6 fitness machines for home

With which you shape your body

You dream of a well-equipped home gym, including a lat pulldown machine, shoulder press and all the other strength training equipment you know from the gym. The problem: These devices are bulky, difficult to assemble - and quite expensive. Luckily, there are space-saving and inexpensive alternatives that allow you to easily do important basic exercises to build muscle and tone your body at home. Read now which six pieces of fitness equipment are a must-have in your home gym and how best to use them!

Meeting your buddies, sweating together during functional training in the open area or pumping up muscles in the classic way on the leg press, abdominal bench and butterfly machine - if you regularly do muscle building training, you'll have your workout routine in the gym firmly under control.

But what if your studio is closed or you want to spontaneously fit in a little workout session at home without putting in a lot of effort? Then luckily there are small, “home workout-friendly” devices or training accessories that you can use to effectively get your body into shape at home.

Fitness equipment for home offers you many advantages.

They are …

• Can be used in a variety of ways - with just one device you can do many different exercises and train different muscles.
• quickly stowed away and ready to use again without much effort - for a flexible and uncomplicated workout, even in small apartments.
• Easy to assemble , if assembly is required at all - highly recommended for athletes with little manual skills, or if you are not allowed to drill into your walls.

Discover our six favorite small fitness devices here to bring the gym into your living room!

Home Workout Favorite #1: Kettlebell

• Price range (approx.): between €5 and €100
• trained: exercise-dependent muscle groups of the entire body

Kettlebells are kettlebells that train your biceps, triceps, but also your abdominal and butt muscles. They are perfect for your home workout: They are handy and small enough to simply disappear into a deep drawer when you don't need them.

You can get them in the beginner-friendly version from four kilograms in weight, up to the version for advanced users with a weight of up to 48 kilograms. Which weight is right for you depends on your individual fitness level .

Tip for beginners: Try out different weights and train with one that neither under nor overwhelms you. Especially as a muscle building beginner, you should first learn how to correctly perform exercises with weights such as kettlebells in order to avoid injuries and build muscles effectively and sustainably.

By the way: You can optimally support your muscle building with vegan protein sources**. You can get the Plant Protein from Dextro Energy* in delicious varieties such as Vanilla and Chocolate-Nut , which do not contain any added sugar or aspartame . Ideal as a shake before or after training - or in between.

Building muscle with kettlebells: This is how it works

Effective fitness equipment for at home: With the help of kettlebells you can build targeted muscles.

A basic kettlebell exercise that you can easily master even as a beginner is goblet squats. With this exercise you target your glutes and your front thighs. Important: Always keep your spine neutral and only go deep enough that your pelvis doesn't tip backwards - this will help you avoid lumbago or lower back pain.

It's very easy:

• Step one: Stand so that your legs are shoulder-width apart. Hold a kettlebell in front of your chest - as if you were holding a cup you want to drink from with both hands.
• Step two: Lower your butt slowly and in a controlled manner. To do this, bend your knees and hips. Only sit low enough so that your pelvis does not tilt and your lower spine remains neutral. Keep your elbows up the entire time.
• Step three: Push yourself back up. Work less from your back and more from your lower body.

We advise beginners to repeat the exercise 20 times . Advanced users can use a higher weight and reduce the repetitions to six to twelve.

Home Workout Favorite #2: Dumbbell

• Price range (approx.): between €3 and €30
• is particularly suitable for: biceps, triceps, shoulders, chest and upper back

Dumbbell is English and means “dumbbell”. Most of the time, dumbbells are used in pairs so that you hold a dumbbell in each hand. You can usually get a few dumbbells weighing 2.5 to 25 kilograms per dumbbell cheaply in a package. Training with dumbbells primarily strengthens your upper arms, but also your shoulders, chest and upper back .

A cheap DIY alternative to the dumbbell: two bottles filled with water . You can use 0.5 liter or 1 liter bottles and add as much water as you want. The more water in the bottle, the higher the weight. And the higher the weight, the more intense your workout.

Our tip for beginners: Try out a weight that challenges you - but don't overdo it. But you don't necessarily have to lift heavy weights to get the most out of your workout. For certain exercises, two to two and a half kilograms of weight is enough for effective training. Also, instead of increasing the weight, you can simply perform exercises more slowly to increase the difficulty.

Building muscle with dumbbells: This is how it works

Both beginners and advanced users can integrate dumbbells into their home workouts. Try dumbbell shoulder presses. This exercise strengthens the deltoids, the muscles above the shoulder joint , and your triceps.

And that is how it works:

• Step one: Stand so that your legs are shoulder-width apart. Slightly tense your butt and stomach.
• Step two: Lift both dumbbells and hold them in front of you at shoulder level. Keep your back straight as you lift.
• Step three: Press the dumbbells above your head. Allow your shoulder blades to rotate freely. Keep your back completely straight - don't lean backwards or arch your back.
• Step four: Lower the dumbbells back to the starting position in a controlled manner. You can also do the exercise in a slightly wide lunge or sit down for even more stability.

Depending on your fitness level, you can repeat the exercise up to 20 times for three to five sets .

Would you like a high-protein snack after exercise? Then we recommend a protein bar like Cream'n Crunchy from Dextro Energy*, which you can get in peanut caramel or hazelnut nougat varieties. It contains 14 grams of protein per bar , which contributes to an increase in muscle mass and the maintenance of muscle mass and normal bones**.

Home Workout Favorite #3: Weight Cuffs

• Price range (approx.): between €5 and €30
• trained: exercise-dependent muscle groups of the entire body

Weight cuffs are cuffs filled with weights that you attach to your wrists or ankles while exercising . The cuffs slow down your arm or leg movements during your workout. This means that you have to use a lot of strength to perform exercises correctly. And this in turn promotes rapid muscle building.

Not only with a vegan diet, but also with a conscious and plant-based diet, Plant Protein Powder in the varieties Chocolate Nut or Vanilla is the optimal support for effective muscle building**. Ideal as a shake after training or in between for your plant-based protein supply.

Do you already have weight plates at home and don't want to invest in additional weight cuffs ? Then you can also train with weight plates that you tie with a belt. But then be very careful. Because: The weight may end up on the floor when you perform certain exercises such as kickbacks.

Building muscle with weight cuffs: This is how it works

The glute kickback effectively strengthens your bottom. Important, especially for beginners: perform the exercise slowly and in a controlled manner . This will reduce your risk of lower back pain.

It's best to do this:

• Step one: Place weight cuffs around your ankles and get into a quadruped position.
• Step two: Slightly tense your abdominal muscles and keep your pelvis neutral, i.e. not tilted towards your stomach, back or to the side.
• Step three: Keep the knee of your working leg bent and lift the sole of your foot toward the ceiling until your hips are extended to your side.
• Step four: Return to the starting position.

Repeat the exercise up to 40 times for two to three sets per leg. Advanced users can increase the difficulty: hold the top position for five seconds.

Home Workout Favorite #4: Weighted Vest

• Price range (approx.): between 10 and 100 €
• trained: exercise-dependent muscle groups of the entire body

A weighted vest, as the name suggests, is a vest that has weights sewn into it or contains replaceable weights in tightly closed pockets . It can weigh up to 50 kilos.

The advantage of training with a weight vest: You can easily increase the difficulty of exercises such as pull-ups, dips or squat lunges. Many bodyweight exercises can be easily made more difficult.

You'll have to dig a little deeper into your pockets for a high-quality weighted vest - but the investment is worth it. When you workout at home with a weight vest, you effectively strengthen various muscle groups, including your stomach, legs and back . If the price of a high-quality model is too high for you, you can also buy the weights individually and wear them close to your body in a tight piece of clothing.

Important: The pockets of the vest should be lockable. This way you can make sure that the weights don't fall on your feet while you're exercising. By the way, you can wear the vest not only for strength training, but also for endurance training , so that you can train your posture and burn more calories even when walking slowly .

Building muscle with a weight vest: This is how it works

You can basically do any exercise when you wear a weight vest - including classics like pull-ups, push-ups or sit-ups. However, make sure that you have mastered the basic technique of the exercise before performing it with additional weights. This way you avoid injuries and incorrect strain.

Rowing under a table, English: Table Rows , with a weight vest particularly strengthens your trapezius muscle, rhomboid muscle and your rear shoulder.

Thats how it works:

• Step one: Crawl under a sturdy dining table and reach around the outside edge with your arms. Your body forms a line from your heels to your shoulders. Make sure your hips are extended and your abdominal muscles are tight.
• Step two: Using the strength of your back and back shoulder, pull yourself toward the edge of the table with your chest.
• Step three: Lower yourself back down in a controlled manner until your arms are straight. In the lowest position, let your shoulder blades slide loosely around your torso. Make sure your hips and lumbar spine are still in neutral position before starting a new repetition.

Repeat the exercise up to ten times. The more weight you add, the more challenging - but also more efficient! – the workout. Our tip for beginners: Try out different weights and work your way up to your optimal training weight step by step.

Home workout favorite #5: Theraband

• Price range (approx): between €3 and €17
• trained: exercise-dependent muscle groups of the entire body

It is not for nothing that physiotherapists have been recommending the Theraband, a supple and elastic band made of latex , for years to build back muscles. This can atrophy due to long periods of work-related sitting at a desk . Training with the Theraband is particularly gentle: movements can take place smoothly - this protects muscles and joints.

Building muscle with the Theraband: This is how it works

The Theraband is a real all-rounder. You can use it to strengthen and shape your entire body, for example your back and shoulders - depending on which exercise you choose. With T-Pulls, English: Band Pull Aparts, you particularly strengthen your upper back .

Do this:

• Step one: Hold the band in front of you at shoulder height with your arms straight.
• Step two: Pull the band apart until your arms are in line with your body at the sides.
• Step three: Return to the starting position, keeping your elbows straight the entire time.

Repeat the exercise at least ten times, depending on your training level. By the way: The band is available in different strengths . The higher the level of strength, the higher the resistance, i.e. the external load that the muscles have to work against. And higher resistance means a particularly intense workout.

You can tell how high the resistance is by the color of the band. We advise advanced strength athletes: choose a Theraband in blue or black - for a particularly intensive workout. As a beginner, which Theraband you choose depends primarily on the exercise. If you have a rather petite build, you would be well advised to go with a yellow or green ribbon.

Home Workout Favorite #6: Bosu Ball

• Price range (approx.): between €50 and €280
• trained: exercise-dependent muscle groups of the entire body

A Bosu ball is an air -filled rubber hemisphere that is attached to a sturdy wooden or plastic plate . This training device is a little larger than, for example, a handy dumbbell - but you can still store it quite easily if you let a little air out of the hemisphere and store it under your bed.

By the way, the Bosu Ball has been popular for several years - not only for workouts in the gym, but also for at home . This is because, among other things…

• strengthens your core,
• trains your sense of balance and
• also conjures up a tight butt for you.

Are you looking for an affordable alternative? Then you can also train your balance on a thick foam mat – also called a balance pad. Stand on one leg and close your eyes. You can get the pad from around €30.

Building muscle with the Bosu Ball: This is how it works

With forearm support, English: planks, you can effectively strengthen your muscles and get your body in shape. If you use a Bosu ball and rest your forearms on it, you have to balance more - this trains your core and your abdominal muscles also have to work harder.

It's very easy:

• Step one: Form a line with your body, from shoulders to heels. Make sure your knees and hips are extended. Tighten your abdominal muscles.
• Step two: Hold on – until your timer goes off.

Try to work your way up to 60 to 90 seconds. Does that come easy to you after a certain amount of time? Then do the exercise on one leg – for an even more intense workout .

Fitness equipment for home: Build muscles effectively

No matter whether you want to define your upper arms, shape your butt or work on your six-pack, you can do it easily with home fitness equipment such as dumbbells, a Theraband or the Bosu Ball. Our six home workout favorites are perfect for your future new home gym. Try it now!

 

* Smart mix with high protein content, no added sugar (NATURALLY CONTAINS SUGAR).
** Proteins contribute to the maintenance and increase of muscle mass and the maintenance of normal bones.

Note: A varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle are important.