Strength & conditioning gear for home workouts

Small, easy-to-store tools that make bodyweight training at home harder and add short cardio blocks, without a room full of machines. The Umbro power band is a 208 cm loop rated at 15 kg, long enough for squats, rows and presses, and it can assist pull-ups on a sturdy bar. The Umbro push-up bars let you keep your wrists straight and go deeper at the bottom of each push-up. The LongFit Sport ab wheel is made for rollouts, one of the most demanding core exercises, and the XQ Max Speed Pro skipping rope, with adjustable length, fits a warm-up or interval session into a small space.

Choosing your first pieces

Match the tool to what you can already do. The ab wheel suits people who hold a solid plank; start from your knees and roll out only a short distance. The light 2 kg Umbro kettlebell has a plastic shell and is meant for warm-ups, halos and learning kettlebell basics, so plan to add heavier weights as you get stronger. Set the rope to your height before the first session, and check the band for nicks or thin spots before every use.