If this marvellous Olympics has inspired you to get fit, we've got you covered. Whether it's the best fitness band to keep a track of your steps or a new treadmill for your home, we've rounded up all our top features into one handy guide.
Let's kick off our ultimate fitness gear guide with five top tips from Nick Anderson. He's a GB and EA running coach, PT, plus a coach for Saucony, High5, and the Running Bug. So basically, somebody who knows a lot about running!
- Enter a race or an event. This gives you a goal and real target, date and objective to work towards.
- Get a plan towards this goal or event and choose one thats realistic. It could be written by a top coach and aimed at your ability, pace and experience making it achievable.
- Surround yourself with positive people when chasing the resolution. This could mean training with friends or a running group to make your plan fun. Equally it could be buddying up with a friend to go to the gym or a new conditioning class.
- Join one of the communities aimed at supporting you and your new year resolution/pledge. RunningBug offer Run Yourself New and there is also the Jantastic community.
- Remind yourself why you set the resolution and how you were feeling at the time. We often get more time over the festive season in the build up to New Year to assess our lives, goals and direction. Then when New Year arrives we abandon the resolution as already too busy. Think about how you felt and ring fence the time to make this resolution work each day and week…..running just 3 times a week can see fantastic result for example!
Now read on for all the fitness gear you need in your life, from fitness bands to mobile apps
Picking up a great pair of running shoes is essential to ensuring your fitness regime goes to plan and we've tested a whole load of the best. Aside from making sure your feet are comfortable, a great pair of running trainers should offer support, let your feet breath and boast some extra nifty bits of tech to round things off. We've also got some top tips on choosing the right pair of shoes for your running style.
Read: best running shoes
So, you've got your sparkly new fitness band, a treadmill for your home gym and stocked up on enough pairs of running shoes to last you the year, what else do you need? A great pair of running headphones, that's what. Yes, we know, you could stick with the buds that came bundled with your phone, but we all know that they're not very good. Instead, you should pick up a pair of dedicated 'phones, which won't fall out of your ears as soon as you start running. Many of these are resistant to sweat too, which is a must, for us anyway and they sound fantastic. Perfect for pumping out your handcrafted gym playlist.
Read: best headphones for running
Best football boots to buy for the 2016-17 season
The options here range from solid, mid-range boots to wild flights of footwear tech fancy. Don't forget to carefully choose between the various options that most of them offer with, for instance, variants for hard and soft ground. You should also probably be realistic about your skills. Having a boot that's super-light and offers next to no protection is not a great idea if you're not as fleet of foot as you once were. On the other hand, having a super-flash set of boots can give you added confidence and a better first touch, if you're not completely hopeless in the first place.
Read: best football boots
If you're looking for the best sports sunglasses you've come to the right place. We've put our eyes on the line testing the very best shades money can buy. Whether you're running, cycling, golfing, or fishing this list is for you.
Read: best sports sunglasses
Our guides to the best bikes
Nothing beats buzzing around town on two wheels during the summer months. Evening pub pints with pals are made even more appealing without the worry of sweaty public transport or the ferocious cost of cabs, while the daily commute can provide some much-needed post-winter fat removal when tackled on two wheels.
We've collated the best of this year's offerings under £1,500 as well as the top electric bikes, road bikes under £2,000 as well as expensive elite choices.
- Best elite road bike: carbon fibre bikes for sportives, long rides and irritatingly flash bicycle commuting
- Best bike under £1,500: we ride the best so you don't have to
- Best electric bike: great ebikes from £640 to £4000
- Best road bike under £2,000. You might not win the Tour de France on them… But you will get to work quicker
Best tennis racquet: our pick of the finest tennis gear available
Watching tennis on TV always makes us want to pick up a racquet, hit the court and spend all afternoon attempting to mimic Roger Federer's superb one-handed backhand. But, before you step out you'll have to pick up the best kit. Whether you're a baseline hitter, hard server or pacy net player, we've got something for you.
Read: best tennis racquet
Best tennis shoes: top trainers to move faster and play better
Whether you're a Grand Slam hopeful, or just pottering around the courts at your local club, having the right footwear can mean the world. From Nike to adidas, these top tennis shoes have everything you need to keep your feet secure and add an extra boost to your on-court performance. Everything here is going to make sure that your feet are not going to get in the way of you reaching the final volley of the game.
Read: best tennis shoes
This year's most ridiculous fitness tech
We've got everything from the latest in high-tech treadmills, a standing desk that could prolong your life and, er, some running shoes with springs in. Yes, that is now a thing. There's also a wearable that tells you how to breathe "correctly", and we've also thrown in a few more down-to-earth suggestions. Isn't tech marvellous?
Read: ridiculous fitness tech
Best cycling clothing and bike wear
With cycling now as much a lifestyle as a pastime, there's more and more brilliant cycling kit that's also suitable for the coffee shop, craft beer emporium or open-plan office in the creative industries. Whatever your preference, be it technical or fashionable, we've got the best bike clothing and other cycle gear right here. We make no judgements, either way. It's all good.
Read: best cycling clothing
Best fitness tracker: top band to buy
Fitness bands are well and truly here and they're some of the best bits of kit you can pick up to start your new fitness regime. From the likes of Jawbone, Fitbit and Misfit, fitness bands now cater for everyone, whether you're just looking to track your steps and sleep, or go a bit further and monitor your heart-rate too. What makes these even more mouth watering is the crashing prices, with some very capable trackers now costing less than £50.
Read: best fitness tracker
While fitness bands are great, sometimes you want a bit more information about your run. That's where a running watch comes in. Thanks to the addition of GPS, running watches offer much more accuracy than a band and can work independently of your smartphone, which is always a bonus. If you're really serious about tracking your stats and having the most accurate information available, a running watch is the way to go.
Read: best running watch
Get more nutrition out of your food in less time
Thanks to tech, getting the most out of our diets needn't mean long hours processing vegetables into something appetising. Here, we've got the pick of 2016's gizmos for the kitchen (and beyond), to ensure maximum "well-being" and minimum "about-messing". Get stuck in.
Read: healthy eating tech
Sports watch showdown: Suunto, Polar and Garmin compared
Does a serious runner honestly care about an activity tracker that records how many steps they take between their desk and the kettle if they're going to be running 15km later? And as their workout might be the only time they can block out the incessant white noise of email and social media, do they really want notifications on their watch?
Read: sports watch showdown
Treadmills are great for the colder, darker months, letting you workout at home without heading out to the gym. They don't have to cost a lot either, although you can certainly spend big bucks if that's what you're looking for. These treadmills are high-tech, feature packed pieces of kit that'll ensure you have the healthiest start to 2016 possible.
Read: the best treadmills
Sleep tech: the best gadgets for improving your slumber
As well as affecting our energy levels throughout the day, a lack of sleep has been linked to problems with obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular health. If you want to get your sleeping habits back on track, here are some of the latest tech innovations that can help.
Read: the best sleep tech
Best trail running shoes to buy
While our round-up of the best running shoes is ideal if you mainly stick to the tarmac, but if you prefer to head off-road then you'll need something a little tougher. Trail running shoes are designed to be durable, comfy and offer plenty of support. But, with so many pairs on the market, it can often be hard to find out which ones are perfect for you. We've taken the stress out of shoe shopping and tested loads of pairs to see which is the best for you.
Read: best trail running shoes
There are thousands of app solutions to your fitness problems, and sorting through them can be a bit of a nightmare. Whether you're looking to lose weight, get a ripped six-pack, or simply stay healthy, this list rounds up the best on the market into one place.
Read: best fitness apps
And, because the weather will get cold before you know it:
The best winter running and cycling gear
Thanks to the clever innovators kicking out brilliant new fabrics that keep you warm, dry and brilliantly visible, you can keep up your training and commuting without a care for the weather. Read: The best winter running and cycling gear
Best bike lights and hi-viz gear
This is the pick of the cruellest seasons' lights and cycling safety kit. It's okay, there's plenty of tech - and still a little bit of street style - to be had, even in the darkest months… Read Best bike lights and hi-viz gear
Liked this? Why not check out all of our wearables coverage.