If you only invest in one item of exercise equipment, make it a set of free weights. They take up much less space than a treadmill, exercise bike, stepper, rowing machine or elliptical trainer and they needn’t cost a lot of money.

Weight lifting of any kind is great for toning your body and boosting your metabolism, whether you’re a man or woman. If you find yourself enjoying it, a small set of free weights can easily be added to. Before long, you’ll have the spare room kitted out with weight lifting benches and sophisticated Smith machines.

When shopping for free weights, think about how you’d like to use them:

For a quick start: Buy a set of dumbbells that don’t involve any assembly. Dumbells don't take up a lot of room and come in set weights.

For durability: Metal weights last a long time, but may damage your floor (or your foot) if you drop them. Chrome weights need regular maintenance to prevent rust.

For easy handling: Weights coated with plastic, acrylic, rubber or neoprene give beginners a great grip, cause less damage when dropped and don’t require regular maintenance. However the coating may degrade over time.

To add weight as you work out: Get a barbell to which you can add weight plates. If you’re interested in bench pressing, you’ll also need a bench.

Benches

Look for a bench that fits your size and can be adjusted for comfort. Here are some other factors to consider:

Weight: Choose a bench according to the weight you want to lift. If you want to bench press 300kg, make sure the bench can handle it.

Crutches: Crutches are the two supports on a weight lifting bench that hold the weight bar. Make sure that you buy a bench with crutches that fit your bar. In general, wider crutches can handle more weight.

Incline: Some benches can adjust to create an incline or decline. This is a useful feature if you want to do abdominal exercises on your bench.

Arm and leg attachments: Useful for working on your arms and legs.

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