Ready to invest in the minimal exercise equipment required in the following GLOW programmes? Whether exercising at the gym or working out from home, this list allows you the freedom to move your body with intention anytime & anywhere!
The complete checklist:
Loop bands
Power band
Exercise ball
Pilates ball
Yoga mat
Dumbbells
Everything you need to know when purchasing…
Loop Bands
3 varied strengths:
• Light
• Medium
• Heavy
Power Band
Light Power Band: Provide between 5 – 15lbs (2 – 7kg) of resistance and are usually 6mm in thickness. These resistance bands are perfect for performing high rep isolation exercises such as bicep curls and tricep pushdowns. These power bands can also be used to perform mobility exercises such as face pulls and external shoulder rotations, which makes them a perfect warm up tool.
Medium Power Band: (our personal favourite & a good place to start) typically provide between 20 – 35lbs (9 – 16kg) of resistance and are usually 13 – 15m in thickness. These resistance bands can be used to activate and engage both upper and lower body limbs through strength training exercises that utilize medium to high rep ranges.
Medium Heavy Power Band: typically provide between 30 – 50 lbs (13.6 – 22.6kg) of resistance and are usually 21-22mm in thickness. These resistance bands are typically used to perform compound exercises such as banded: squats, deadlifts, chest presses & rowing movements.
Exercise Ball
Depending on your height:
55cm (5’ – 5’5)
65cm (5’6 – 6’2)
75cm (<6’2)
Pilates Ball
20 – 25cm
Yoga/Exercise Mat
A good exercise mat will have four key features: grip, stability, comfort and durability.
• Grip: Slipping of the hands, feet and forearms is the last thing you need when it comes to performing exercises correctly. Find a mat with a non-slip surface that allows confidence of movement
• Stability: Look for a mat that will lie flat without curling at the corners that will not budge when performing an exercise.
• Comfort: This is important, particularly if you plan to work out on unforgiving flooring like hardwood or tiles. There should be enough cushioning to allow you to do a few crunches without crippling your spine.
Dumbbells
How heavy should my dumbbells be?
It can be tricky to know what weight to pick for exercises, so we always want to you remember this:
1. The exercise should feel challenging, not impossible.
2. You should be able to complete the number of listed reps:
3. WITHOUT compromising your form at any point during the set.
Generally for beginners we would recommend going for a weight set of: 2kg, 4kg & 6kg
This gives you enough room to play and you can always step things up by adding in a few heavier pieces and even redoing the programme with heavier sets once your strength has increased.
However, if buying 3 sets is a bit of a big ask right now, a happy medium would be to go with a 4kg set and use your bands for the exercises that you require a lighter weight for. This gives you time to assess how much heavier you could go OR how much lighter you should go.
Where to purchase?
All major sporting outlets or online platforms in your preferred country.