Whether it happens on a hike, a run, or at home with dumbbells, there is nothing better than looking at a puddle of sweat after you’ve given it everything you had — and maybe more than you had. I may be stiff and sore for the rest of the day but I managed to work off that burger I had last night and that makes the day that much better.
It doesn’t take much for me to break a sweat but we’re not talking about a little perspiration on the forehead. If you want to shed pounds, I should see sweat dripping from your face onto the floor and soaking your clothes. That’s the sign of a real workout. Take a full-body weight training session with training bands, a night run with a reflective running belt, or a hike with a loaded backpack. Now you’re sweating and now I know you’re ready for more fitness tools that will get you sweating.
These Workout Cards
One thing that can kill a workout for me is being at a gym with so many choices and no real idea of what to do next. These workout cards make planning easy and, unlike poker, I never get a bad hand.
These Resistance Loops
There’s nothing better for waking up the glutes than resistance loops. Simply slide these up above your knees and start working your legs. A couple of sets of squats with these and you’ll feel like you’ve been through a workout bootcamp.
This Kneeling Pad
Putting in a solid workout is a necessity for me. But my elbows and knees on the solid floor I can do without. This floor pad provides the cushion needed for pain-free planks, runner’s stretches, and camel poses.
This Ab Wheel
Every workout should involve at least some core work. Those muscles are stubborn and require daily work to get anywhere close to a six-pack. This ab wheel makes it so you can get in some core activation pre or post-workout while leaving plenty of time for the target muscles.
These Workout Posters
When I decided to make a home gym, I knew the key was to make it a space dedicated only to exercise. These workout posters are the perfect wall decor for such a space. Now, everywhere I look, I’m reminded of what I should be doing it and the proper form to doing it.
This Balance Ball
If you’re like me, you struggle with balance exercises. I picked up this balance ball precisely to tackle that challenge. Each workout on it improved my balance and added a core component to anything I was doing. Now, I can go into tree pose without having to yell “timber.”
This Workout Headband
I hate getting sweat in my eyes. It burns and stops any workout immediately. I picked up this headband to keep my sweat in check. No more sweat in the eyes or tasting salty sweat. And I no longer need to mop up the sweat puddles either.
This Yoga Strap
I have a confession to make, I’m not the most limber person in the world. Yoga workouts get intense and I’m not even close to touching my toes. This yoga strap makes it easy for flexibility-challenged people like myself to hit the poses and get everything out of them despite not looking like a professional contortionist.
This Fitness Tracker
This journal lets me track what I eat as well as how I burn it off. I can always recall how many sets and how much resistance I used the last time I hit the gym. And on cardio days, I know how much time I spent on which machines so I can always try to beat my old records.
This Bike Seat
Cycling is a fantastic workout but those seats certainly leave a lot to be desired in terms of comfort. This foam seat is like resting on a cloud while you barrel down a brutal trail or down your nearest mountain. Your legs will ache but your seat will feel relaxed.
This Exercise Ball
Whether it’s a recovery day or an active day, this exercise ball is the fitness tool you’ll reach for almost every day. It will make you sweat, work out your core, and help with balance and mobility.
This Elbow Sleeve
My game growing up was baseball. My daughter played tennis and softball. If you play any of these or others that require repetitive arm motion and accuracy, you know the importance of keeping your elbow joints secure and protected. This elbow sleeve does exactly that to help prevent arm injuries.
These Stretching Cards
I’ll admit that without the proper guidance, stretching consists of a few pulls here and there for only a minute or two. That’s why I use these stretching cards on recovery days. This way, I have a real regimen and can focus on stretching out the whole body.
This Tennis Net
I feel like tennis doesn’t get the respect it deserves. I picked it up to help my daughter practice years ago and it is a full-body workout. We set up this net in our yard when we can’t make it out to a real court so we can always break a good sweat.
This Water Bottle Pouch
One of the biggest mistakes you can make when you take up hiking is not having enough water. This pouch fits bottles up to 40 ounces so you always have hydration within your reach. Pick one up today and never start a trail without it strapped to your shoulder.
These Yoga Rollers
These yoga wheels have been one of the best things I’ve ever done for my back. All those years of sports, desk work, and lifting with my back rather than legs really did a number on it. Rolling on the floor with these feels like a little thank you to each of my vertebrae.
These Wrist Straps
As bipeds, our feet, ankles, and legs have evolved to handle the weight of our bodies as we walk and run. Our wrists are not really conditioned to all that weight. I use these wrist straps every time I lift weights to protect them from serious injury.
This Balance Board
Sure, you may look down on skateboarders and surfing may feel like something you have to start when you’re a teenager but it doesn’t have to be that way. Both of those sports require serious core control and this balance board is designed to mimic the body’s reactions to those sports.
This Hiking Backpack
Hiking is a good workout but if you really want to sweat, you need to start packing on the weight. This backpack will carry your snacks and water along with emergency supplies and anything else you can add as resistance up the mountain.
This Knee Strap
The knee area is delicate and any injuries to those joints, ligaments, and tissues will stop your fitness training cold for long periods of time. Protect your knee from impact with this knee strap. It will keep your knee supported and protect you from painful tears and sprains so you can keep sweating.
This Massage Gun
When the workout is over and you’re reduced to a tired, drenched, and sore collection of bones and muscle, only a deep tissue massage can bring you back to life. This massage gun has made its way to every professional athlete’s locker and now it can be in yours as well.
These Calf Sleeves
Calves are not only difficult to isolate and train during workouts but are also left unsupported during any sport. These calf sleeves keep them in place, supported, and warm to prevent injuries and leg cramps.
This Running Belt
As a runner, the worst thing is figuring out how to take the few things I can’t leave behind when I head out for a run. This running belt keeps my phone and keys tightly secure and leaves space for a few other things if needed so I can always run with my essentials.
These Floor Slides
When I picked up these floor slides, my fitness game hit a new level. I can put them on my feet for core-scorching pikes or on my hands for side-to-side pushups until there is a puddle of sweat right below my face.
These Resistance Band Workout Cards
Sometimes all we have at our reach are resistance bands. I travel with a few bands and these band workout cards. This way, I can work out from a hotel room or rental home on any day. When fitness becomes part of your life, there are no days off.
This Instructional Yoga Mat
Yoga is all about seamlessly flowing and breathing from one pose to the next. But when you’re in the middle of it, sweating to keep the pose and losing strength in your arms from so many chaturanga pushups, you need this mat to tell you what the next pose is supposed to look like.
This Weightlifting Belt
Working out those big muscles in your legs and back with the heaviest weights you can handle a sure-fire way to break into a good sweat but it’s also a way to get injured. Pick up this weightlifting belt before that happens. You’ll thank yourself with a power smoothie later.
This Soccer Ball
Sometimes, you just gotta go kick something. Running up and down a soccer field will make you sweat quickly. Thanks to this light-up soccer ball, you won’t have to stop playing just because the sun has gone down. Keep playing and keep sweating.
These Yoga Blocks
We all need a little bit of help during our yoga practice. Some mornings you just wake up stiffer than others and reaching the floor is not an option. These blocks become your hands’ connections to the floor so you can still get a good workout in and hopefully stretch out by the end of the session.
This Pickleball Set
This pickleball set is a great way to get into a cardio sport that will make you sweat but won’t necessarily demand as much physicality and endurance as a regulation tennis match. Find a few friends and step up to the net. Before long, you’ll have a handle on the game and you’ll be sweating and having fun.
This Water Bottle
We want to sweat buckets because it’s a sign that you’re doing it right. What you don’t want to do is forget to drink water while you’re sweating and then end up dehydrated. That leads to painful cramps, exhaustion, and even fainting. Stay hydrated with this water bottle that will keep your water ice-cold for the entire day.
This Barbell Pad
Weighted squats should leave your legs sore from all the weight you’re lifting. If your neck and back are sore after squats, it probably means you’re not using this barbell pad. Be like the Wu-Tang Clan and protect your neck.
These Exercise Bands
Work takes me to various cities and I can’t travel with dumbbells in my suitcase. Instead, I pack these resistance bands and work out daily from my hotel room. After I have a good sweat going, I jump in the shower and then it’s off to work.
This Jumprope
Few things in life can go from childhood playthings to one of the sweatiest workout tools you’ll ever use. In fact, I can only think of this jumprope in that category. Boxers use them for agility and quickness on their feet. It’s a full-body sweat when you feel like you’re doing what you did when you were eight.
This Bar Resistance Set
This bar resistance set comes loaded with just about everything you need to work up a sweat in your home without taking up much space. Use your own body as weight in combination with the resistance bands and if you want some more, slip on the included leg loops for an extra challenge.
This Running Vest
Running at night, especially during the summer, may be the best time to get that kind of sweat going. But if you live in the city, you have to stay safe and visible. This reflective running belt keeps you visible so you can cross streets safely.
These Exercise Rings
I’ve admired gymnasts from afar for years. Thanks to these gymnastic rings, I can train and sweat like them. I don’t know if I can have their arms but I know I’ll be sweating and getting closer with each workout on these rings.