Cool Fitness Gadgets

by Chris Akard

Imagine if brushing your teeth were like exercise. You know that moment is coming every three to four times per week, where you have to sit in front of the mirror for 60 to 90 minutes just scrubbing, cleaning and brushing. You really don't like to brush your teeth for hours at a time, but you like the result. Eventually, you'll need a tooth-brushing trainer or some new tooth-brushing gadgets. I guess there are a few out there.

Fortunately, brushing your teeth doesn't take that long, but exercise does. The point is that's why we're always looking for something new. I get plenty of requests from readers and viewers for things they can do at home. For this article, we'll take a look at some of the cool and effective home-fitness gadgets.

TKO Exercise Mat: $49.95 It's a little expensive but a great item to have around the house. After all, who wants to do their exercises on the carpet or kitchen floor? My philosophy on this is if you have the exercise mat, then you'll be more likely to use it. Use the mat for ab work, leg lifts and knee push-ups.
TKO 4-pound Medicine Ball: $35.95 If you've been doing ab work for a while and are getting a little bored, the medicine ball can add a twist. Hold the 4-pound medicine ball in various positions over your head or to the right and left shoulder in the direction you're crunching. The ball will create an overload resistance on your abdominals. The result? A deep ab contraction. Be careful not to do too many repetitions in the beginning. You can also play toss with a willing friend.
Reebok Active Trainer Heart Rate Monitor: $79.99 I prefer the old two-fingers-on-the-artery method, but for those of you who don't do that sort of thing very often, I recommend a good heart rate monitor. These monitors will let you know if you're in your target zone and if you're maintaining it or not. This is a great addition to your cardio workouts.
TKO Wrist Roller: $12.99 This gadget is great for building your forearms. It's also a great exercise for improving performance in a variety of athletics. From golf to baseball, the wrist roller will put a burn on your wrist flexors and extensors.
Fit Ball: $26.99-$34.99 The fitness ball is a great tool for a variety of different exercises. It puts your body in a great anatomical position. Use the fitness ball for abs, legs, lower back and much more. Correct ball sizing depends on height and will vary in price. If you are under 5 feet, get a 45-centimeter ball; 5 feet to 5 feet 7 inches, use the 55-centimeter ball; and 5 feet 8 inches to 6 feet 2 inches, use the 65-centimeter ball. Adequate instructions are usually available with the fitness ball.
Spri Exer Tubes: $8.99-$12.99 This is not my first choice for resistance training, but certainly better than nothing. In fact, you can use resistance tubes for just about every body part. There are usually books of exercises available for the tubes or you can just keep your eyes peeled in "Family Fitness" for some great exercise examples. At-home Training With Resistance Tubes will get you started.
Disc 'O Sit: $19.99 This gadget will get you movin' and groovin'. Well, not exactly. It's actually a device used to promote stabilization. Whenever you're doing a standing or seated exercise, you can use the Disc 'O Sit to improve balance and muscle stabilizers. This is great for performance in all athletics. Give it a try!

Well, there you go. Now you have no excuses. With these pieces of in-home gadgets, you have a virtual home gym. An exercise participant can see some good results if consistent with these products. So go ahead, get these items for home and use them!