonble price. Sometimes you don’t need the most expensive trainers from the expensive brands, your trainers just provide you with the support you need to work out comfortably.

Gym Mats

(Image courtesy of USA Pro)

Another great piece of equipment to have when exercising is a mat. Having a good quality mat means that you will limit the risk of hurting yourself when working out and it gives you good grip if you don’t wear trainers when exercising. You can buy mats from a wide range of retailers including Amazon, Argos and even Missguided. I have the USA Pro Yoga mat for £9.99 which is sold at SportsDirect, it can be used for yoga, pilates, core straining and strength training. It provides good padding and is light weight so can be taken with you anywhere. If you’ve invested in some fun new gymwear, you’ll want to have the equipment to match to get the most from your workout. Good gymwear and good equipment is a great combo to achieve an effective workout. Here are some tips of where to find gym equipment at the moment and ways you can get creative with it.

Resistance bands

If you’re looking for good quality resistance bands that don’t snap or stretch when you use them then let me recommend for you these from Amazon. I use them myself and they are thick and sit securely on my knees without rolling up. For £15.99 you get 3 bands with different resistances so that you can build up your strength. These are great to use during any leg and glutes workout!

(Image courtesy of Amazon)

I know that I personally found it difficult to find equipment such as dumbbells and kettlebells during the first lockdown due to low stock levels. I recommend looking at advertising platforms such as Gumtree, Shpock and Facebook marketplace to find second hand equipment in your area that is still in good condition! Or, if you are on budget you can get creative and use water bottles as weights. During the first lockdown I used a 5L bottle as a kettlebell and two 2L bottles as dumbbells and they worked brilliantly.

Hopefully lockdown 2.0 will only be temporary and we’ll be able to get back to the gyms and normal life soon. We help our tips will help you to look after yourselves physically and mentally. For tips on at home workouts, see our recent article here https://www.inquiremedia.co.uk/single-post/2020/10/23/Student-friendly-at-home-workouts

Let us know how you get on via our Instagram - @inquirekent.