Davina McCall says her new £75 fitness tool will help with toning arms, abs and legs
If you're anything like us you'll have invested in a lot of at-home workout kit over the years, from resistance bands to mini trampolines , but with gym classes firmly back on our schedules, we thought our home exercise kit buying days were behind us. That was until Davina McCall announced the launch of her Total Body Toning and Workout System , £75, which promises to help you work out your arms, abs and legs with ease.
The machine is designed help support you and make exercise easier than using just body weight. "I made this because I want to make working out accessible," said Davina of the device. "I don't want there to be any barrier for you to exercise."
The tool itself is nothing new, but now that Davina, she of incredible toned abs, arms and legs, has put her name to it, we're intrigued. And we're not the only ones; fellow presented Dawn O'Porter commented on Instagram: "This looks BRILLIANT!"
What is Davina's Total Body Toning and Workout System?
It's a compact flat-pack tool that can help you work out every muscle by supporting you while you perform sit-ups, push-ups, pectoral and tricep extensions as well as exercising your legs with cycling crunches, bridge raises, scissor kicks and inner thigh press exercises.
It has adjustable levels to make resistance easier or harder depending on your needs.
Do we actually need Davina's new tool?
The device was created to help you perform workout moves you normally do without equipment which raises the question, do we actually need this to exercise? Probably not.
"I can see that this tool has been designed to try to make certain exercises easier, but I have a feeling it might not work that way," says Hollie Grant, expert Pilates instructor and founder of online Pilates platform Pilates PT. "When you take simple exercises and add in a machine that requires adjustments it can actually make the exercises seem more challenging or confusing. It’s being marketed as for those who need support or assistance, but sometimes I think that simply scaling exercises back we would make it easier."
Having said that, Hollie points out that for exercise beginners, it could be a good purchase if it inspires them on their fitness path. "To me, this is aimed at people who are a little lost in their fitness journey or have lost their fitness mojo and so want some support and inspiration to get moving," says Hollie. "Maybe they struggle with full bodyweight exercises and see this as helping them accomplish them."
Fellow personal trainer Rachel Penrose of fitness studio F45 agrees with the support Davina's tool could provide. "Moves such as press-ups and triceps dips can be performed with the added support of the machine making it attractive to people wishing to learn how to perform these exercises, while it will also give some resistance to movement."
Will using the tool make us fitter?
If you're someone who is motivated by new exercise purchases and you wouldn't do the moves without the kit, maybe. "If this is the tool that encourages and inspires you to take the time each day to exercise I am all on-board!" says Hollie. But she cautions that because this makes the moves easier, you might actually see fewer results than performed alone. "But if it means the user can actually complete a set of exercises it is worth it!" she adds.
Find out more about the Total Body Toning and Workout System.