I wonder what fitness equipment you have around your house at the moment. Maybe an old set of dumbbells, a skipping rope, some ankle weights, a mat, a bench or a fitball? And if you have this kit, is it ready for action? Has it been used recently?

It is an integral part of turning over a new leaf in your fitness regime. You plan what you want to achieve and then go out and buy the kit that will help you reach your goals. Then, for whatever reason, the kit does not get used. Maybe you do not know quite what exercises to do with it. You may be worried about getting it wrong and injuring yourself or perhaps you just do not have the space or the time for exercising at home. Then the weights gather dust, the exercise bike ends up with clothes strewn over it, and the multi-gym sits in the garage getting rusty.

Spending money on unnecessary fitness kit is frustrating and the equipment can end up haunting you and making you feel guilty for spending the money and not using it. All this can be prevented by asking yourself a few questions before you part with any cash.

If I buy this piece of fitness equipment, what will I actually do with it?

Where will I use this kit?

Where will I store this kit?

If I were to use this kit in the next seven days, when would I use it and what would I use it for?


If you cannot answer these questions quickly and easily, keep your money in your pocket. If you cannot think of what you would do with the kit, you need to do more research before you buy. You need to be able to visualize yourself putting your kit into action. Where will you be? In the bedroom, the living room, the garden? Can you imagine yourself using your kit around the house? If you cannot, chances are, you never will. You need to have somewhere handy you can store your kit. If possible it is good to get it out of sight so that your house still feels like a home and not a gym, but not so out of sight that it is out of mind as well. All home fitness kit should be hidden when you want it to be, and accessible when it is time to use it.

Finally, think about when you will be able to get started with your new kit. If you cannot find an opportunity to use it within the next seven days, the chances are that you will not be using it much beyond this first week.

Think carefully about the fitness programme you are about to embark on and what exactly you have decided it will consist of. Then you can clearly decide what kit, if any, you need to buy.

The options for exercising at home are endless and the main benefit is that you can create a time efficient workout regime with no travel time. With planning, a home fitness routine can be very effective. For more information on where to buy your kit, please refer to the fitness resources section at the end of the site.