Mini-gym at home: TOP-5 compact simulators

The sports equipment of the Finnish brand Tunturi is a mini-exercise bike, which is compact and lightweight (2.5 kg) and can turn any chair, office chair or other seat into a cardio zone.

You can pedal the Tunturi Mini Bike Basic both with your feet and with your hands. In the latter case, the simulator must be placed on the table. In addition to toning the muscles and normalizing the blood supply to the limbs, the model provides a good cardio load. It will be quite enough for children, pensioners, patients during rehabilitation, users with initial physical training. But the model is not suitable for physically active and athletic people, it is better for them to pay attention to exercise bikes of a vertical or horizontal type.

To change the degree of resistance when pedaling, the Tunturi Mini Bike Basic has a mechanical lever. It allows you to manually adjust the load, although given the small weight of the projectile and its flywheel, the overall range of settings is small.

The frame of the simulator is made of metal and powder coated to prevent corrosion. The pedals with detents are rubberized, as are the legs on the base, so there should be no problems with slipping or moving the projectile on the floor.

Some users note that squeaks appear during operation. Lubricating the moving elements of the simulator will help eliminate them. Otherwise, Tunturi Mini Bike Basic is an interesting solution for light cardio training for all those who do not plan to set sports records, but want to compensate for the lack of physical activity.

Fitball of the famous manufacturer of sporting goods Reebok is made of wear-resistant rubber. It uses Anti-Burst technology, so that when cut or punctured, the ball does not burst, but gradually deflates, which contributes to greater operational safety.

Reebok RSB-16016 weighs less than 1.5 kg) and its thick rubber bottom (painted in dark color) eliminates random ball rolling. It can be deflated for transport or long-term storage. Comes with an inflation pump.

Fitball is designed for strength and toning training of all muscle groups, including legs and arms, core muscles, chest and back. In many exercises, he replaces the bench, and the mobility of the projectile will increase energy consumption and add elements of training to balance. For weight loss, it is recommended to increase the number of repetitions and approaches in exercises and reduce rest time.

You can read more about using the Reebok RSB-16016 in the article Fitball Exercises: A Fitness Ball Instead of a Gym.

The diameter of the model is 65 cm, which is considered a universal value and is suitable for users with a height of 165 to 185 cm. The maximum allowable load is 115 kg.

Classes with a fitball have no absolute contraindications. It can be used by people of all ages, pregnant women, children and those undergoing rehabilitation after injuries. Parents with newborn babies can also perform special gymnastics on the projectile. All of this makes the Reebok RSB-16016 a versatile home trainer from a trusted, reputable brand.

The ministepper of the Polish brand Hop-Sport is positioned as a home trainer that does not require a lot of space. With a weight of 9 kg, it will take up a “patch” measuring 54x41 cm.

The model is offered in different color options: blue, pink and green.

Hop-Sport HS-30S refers to cardio equipment, which helps both get rid of excess weight and strengthen the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. Also, with the correct technique for performing the steps and the absence of contraindications for the user, the stepper provides a gentle effect on the joints.

Classes on it will mainly strengthen the muscles of the legs and buttocks. Due to the presence of a swivel mechanism during steps, the muscles of the lower back and the press are also included in the work. A complete expander will allow you to simultaneously use your arms, including biceps or deltoid muscles (shoulders), to increase energy consumption during the training process.

The Hop-Sport HS-30S has a simple hydraulic (mechanical) loading system, and with the help of a special valve, you can vary the step depth. As soon as the user steps on the pedals, the on-board computer display turns on, which displays information about the training time, frequency of execution and the total number of steps, and calorie consumption.

The ministepper needs a flat surface for excellent stability, but due to the overall compactness, this will not be a problem in most cases. In general, the Hop-Sport HS-30S is a simple but very functional cardio machine that can partially or completely replace both a conventional stepper and other larger counterparts, such as an orbit track.

The USA Style rowing machine has a hydraulic loading system. It not only accurately imitates the process of rowing, but also gives a gain in size compared to analogues of another type. So, the assembled model occupies an area of less than 1 square meter, which is quite acceptable for home use.

The USA Style SS-403C is designed to perform rowing moves that combine both cardio and strength training. Work on such a simulator involves over 80% of the muscles of the body ( more is turned on only when skiing), including legs and arms, back and core. With the right technique, a gentle effect on the joints and ligaments is provided.

Long-term training contributes to the burning of calories, improves endurance, and normalizes the functioning of the cardiovascular system.

The monotonous process of rowing on the USA Style SS-403C is easy to diversify, using the movable seat of the machine as a support when performing various exercises with your own weight. So, the model will allow you to do push-ups, squats on one leg, work out the abdominal muscles, simulating movements with a gymnastic roller.

The simulator is equipped with long cylinders that act as a lever in the work. With the stepless controller, the load can be changed. To increase resistance, you need to shorten the lever, and to reduce it, lengthen it.

The on-board minicomputer allows you to visually control the intensity of the training process. It displays data on the training time, distance traveled, stroke rate.

Engineers took care of the presence of floor unevenness compensators, practical pedals with foot fixation, rubberized handles. The disadvantages of the simulator include a significant weight (17 kg), which will cause inconvenience during its frequent movements. All in all, the USA Style SS-403C is an interesting projectile for a reasonable price, suitable for a variety of training tasks.

The product of the Casada brand refers to vibration platforms, in which vibrations create an additional load on the muscles. Performing even simple movements on such a projectile requires more effort, as the user needs to maintain balance. Also, stabilizer muscles, which are usually almost not involved in training, are included in the work.

Any exercise on the Casada Power Board 2.1 is primarily a balance training. It develops coordination and flexibility, improves posture and the functioning of the musculoskeletal system. Platform exercises allow you to work out the muscles of the legs (calves and thighs), buttocks, abs, and chest. And if you take dumbbells or tape expanders, your hands will not lag behind: biceps, triceps and deltas.

In addition to purely sports purposes, the vibrating machine can be used for stretching and relaxation, including massage of various parts of the body.

Casada Power Board 2.1 is a very compact machine with a motor that provides oscillatory movements of the platform. Using the buttons on the control panel or remote control, the speed is set from 1 to 20. The level of loads is also variable. It differs in different parts of the platform: closer to the center, the vibration amplitude is minimal (7 mm), and on the sides - maximum (18 mm).

3 automatic programs are available to the user: warm-up, basic and interval, for which the time and vibration speed are set by default. Additionally, there is a user mode and a timer.

The display shows the time, selected speed settings, and calorie consumption. With built-in Bluetooth, you can connect a heart rate sensor to the device to see heart rate information on the screen during training. True, this accessory, like special vibrating dumbbells, must be purchased separately.

The disadvantages of Casada Power Board 2.1 include a lot of weight (22 kg). Partly to level it allow rollers for transportation. Another disadvantage is the high price, comparable to the cost of some professional simulators. But there are few equivalent analogues for this type of shells: the younger version of the vibration platform will be cheaper Casada PowerBoard S , which loses in terms of functionality.