My Five Favorite Fitness Accessories

It's taken me a long time to accumulate all of my various "fitness"-related accessories. In fact, sometimes my living room looks more like a home gym than a nice place to relax and watch a movie.

It all started innocently enough. I think the first thing I bought was when I moved into my first apartment and it seemed really important to have a yoga ball. I think it served more as an extra chair that it did as a workout tool.

Regardless of all the unused and/or stupid hard-to-use items I've hoarded over the years, there ARE some I think were a good investment.

1.) Foam Roller: These are awesome for so many reasons. Most importantly, they're an important part of me being able to continue running. Like many runners, I've had problems with my IT band. But since I added in rolling out my legs two or three times a week, it hasn't bothered me at all. Best of all? They're cheap. And, if you're resourceful, it's a pretty good ab workout. Here are some pretty good videos about the various areas you can stretch out and massage with a foam roller.

2.) Bosu Ball: This thing has so many uses, and can be added into any already-existing workout.

They can be used this way, or with the ball-side-down for more of a "balancing" element.

For example, if you're doing bicep curls, just standing on a Bosu will engage your core. It requires your legs and core to be a part of the workout, just to keep you standing upright. It's also great for lunges, pushups, and if you're not accident prone careful, plyometrics. You can purchase them on Amazon, sometimes on sale.

3.) Bowflex Select Techs: Probably THE best investment I've made as far as in-home fitness goes (emphasis on the investment part). It's like having 15 sets of weights, ranging from 5 pounds to 50 pounds. Other pros: MAJOR space-savers (they take up less than three square feet if you don't have the rack), the handles aren't huge like some dumbbells can be (which is great for me because my hands aren't very big), and they're easy to change between weights. I know it seems like a lot to pay for some weights, but think about it this way: generally, weights are $1 per pound; a 12 lb. weight is $12. So here's the breakdown: (2x5)+(2x7.5)+(2x10)+(2x12.5)+(2x15)+(2x17.5)+(2x20)+(2x22.5)+(2x25)+(2x30)+(2x35)+(2x40)+(2x45)+(2x50)=$670  If you think about it this way, you're saving 50% compared to how much you would spend if you bought each weight individually. (At least, this is how I legitimized it in my head. Also, I found them on sale somewhere.)

The bad-ass factor also plays a role in how cool I feel when I'm using these. They make five pounds look like  thirty. It's awesome. 

4.) Gymboss: Simple and cheap. Perfect for HIIT (high intensity interval training) workouts. This little gadget costs about $20, and is worth every cent (maybe more). It allows you to set two different times, different alarms or a vibrate alert, and the amount of rounds you want to go. So, if you're doing ten rounds of 45 seconds on, 10 seconds rest, three times through, this little gadget lets you preset all that so you don't waste any time resetting the clock or watching a second hand. (Sorry all you cheaters out there that use that time as extra rest - the jig is up.) Also, they come in different colors. Always a plus.

5.) UGI Ball: Last, but not least, this weighted ball is a workout all in itself.

Also comes in different colors, depending on which weight you order. 

Ranging in weight from six to twelve pounds, these balls are designed to help you build strength, stability and endurance. Check out what their website has to say about the UGI ball. It's a perfect weight training addition to your workouts, and also fund to play with when your friends come over to drink beers watch movies. 

What are your favorite fitness-related tools? Or, are you an all-natural (no accessories at all) type of exerciser?