Workout Equipment You Love vs. Never Use

[faithfulpilgrim]

@hebahesh Love:

My step board!! I use it for this cardio class that is my absolute favorite. I can also use it for different weight lifting exercises and ab workouts. Great $20 investment.

Short resistance bands

Dumbbells

Never use:

Long resistance bands— literally never opened them

Yoga block— I go through waves with yoga and I’m currently in a rut with it. But it is helpful with difficult poses!

 

[pastormoazzam]

@hebahesh Don't really love but use daily:

• Pink squishy Gaiam yoga mat (actually quite shit, would not recommend)
• Adjustable dumbbells (one walmart set with unusually large handles and one classic, slightly rusty metal set I got from the garage).
• Weight plates

Never use:

• Yoga ball + yoga resistance pulling bands (?). They're adjustable cords with handles on the end. I got it for Christmas bc I mentioned briefly I enjoyed working out to a relative! Appreciated but did not hit the mark lol.

 

[patiencem]

@hebahesh Love:
Cardio climber machine (essentially a versa climber). I’m winded within a few min. I would use this every single day if I could (injured so wompwomp)

Apple Watch- not sure quite if this counts but I would be lost without my watch. It’s HG status for me.

Dumbbells/kettlebells - use these almost daily!

Resistance bands- I have the cloth ones and the latex ones. The cloth ones I’ve found have way too much resistance.

Slant board- love this. Use it daily.

Like:
Cordless jump rope- for how cheap it was I’d say worth it because it does do a good job of simulating a real jump rope while I doors.

Foam rollers and tiger tails- I don’t use these nearly enough as I should, but I’m always glad when I do.

Resistance tubes- these are great, esp for swimming workouts when you can’t hit the pool- I just always forget about them. Great for travel, too!

Don’t use:
Balance board- this was a gift that I was sooooo excited for, but I think I’ve used it once in five years

Road bike with indoor trainer - again, was super stoked when I got this setup. Now I can’t stand using it so it sits in the garage.

Agility ladder- this thing is a PITA. It always catches and doesn’t lay completely flat. I have rubber floor tiles in our home gym so just end up using the seams of those as a guide rather than this.

Percussive massager- thought this would be great for recovery but I don’t use it nearly enough as I should. Not sure why.

Water bottle running belt- absolutely awful. The weight of the full water bottles weighs the whole thing down so it doesn’t stay up at all.

 

[hebahesh]

@patiencem Water bottle running belt - that's a new one! does sound tough to keep it up.. I've seen those camelbak hydration backpacks and those seem good!

 

[mayello]

@hebahesh Love:
Power rack, barbell/plates, bench with leg developer, dumbbells, wall-mounted cable machine.

Like:
Handled bands (for warmups/not feeling well days)

Don’t use enough:
Hex bar. I have a small space and it’s a very heavy/awkward bar to maneuver into the lifting area. Also once it tipped over and punched me in the stomach so I think it has it out for me.
Also, kettlebells. Want to get into them but just can’t.

 

[skateman40]

@hebahesh Lebron swears on climbers and so do I. These are the machines that should be in every gym but aren’t because American medical complex wants as fat and sick. 3x the range of motion of running and it works everything down to your grip strength. Don’t sleep on climbers if you’re serious about getting in shape and fixing your back problems

http://es.pn/2ql6sX2
Article: ESPN: Lebron and Lady Gaga swear by the same fitness machine

 

[thebadcatholic]

@hebahesh Most used

-short loop resistance band

-microplates!!! 1.25 lbs plates that I use for every lift not just upper body

-barbell pad for hip thrusts

-yoga mat, blocks and bolster every time I practice at home. bolster under the knees is my favorite in savasana

Least used

-dumbbells (currently on long-term loan to my friends who aren't comfortable going back to the gym yet)

-long loop resistance bands - used to use these a lot when I was stuck with home workouts only

-slam ball - I moved to a house built in 1835 with structural issues about a year ago and I might end up in my basement if I used it indoors! Fun piece of equipment though for outdoors and non-slamming moves like russian twists.

 

[frishy]

@hebahesh Love: Balance board - use all the time while watching TV; yoga mat, dumbbells

Never use: Adjustable dumbbells- I’d rather grab my lighter ones than make adjustments; a treadmill I got rid of already

Just ordered a spin bike so hopefully that goes into my love category!

 

[hebahesh]

@frishy So relatable- I always go for the lighter ones too rather than use the adjustable

 

[senjoy]

@frishy I love my spin bike for rhythm cycling! I use a free YouTube instructor and feel like I’ve upped both endurance and strength!!

 

[metaole]

@frishy You’re making me want a balance board. I never thought of using it for TV time!

 

[frishy]

@metaole It’s so great! I have the Revolution Swell one but there’s a ton out there. I just keep it by the couch and pull it out almost every evening. If I’m not feeling super energetic it’s simple enough to just do a basic balance without any “tricks” and it feels low effort while still working my core!

 

[militantagnostic101]

@hebahesh I hear you on the shopaholic thing! I go to a second hand sporting goods store on a regular basis.

Love:

Barbell, dumbbell, ez curl bar, adjustable bench, medicine ball

Like:

Resistance bands

Rarely use:

Ab wheel

Want:

Fold up treadmill , timer clock, adjustable dumbbell set

 

[lifeunlocked]

@hebahesh Love: kettlebell (I have an 8kg/17lb one, but would like another one- both heavier and lighter), thick workout mat (yoga mat? I don’t use it for yoga, haha) for the floor when I do exercises, air pods/wireless headphones, a good gym logging app, a very bright (usb rechargeable) running/walking light with front and back lights

Rarely use: nothing, I am broke as a poke, so if I bought it, I use it

 

[dawn16]

@hebahesh My "gym" is a small office/guest bedroom with about enough room for one yoga mat (which is a big upgrade over most of the past year when it was a living room), which can really enforce minimalism.

Love: My Jade yoga mat -- 5 years of semi-regular to daily practice and going strong, you can just throw it in the wash (front loader, no soap, hang dry) occasionally, absorbs sweat. Would take this thing to a desert island.

New, but going strong so far: Pullup bar + rings

Loved at first but use less now: Yoga blocks. I like having the option but a lot of times it's just too much trouble.

Rarely use: Dumbbells (I have 5 lbs and 6 lbs, which are too lightweight to be of much use); resistance bands (seems weird to say that the learning curve has just been too high, but I haven't figured out how to incorporate them); travel yoga mat (love it in theory, in practice the vacations where I actually do serious enough yoga to need it are also vacations where I'm driving to get there); small exercise ball; barre weights

Want: adjustable dumbbells (hoping they flood onto the market post-pandemic), yoga bolster/blanket (but know I don't need them since I own pillows and blankets which do the same thing)

 

[dawn16]

@hebahesh Love:
-Barbell, plates, squat stand setup
-Dumbbells
-Bodylastics, really awesome substitute for a cable machine. No more awkwardly bending over to do facepulls with dumbbells...
-Step up block. The shortest side is slightly lower than my bench, infinitely more comfortable for hip thrusts.

Rarely Use:
-slam ball. Sounded cool in theory, but in practice I live in an apartment and have knickknacks everywhere, and hate popping outside to do a workout unless I'm running.
-pullup bar. Can't do a full one yet, and turns out I find negatives to be boring as sin. Might try doing band-assisted pullups instead...
-gymnastics rings. Was the only thing I could find at the start of the pandemic, but I just cannot get into bodyweight fitness for some reason.

 

[slicey]

@hebahesh Love: squat rack, barbell, bumper plates, bench, adjustable dumbbells, pulley, mag lat pulldown grips, and my fractional plates (SUCH A GAME CHANGER)

Never use: resistance bands

 

[justcheckinin]

@hebahesh Love: yoga mat, running shoes, foam roller,trail runners, dumbbells (just a pair), road bike and mountain bike (both were gifts)

Use some and like: roller blades, volleyball (when I can convince someone else to play), swim suit and goggles (no pools cuz COVID right now and winter).

 

[charspailm]

@hebahesh I work out exclusively at-home, for reference.

Love:

• CoreHome Fitness adjustable dumbbell set (5 lb. - 50 lb). These changed my life in COVID times; my progress has been amazing, and the huge weight range gives me something to continuously work up to. I don't think I'll ever go to the gym again with these bad boys.
• AirPod Pros
• Sneakers that ACTUALLY are my size, instead of half-size-too-big-hand-me-downs

Like:

• Weighted, cordless jump rope. I like the cordless part, but the weighted feature feels moot on mine.
• Yoga mat. Mine was fine at first, but is now starting to shed from use. I also don't know how much I really need it working out at home.
• Resistance bands. The ones I have are a little loose and don't feel super challenging when I use them (but perhaps that's user error lol).

Rarely Use:

• Ab wheel
• Baby barbell set (only went up to 50 lb). It was too clumsy to change plates out, and not space-savvy in an apartment.

 

[theonekingjesus]

@charspailm I have the Core Home adjustable dumbbells too and really like them! The one thing that bothers me is when using 10 lbs I don't know which way I should be holding them since the weight is on one side. I've gotten strong enough to really only need 15+ lbs now but some things I have to go down to 10 and always have this issue. How have you managed through that?