Buying Guides
Navigate the best Black Friday deals with our top picks on your healthy must-haves
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Fitness Technology
Health and fitness products are something that shoppers have got wrong for years. Tempting the vulnerable with miracle solutions and time-saving short cuts, they rarely do what they say on the tin. Somewhere in your dad’s garage, for example, there’s probably a delightful chest-expander gathering dust. The key is to know exactly what you need before you start shopping. Here’s a selection of goods to turn any garage or spare room into a home gym, while flagging the various pitfalls, because somewhere out there is the chest expander of 2017.
Running Shoes
Cheap trainers are good trainers, right? Good grief, no. There’s a strong chance you’ll do yourself a mischief. It’s imperative that anyone looking to get into running first does their homework. Lee Constantinou, personal trainer at Anytime Fitness Clapham South, explains: “Depending on your type of foot you should try to pick a shoe that best suits the shape to give you the most stability and support to run.”
Normal feet: For normal feet (that’s feet with a fairly normal sized arch that lands with good contact on the floor, rolling from the outside of the heel and inwards slightly) I would recommend a shoe with decent stability (to ensure your feet don’t roll inwards) and a thicker crash pad on the heel for absorbing any impact.
High arch: For the high-arched foot the best suited running shoe is cushioned and with plenty of flexibility in the shoe. Avoid stability shoes if you have high arches.
Saucony will be offering up to 40% off online on select running shoes.
RECOMMENDED: The Best Road Running Shoes of 2016
Fitness Trackers
There are a wealth of fitness trackers out there, with Constantinou recommending the FitBit range, thanks in part to some significant discounts this time last year. Again, keep an eye on Amazon. And with Samsung releasing the Gear 3, there could be savings on the first and second-generation versions.
RECOMMENDED: The Best Fitness Trackers Of 2016
Medicine Balls
It’s tempting to naturally buy the heaviest ball. “That’ll make me stronger, right?” There’s a chance it’ll also make you incredibly injured. Go with something that is challenging but usable. Origin Fitness is offering Coach readers 20% off its medicine balls (use code COACH20 at checkout any time before 31 December), meaning it’s wise to buy more than one weight. originfitness.com
Strength Machine
This depends on the size of your home. If you’ve fantasised about transforming your garage into a gym, then there’s no better addition. Yes, they can be arduous to assemble, but you can save a king’s ransom compared to gym membership. At time of writing, the F4H Home Multi Gym ES-403 boasted a whopping saving (£139.99, down from £399.99), so Amazon is once again the place to watch. amazon.co.uk
Exercise Bike/Turbo Trainer
An ideal Black Friday big-ticket purchase. But please, do your homework. If you’re looking to be the Chris Hoy of your front room via power pedalling, you’ll need a bike that lets you bend forward for extra power. However, if it’s weight loss you desire, you’ll need a bike with a straight back and comfort over performance.
Based on previous years, Coach strongly recommends you keep an eye on Amazon’s exercise bike listings. If you have a decent outdoor bike, get a turbo trainer (an indoor frame that lets you ride your own bike indoors) over an exercise bike. During the colder months, they are worth the investment. Even before Black Friday, you can pick up some terrific deals, such as the popular Ultrasport Cycle Training Machine, a snip at £55.99 (down from £135.99 on amazon.co.uk). Meanwhile, for anyone looking for a smart turbo trainer, wiggle.co.uk has the Wahoo KICKR SNAP Smart Turbo Trainer (pictured) – which boasts app controlled resistance and more – at a Black Friday price of £399.99, down from £499.99.
Kettlebells
A contender for most-underrated bit of gym equipment. According to a recent study by the American Council on Exercise, the average person can burn 400 calories in just 20 minutes with a kettlebell. They are quite technical and require some specific training, so get clued up on how to use these before making a purchase. Browse kettlebells on amazon.co.uk.
RECOMMENDED: Kettlebell Workout Guide
Road Bike
Whether you’re looking to cycle to work, get fit or simply enjoy a leisurely bike ride, research is essential. After all, there’s no point in splashing out on an all-terrain beast if you know you’re only going to cycle to the shops on a Sunday morning. Halfords has revealed some of its Black Friday savings, and they’re pretty exciting. The Carrera Vengeance Men’s Mountain Bike is Halford’s best-selling mountain bike and, on Black Friday, you’ll save £80 (was £320, now £290); buy on halfords.com.
Toning Belt
Some think that if they wear one of these while sitting on the sofa eating an entire chocolate gateau that they’ll still end up with the sort of washboard abs that would make Mysterious Girl-era Peter Andre blush. Sadly, you need to use these as part of a fitness regime to see the benefits. Amazon boasts two strong deals: the Homefront Slim Pro-XV1000 is £34.99 (down from £89.99), while the Heartline Professional is £29.95 (down from £59.95).
Weights
A classic case of fools rush in. As Constantinou explains: “If you have the space then a full set of Olympic weightlifting bars (both a 15kg and 20kg bar), weight plates and a dumbbell rack is best. These pieces of equipment allow for hundreds of different exercises for full body workouts. Provided you learn the technique you can never get bored. Using lighter weights is always a good place to start when learning a new exercise and then slowly progress from there.”
RECOMMENDED: The Best Dumbbells For Home
Swimcomputer
One big criticism levelled at a lot of fitness trackers is their failure to monitor swimming. Not hitting your magical 10,000 step mark is bad enough, but it’s even more galling when you know you’ve done 30 lengths after work and your efforts won’t register. You can pick up a decent one for around £70 on Amazon; and that should come down this week. Browse all swim trackers on amazon.co.uk.
Fitness
Wearable Technology
Gear
Gym equipment
Exercise bikes
Running shoes
23 Nov 2016