These Are a Few of My Favorite (Workout) Things

Last month my Mom got me a gift card to Dick's Sporting Goods for my birthday (thanks Mom!), and when I went over there a few weeks ago to redeem it I had every intention of buying some simple things like workout shirts, shorts, a bathing suit, or a even a new Yoga mat, but I was quickly inundated with an astonishing abundance of weird, crazy, cool and fun "athletic stuff" that I had to check out.  Dick's can be pretty overwhelming for the shear volume of items they have in their selection and I, like most guys, am not one to ask for help finding something in a store, but their athletic corner is pretty well organized and loaded with toys for personal and athletic trainers, or, as my clients might call them, "new and improved torture devices."  Some of the stuff they have is pretty standard (free weights, Bosu's, balance discs, Kettlebells, Medicine Balls, Stability Balls, Bands, push-up/pull-up and chin-up apparatuses, etc.) but like a kid in a candy store (or a personal trainer in a sporting goods store, I guess) there were a handful of items I had to have immediately in my arsenal of equipment, not only for myself and my outdoor workouts, but also to keep things interesting for my in-home clients and those that I drag to the park.

I've written before that you really don't need ANY equipment to get a good workout, and I sometimes do entire workouts with my clients just using body weight and trying to be creative that way, but there are some great pieces of equipment out there that are not only easy to transport, very efficient, and relatively inexpensive, but also, wait for it ... kind of fun.  At Dick's I ended up buying a few of these things and added these to the other items that are currently sitting in my trunk broiling in the heat, but the best part is that they are all super lightweight, take up very little space and can be used virtually anywhere.  My kind of stuff.  So in honor of a great birthday gift and for workout nerds like me that just like cool new things to try, here are my favorite workout items that don't require a gym or any sort of heavy lifting, just a little space in your car or home and a bit of creativity:

• Agility Ladder:  Probably #1 on my favorite's list, simply because of the amount of exercises you can perform with it.  Speed, agility and quickness training, perfect for an athlete or those looking for a quick burn.  I use this one for interval or circuit training, Plyometrics, or with my college athlete that I wrote about last month.  If you have ever watched an NFL player train with their trainer or team, especially running backs, defensive backs, running backs and wide receivers, you have no doubt seen them do drills on the ladder.  Or, if you have kids and don't want to deal with chalking up the street or sidewalk, use it for a little hopscotch during a block party.  Or something like that.  
• Speed Chute:  Another common piece for NFL players (Adrian Peterson comes to mind as he was rehabbing his torn ACL last summer), I used this at the track last week running sprints and it definitely forces you to dig in your hips, especially on a windy day.  Head to an open field or a track, line up 50 or 100 yards and give it a shot.  Really fun.
• Gliders:  Super portable and effective, there are two different types for hardwood floors (while taking a gym class) or for carpets or other surfaces (mainly used at home, although I use them at the field turf track as well).  Gliders make Core work much more interesting and challenging, and rather then just holding a hand or elbow plank for sets of 30 seconds, you can do some mountain climbers with a few of these and you will feel the effects.  If you don't have Gliders, paper plates or Frisbee's work just as well.
• TRX:  The new "fad", if you will, in gyms, this is a bit more expensive then some of the other items (depending on where you purchase), but the whole thing can't weigh more then a few pounds and you can use it anywhere.  I've set this up on Monkey Bars, door frames, tops of fences, anything sturdy and at least 6 feet tall.  Indoor/outdoor, doesn't matter, and you'll get a full body workout no matter where you are.
• Lateral Resistor:  Bought this one at Dick's and haven't actually used it yet, but this is another piece that is great for athlete's looking to improve their quickness and lateral speed while also strengthening your hips and glute's at the same time.  You can use these for simple exercises like side-steps and balance but I've also seen athletes use them while doing sprints and agility drills (on the Agility Ladder, perhaps) to up the ante.  But be aware:  this thing BURNS.  A lot.
• Cones:  Doesn't really matter what kind of cones, and you can really use anything as a supplement for a cone, but these ones are small and hard to knock over so they work really well.  Cones are a personal favorite because they force me to be creative in class and with some of my in-home clients.  NFL guys work with cones for speed, quickness and agility, and I'll do that but also use them for sprints or jumping as well.
• Shoe Weights:  The one item that I haven't purchased yet but intend to, these are much easier and more efficient then ankle weights, just simpler to adjust and much more comfortable to wear.  I do a ton of balance and core work with these and everyone hates it, which means that they are fantastic.

Again, you don't necessarily NEED the stuff above, but if the price is right (and for most of the items, they are) and you need a little jolt of creativity in your workouts, you can't go wrong with a few new, fun workout toys.