By Adrian Justins
The approach of colder days in the northern hemisphere means fewer opportunities for outdoor exercise. But the right equipment can help you keep fit and healthy indoors. This nine-bedroom contemporary mansion in Marbella, Spain, which is in a gated community on the edge of the Real Club de Gold las Brisas golf club, has a gym and two swimming pools.
By sweating it out on the five fitness gadgets we have selected, the €13.9m property’s new owners can stay match fit year-round - or even take part in their own triathlon from the comfort of home.
SwingBay golf simulator package, $7,299
It cannot be joked that golf is a good walk ruined when practising your shots with stationary tech. The SwingBay Golf Simulator package, available from Rain or Shine Golf, uses a Skytrak monitor with a camera to capture high-speed images of the ball immediately after impact and projects the trajectory on to a 7ft 3in high by 9ft 8in wide screen. It also measures and displays parameters including ball speed, launch angle and spin. Users can add factors such as weather and course conditions, or simulate a round on some world famous courses. The package includes a hitting mat, HD projector and netting.
Peloton fitness bike, £1,750 plus subscription from £39/month
There is no need to participate in a cycling grand tour to experience an extremely intense time in the saddle. Peloton offers studio style, group fitness classes from home using high-tech bikes that are equipped with a 22-inch online screen. The rider can participate in live and unlimited on-demand rides as well as make contact via the screen with trainers and other cyclists. The bike is made from a carbon steel alloy and has a near-silent belt drive. Braking is magnetic, which is smoother and more consistent than brake pads. Performance metrics are tracked and displayed along with a real-time leaderboard.
Life Fitness treadmill, £9,995
Compared with running outdoors, a high-tech treadmill with shock absorption can reduce the impact on your joints. Stocked by Fitness Superstore, the Platinum Club Series model, with a Discover SE3 console, has a high-definition touchscreen to help the miles pass. It provides online entertainment including TV streaming and access to fitness apps. Lifescape courses offer visuals of running routes that move through outdoor scenery at the same pace as the runner. Other benefits of the tech include heart rate monitoring and a quick-start mode that remembers your preferred walk, jog and running speeds.
Endless Pools current generator, from £7,295
Swimming for fitness no longer requires the open sea or a lengthy pool. A current generator can convert any pool bigger and deeper than an average bathtub into an “endless” pool. The Fastlane Pro, available from Dolphin Leisure, comes in two versions: one hangs over the pool wall; one is fully submerged, requiring the plumbing to be hidden underground. A remote power unit drives a 40.6cm propeller and the water flow is channelled into a smooth swim current, the strength of which can be varied using a remote control. Other resistance-based activities using the machine include aqua aerobics, hydrotherapy and jogging in the water.
Icaros Home virtual reality trainer, €1,939.83
This virtual reality training machine brings fun and skill to personal fitness. Wearing a VR headset — the system is compatible with Samsung Gear VR, Oculus Rift, Oculus Go and HTC Vive headsets — you lie prone on the equipment and feel as if you are flying through a 3D animated landscape. Core and shoulder muscles are strengthened, and your sense of balance and body control improved, by the demands of keeping yourself on course. Competitive types can participate online against up to eight people, while apps are available for Gear VR that feature a multiplayer mode for two people.
Photographs: Christie’s International Real Estate
This article was updated on 7 October to reflect that the Skytrak monitor is part of the SwingBay golf simulator package
