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When starting an exercise programme at home, the most basic toy you could buy is a skipping rope. A skipping rope is a tried and tested piece of equipment which is relatively inexpensive and easily portable. Not only will it help to improve your cardiovascular fitness, it will help you burn calories while conditioning your muscles. You can build your collection from there by adding dumbbells, balls, balancing equipment and exercise tubing.

Keep your programme fresh by constantly varying the equipment you use.

Dumbbells

These are among the most basic exercise tools you can buy to start your body conditioning programme. There are a number of different exercises you can do with them. You will need different weights as you increase your fitness and strength, and it makes exercising easier when you have a few different weighted sets at hand.

Stability ball

If you’re looking to develop your core strength, you can’t go wrong with a stability ball. It will help you develop your balance and your body strength. Stabilising exercises done with a stability ball will also help you improve your joint health.

Medicine ball

Various throwing exercises using a medicine ball will help improve your power, strength, flexibility, stability, speed and co-ordination. They will also help you improve general everyday movements like bending, rotating and shifting ‑ besides helping you improve your balance.

Balancing equipment

There are several products on the market that can help you improve your balance, from wobble boards to half-round domes to balancing pads. A balance board torques and twists while you exercise, giving you a total body workout. You can use it while stepping, standing or lying.

Tubing

An exercise band or tubing can help you work on most muscle groups and, depending on the exercise, it can help you improve your stability and balance. Tubing has handles on the ends of a length of stretchy rubber and comes in various strengths, depending on the level of difficulty required. Some exercise tubing can be attached to doorjambs.

Tags: exercise, exercise machines