Step Up Your Fitness Game
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Whether you are looking to take your fitness to the next level or just make it more effective, we have put together a select list of gear that will enrich training sessions, provide useful data and help mitigate recovery. From noise canceling earbuds to intelligent biometric trackers, these products have the potential to help you step up your fitness game.
Withings Sleep Mat
Sleep is not simply the third pillar of the “health trinity,” but rather the platform upon which other health improvements across physical exercise and nutrition are made possible. When there is so much to do and not enough time to do it, sleep often takes a back seat. But the latest in sleep science is proving what should have been intuitive all along; a well rested body can do more and perform better, proving time and again that sleep is critical for our overall health and happiness.
And the best way to improve sleep is to track it. Which is why we picked the the Withings Sleep Mat as our go to sleep tracker, nothing to wear and hassle free automatic syncing every morning with a smartphone. The Sleep Mat provides an in depth look at your nightly sleep by monitoring sleep cycles, tracking heart rate, detecting snoring and breathing disturbances. All of this is summarized in a useful and intuitive sleep score as well as detailed metrics that breakdown your night of sleep and then provide you with tips and suggests on how to improve the quality of it, all within Withings Health Mate app. If you want to improve your sleep, which strengthens your immune system, mental clarity, creativity, memory, and overall recovery, take a moment and check out the Withings Sleep Mat. MSRP $129.95 www.amazon.com/withings
JBL Reflect Mini NC
Earbuds that don’t stay in place are a giant annoyance and the JBL Reflect Mini NC in-ear sport headphones will make that a thing of the past. Great for intense workout sessions, trial running, long bike rides, and any other high paced activity, these Active Noise Cancelling buds are IPX7 waterproof rated ensuring you won’t ruin them when HIT sessions end in a sweat bath, or when your scheduled sunny run turns into a rainy run. Not only do these deliver the superior JBL signature audio, they block out what you don’t want to hear or hear more of what you do, thanks to the Active Noise Canceling and the Smart Ambient technology. Each bud connects immediately and independently, so you can take calls with either one and assign unique functions to the left and the right. These earbuds offer a total of 21 hours of play/call time with the charging case. The buds will conform to a wide variety of ear shapes with three different ear tips and three secure fit ear wings to get that perfect fit. The JBL Reflect Mini NC sport headphones are the perfect accessory to pump motivating music to help push you to the next level. MSRP $149.95 jbl.com
Core Power Protein
When you are on the go, you need fast protein that you can count on and that doesn’t take long sessions in the kitchen to prepare. Core Power Protein is the answer, a ready made shake that is easy to toss in your bag. Core Power uses fresh fairlife ultra-filtered milk that is a smooth and easy way to finish up your workout and recover better. With 26 grams of high quality protein, Core Power is a delicious protein milk shake made from simple ingredients and comes in a variety of tasty flavors that doesn’t hit you in the tastes buds with that overwhelming chalky protein powder taste. With complete quality protein and all 9 essential amino acids, Core Power is the quick and effortless solution to help repair muscles and support healthy workout recovery. MSRP Starting @ $2.99 www.amazon.com/fairlife
Wahoo TICKR X
Perceived effort is the catalyst of all fitness measurements, why not know for sure how hard you are pushing your body by tracking it instead. To do that all you need is a trusty heart rate monitor and the Wahoo TICKR X is one of our favorites. Easily paired with any Bluetooth or ANT+ GPS watch, smartphone or bike computer, this device effortlessly and accurately measures heart rate, calories burned, running analytics, and indoor cycling cadence. The strap and sensor pod provide exceptional comfort and convenient wearability. Internal storage is impressive, with a capacity for up to 50 hours of workout data, allowing you to leave those electronic devices at home and just enjoy the workout with confidence that the data will be there waiting for you when you get home. MSRP $79.99 www.amazon.com/wahoofitness
HotRock – Heated Foam Roller
A one two punch of foam rolling and heat, the HotRock Heated Foam Roller helps you relax tight muscles, improve flexibility, and relieve pain through an innovative technologically advanced design. Calibrated with deep, penetrating heat at your control, the HotRock speeds up muscle recovery and alleviates pain more quickly than your everyday foam roller. With a LCD display and controls for setting temperature and time, you can get heated relief that helps channel blood and oxygen to your muscles when rolling within just minutes with the press of a button. Whether you are suffering from pain and injury or just looking for greater relaxation and recovery, the HotRock combines all the great benefits of foam rolling with deep, penetrating heat all at your control. MSRP $179.99 medrock.com
Noerden Sensori Scale
Want to get a more complete view of your overall health, start tracking your body metrics using the Noerden Sensori Scale. With this scale you can track your progress toward a set goal with accurate measurements for weight, weight trend, body fat percentage, BMI, skeletal muscle mass and more. The Senori seamlessly syncs with the Noerden app via Wi-Fi connectivity and provides a detailed body composition analysis through comprehensive data reports and trend graphs to help you reach your goals. The Sensori also has a user auto recognition function, meaning that anyone in your household can step on the scale and receive their data directly on their Noerden App. If your are looking to hit that specific race weight or pack on muscle for the beach, start tracking those numbers with the Noerden Sensori Scale. MSRP $119 www.amazon.com/noerden
Echo Go
Hydrogen water is great way to help you stay hydrated and energized while exercising and training, while also providing support for healthy metabolic functions. And one of the easiest ways to get it is with the Echo Go, which allows you to have access to hydrogen water whether you are working out at the gym or simply enjoying the outdoors. The Echo Go works with filtered drinking water, including distilled and RO. With the use of Solid Polymer Electrolysis technology and Proton Exchange Membrane technology, the Echo Go produces therapeutic levels of molecular hydrogen. This water bottle offers two cycles (three or 10 minutes long) depending on the concentration of hydrogen you want. It also comes with a self cleaning feature that takes only three minutes to kill any bacterial buildup in the bottle. If you want to experience the benefits of hydrogen water there is no more convenient way to do it than with the Echo Go. MSRP $149.99 synergyscience.com
Inov-8 Bare-xf 210 V3
Want to get the most out of a gym session, do it barefoot, as this activates more muscles than a foot that is trapped in an over cushioned stability shoe. Since most gyms do not allow you to go barefoot the next best option is the Inov-8 Bare-xf 210 V3. It is their most stripped back shoe and is incredibly lightweight and close to the ground, which ensures the shoe moves freely while the foot is in motion. The V3’s upper design is one seamless piece of 3D air mesh, giving the shoe a super breathable and flexible finish that eliminates any chance for hotspots. Not only is this zero drop shoe perfect for a wide range weight lifting and functional movements, but is excellent for strengthen calf muscles with barefoot walking or running. MSRP $120 inov-8.com
Deckers xlab Ko-z SNPR Low and / or Deckers xlab Ko-z Slide
After tough training sessions, feet need pampering and if you want to do it with a stylish flair, grab a pair of the Deckers xlab Ko-z Shoes. Featuring an anatomical fit, oversized pillowy cushioning and meta-rocker geometry, the SNPR Low and Slide are the perfect post workout treat for your feet. These ease, revitalize, and provide lavish comfort to weary feet. If your hard sessions result in sore and beat up feet, relieve them with a pair of the Deckers xlab Ko-z’s – you won’t want to take them off. MSRP $120 deckersxlab.com
Swiftwick Flite XT Zero Socks
Swiftwick FLITE XT is a cross-training sock that is engineered to improve stability during fitness activities that require quick lateral transitions, as it incorporates Swiftwick’s GripDry Fiber. GripDry uses an innovative grip fiber that helps keep your foot from slipping inside your shoe which provides an extra sense of stability during high-intensity training. With an anatomical, close-to-skin fit that prevents hotspots the Swiftwick FLITE XT will support you when you want to pick up the tempo. MSRP $19.99 swiftwick.com
Dr. Scholl’s Performance Sized to Fit Running Insoles
Whether you need a new footbed, or if you’re looking to add a bit of performance support to your favorite running shoes, the Dr. Scholl’s Performance Sized to Fit Running Insoles adds comfort and support to every stride. Featuring a sized to fit construction, means there is no need to trim these insoles, just drop them in your shoe and it instantly adds stability and support with a medium arch and deep heel cup. The unique foam composition in the arch and heel deliver a nice fit and feel, while the performance plus dual layer cushioning throughout cradles your soles in padded comfort. Designed to meet the special needs of runners, whether for recreational or more intense runs, the Dr. Scholl’s Performance Running Insoles are sized to fit and engineered for peak performance. MSRP $42.99 www.amazon.com/drscholls