You know how a carpenter loves to buy new tools? I get super excited about a new exercise gadget.
I have been working out at home since the pandemic hit and I love it. I don’t have a full gym set up but between my kettlebells, resistance bands and massage balls, I’m pretty well stocked.
This month I bought a couple of new pieces of equipment I wanted to share with you.
- A TRX. A TRX is a set of straps and handles that you can attach to your door or even to the ceiling for a great workout.
I’m kind of obsessed with all the things you can do with it and it will be very easy to travel with 😉 One of the best things you can do for your upper body are pull ups or chin ups. Just pulling movements in general are missing in a standard yoga practice. Enter the TRX. I am not able to do a chin up (yet) but this piece of equipment is helping me get there.
A great alternative that is working well for some of my students is called a door anchor. It is an inexpensive way to attach a resistance band to a door way and do rows and pulls. You simply slide your door anchor through the hinge side or top of your door and thread your band through the loop end.
2. A medicine ball. This is a heavy ball that may or may not bounce but you can use them for lots of things from floor slams to just adding some weight to your squats or sit ups.
This has come in handy for so many things! I love to put my hands on it and hold a plank pose!
3. Finally the last thing I am using a lot is a small food scale. It is not a piece of exercise equipment but it is helping me with one of my goals which is to increase the amount of protein I eat. Weighing things has been a real eye opener. I don’t plan to weigh my food forever (and I wouldn’t try this if you have a history of disordered eating) but it has been super helpful for me to know what a portion size is. Like, what does 100 grams of shredded chicken look like? The first time I actually measured out the serving size described on the label of the peanut butter I was about to eat I cried a little. It looked so tiny!
Let me know what is inspiring you right now. And what is your favorite piece of home workout equipment?