Enhance your summer workout experience with fitness accessories designed to strengthen strength, stability and more – as well as add fun and functionality into training routines!
These thick grips improve your hold on dumbells and bars up to Olympic size, making them an indispensable accessory for heavy AF lifts! Additionally, they reduce pain and injury during workouts.
Jump Rope
Jumping rope, once associated with playground playtime in schoolyards, offers an effective cardio workout and helps build lower body strength. When done correctly, it also develops footwork and agility, according to Ezekh.
Basic jump ropes are inexpensive, lightweight, and convenient to bring with you anywhere, with their licorice-like cable feeding directly into plastic handles. For more intense workouts, cordless speed ropes or smart jump ropes with mobile apps to adjust resistance levels may provide better results.
Make sure your jump rope fits the appropriate size for you, according to Mosbarger. Stand in the middle and pull its handles until they come close to touching either your armpits or shoulders, she advises. Wear appropriate footwear; do not jump while barefooted or wearing sandals which could result in injury.
Resistance Band
Resistance bands offer an effective and cost-efficient way to increase bodyweight movements while improving strength and mobility. Plus, they’re super convenient – great for home workouts as well as gym membership!
These versatile accessories, available both in elastic fabric and latex versions, come in various levels of tension to meet any fitness level. Elastic fabric bands typically lend themselves better for lower-body exercises while latex bands provide more stretch, making them suitable for upper body exercises or dynamic mobility stretches.
Ab Roller
The ab roller is an effective yet simple fitness tool to develop core strength, back muscles, and balance. Comprised of one wheel with handles on either side and most commonly made from durable non-slip rubber material suited for most surfaces – using it is as easy as kneeling down on either the floor or mat with feet together and your back straight – kneel down in order to use an ab roller effectively.
Grab the handles of an ab roller and slowly roll forward, using your core and back muscles to return back to the starting position. Regular practice of this exercise will strengthen and stabilize your core, aiding with daily tasks like bending to put on shoes or sitting up in bed as well as sports activities or weightlifting activities.
Knee & Elbow Compression Sleeves
Knee & elbow compression sleeves can help you perform at your peak by relieving discomfort and supporting joints, as well as warming up muscles and increasing blood flow to improve muscle recovery.
Weightlifters often opt for knee support during pushing exercises like bench press. Furthermore, weightlifter knee sleeves provide stability during these activities as well as helping improve proprioception for improved accuracy and athletic performance.
Look for a sleeve made of medical-grade material with a snug fit to provide optimal support and help avoid injury while increasing performance. Furthermore, look for one that’s latex-free, microwaveable and freezer safe as well as breathable to help keep you dry and comfortable – one constructed out of neoprene is best since this helps preserve body heat while increasing blood flow and helping prevent injury.
Good Shoes
Your choice of shoe during workouts can have a tremendous effect on the experience you have. From running-heavy bootcamp classes to lifting heavy weights, wearing suitable footwear can prevent injuries while providing stability and comfort during every activity.
“For optimal training results,” states trainer Chris Crowthers, “a shoe should be both stable and flexible to allow a proper sense of ground feel while still supporting strong posture. One such model that meets this criteria is the NB Minimus which boasts both flexibility as well as zeromm heel drop which makes lifting possible.
At high-impact workouts such as plyometrics, CrossFit and HIIT training sessions, it’s essential that shoes with flat soles absorb shock when you jump, move lateral or run. Two great examples include Nike Free Metcon 5 and Reebok Nano X3, both award winners from SELF Sneaker Awards for shock absorption. Both feature sturdy yet breathable upper materials as well as cushioning to keep you comfortable throughout your session.