Many types of exercise equipment develop strength as well as power, speed and muscle size. The type of equipment you use should be based on your goals and physical abilities. You do not need to have access to a gym to train for strength. Purchase a few simple and portable pieces of equipment that need little or no maintenance and use them to exercise in your own home.
Dumbbells
Dumbbells have a balanced mass that allows almost anyone at any exercise level to learn to use. You can use them to train muscle groups in isolation for muscle growth or train your entire body at once for full-body strength, according to Juan Carlos Santana, director of the Institute of Human Performance. Use a heavier weight with fewer reps if you wish to train for high strength and power. Use a lighter weight with higher reps if wish to develop muscular endurance.
Kettlebells
Kettlebells resemble a cannonball with a thick handle attached to it and a flat bottom in the opposite side. Their shape and unbalanced weight requires you to lift and swing by using your legs, hips and abdominals. It also teaches you how to transfer force from your lower body to your upper body to lift a heavy weight that you would not normally be able to lift with your upper body alone, according to fitness professional Brett Jones, co-author of "Kettlebells From the Ground Up." Kettlebells ranges from 10 to 100 lbs.
Medicine Ball
A medicine ball is made up of a strong rubber that ranges from 2 to 20 lbs. Medicine ball training develops full-body strength and power, speed, balance and hand-eye coordination. Use a lighter ball if you wish to develop speed and agility. Use a heavier ball if you wish to develop strength and power, physical therapist Gray Cook suggests, author of "Athletic Body in Balance."
Suspension Cables
Suspension cable training requires you to use your own body weight to work against gravity. You can perform pushing, pulling, rotating and other movement patterns to strengthen your body using your own body weight. Suspension cables come in a few varieties, ranging from traditional Olympic rings to the TRX. You can take it anywhere and hang it from almost sturdy support, such as a pull-up bar or a tree branch.
References
- "Essence of Program Design"; Juan Carlos Santana; 2004
- "Athletic Body in Balance"; Gray Cook; 2003
- "Kettlebells From the Ground Up"; Gray Cook and Brett Jones; 2010
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