Winter is the period during which the devoted make their greatest gains. To push your training to the next level you need a space that is going to help you maintain strength, discipline and composure. Where you can weather the cold, generate heat and stand strong against the claws of laziness. It is time to think about your home-based gym. Its time to kit out your cave with the Bear Essentials!

Winter is coming!

Winter is a time of enclosure and insulation. Your movement patterns become more restricted. Your body craves foods that will insulate it from the cold. Any movement that is not deemed essential to the preservation of life itself becomes a-functional! 

One thing that all devoted fitness enthusiast can, however, agree on is that winter is the time of the year where the greatest gains can be made. With a little discipline and hard graft you build the perfect foundation from which to launch into summer. The harder you work over winter, the more freedom summer brings!

To push your training to the next level you need a space that is going to help you maintain strength, discipline and composure. You need an accessible facility that caters to your needs and reflects your aspirations.

Like the great Brown Bear, before winter’s bite is upon you, you need to kit out your cave!

The Bear Essentials

To some the notion of a home-based gym may conjure up the image of cluttered study filled to the brim with discarded quick-fix fitness equipment and the sour smell of by-gone commitments. To others, the idea is merely a utopian dream, accessible only to the rich and famous. 

It is time to put these images to rest and re-imagine the home gym!

With a little creativity you can realise your own fitness space that will cater to your needs without denting your pocket. With the right equipment, layout, design and storage solutions, you too can transform your home into your very own Bear Cave.

Let us take a look at 9 essential pieces of equipment that will help you on your way.

1. Kettlebells: You’ve got to love the Kettlebell for its simplicity and versatility. Lift, swing or just hold one of these cast iron, cannon-ball-like beauties for an extended period of time and you will be sweating like a dream. Strength, power and cardio can be easily integrated around just one durable and easy to store piece of functional equipment.

2. Wall Balls: Simple in design and effective in nature, wall balls are a great buy. They are first and foremost used for high repetition throws to a height of 2.8m (women) and 3.1m (men) in functional cross training. They are also great as an alternative to medicine balls when throwing back and forth with a partner.

3. Pull-up Bar: The pull up is like the squat of the upper body. It is an essential compound upper body movement. They are convenient and help to build a great physique by harnessing a multiplicity of larger muscle groups (back, shoulders, chest, arms) in order to mobilise the body through space. 

4. Gymnastics Rings: Gymnastics rings push your training to the next level by simultaneously building strength, stability and coordination. They are versatile, easy to store and can be harnessed anywhere. Just make sure you hang them on something that can support your weight!

5. Barbell and Bumpers: Barbells are a valuable tool in the arsenal of any person who wants to gain strength efficiently and safely. They are versatile, simple and functional. By gradually loading weight you increase strength progressively and you are able to work all major muscle groups of the body. With a Bar and 2 x 5kg, 10kg, 15kg and 20kg bumper plates, you will be building heat throughout winter.

6. Plyometric Box: Whether you jump or step, the plyo box is versatile in nature and once again easily fits into any living area. Build power through jumping, increase strength through stepping or even use the box as a means to support other exercises such as push-ups and dips.

7. Foam Roller: A little active recovery should always be incorporated into any fitness regimen. Massage your weary muscles before a workout or in front of your favorite television series.

8. Jump Rope: Skipping is great for increasing cardiovascular fitness and you do not need too much space to swing that rope. It can be used between other exercises to add short bursts of high intensity cardio or done for a longer duration challenging the mind and body to steam ahead.

9. The six-digit cross training timer: This little nugget is an essential for any functional fitness routine, especially high calorie burning interval-training sessions. It keeps structure, creates discipline and will keep you honest. The timer does not lie!