Your own little fitness corner
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When it comes to at-home fitness, carving out a dedicated space for movement can make the difference between a workout completed and a workout skipped. As a personal trainer and a lifelong athlete, as well as the fitness writer for Wirecutter, a New York Times company that reviews and recommends products, I know firsthand how powerful (and empowering) it can be to exercise in your abode. It is possible to create a decent home gym — and you don’t need a fleet of gym equipment to do it. An in-house starter kit (kept all in one place) can be a simple collection of basics that will help establish your intentions, initiate healthy habits and foster consistency. Then you can spend less time searching for your exercise accessories and more time actually exercising. |
Here are five cheap(ish) things to help you transform a corner of your home into a spot where fitness goals can take shape and be realized. |
Keeping your workout time as distraction free as possible is often easier said than done, so don’t let a slipping phone or a toppling tablet be your downfall. Whether you use a device to stream a workout, to refer to exercise descriptions or to keep up with Netflix, it should be anchored securely. Wirecutter recommends the small, but stable, Stump Stand, a 4-inch-wide single piece of silicone that is loaded with an internal metal weight, which lends heft and stability. This stand also offers three viewing angles and fits cases up to a half-inch thick. |
A sturdy, comfortable yoga mat |
The signal to yourself that workout time is about to begin can be as simple as rolling out a yoga mat. Make it a good one. Wirecutter recommends the supportive and roomy Lululemon The Reversible Mat 5mm. It has two different sides — one smooth polyurethane, the other textured rubber — so it is a versatile choice for whatever workout you have planned. This mat also has an optimal combination of give and support, so it prevents elbows, hips and knees from sinking through to the floor and absorbs impact, if you opt for more dynamic movements. And, at 71 by 26 inches, it is 3 inches longer and 2 inches wider than mats with standard dimensions. |
A pair of space-saving adjustable dumbbells |
Cardio alone won’t cut it: Strength training is an essential part of a well-rounded fitness strategy. (The United States Department of Health and Human Services urges healthy adults to engage in full-body “muscle-strengthening activities of moderate or greater intensity” at least twice a week.) To get as much as possible out of strength training, the weight you lift needs to increase as your strength improves. But housing a full suite of dumbbells isn’t ideal for everyone, so consider Wirecutter’s recommendation of the Core Home Fitness Adjustable Dumbbell Set. Adjustable between 5 pounds and 50 pounds, in 5-pound increments, this set is easy to use (a twist of the handle adjusts to the desired weight in seconds), comfortable to grip and efficient for both upper- and lower-body exercises. |
A set of resistance bands |
To supplement strength training, these Perform Better Exercise Mini Bands, Wirecutter’s recommendation, are compact and handy for a host of different exercises aimed at prehab (injury prevention) and rehab (injury recovery). They have a folded length of 10 inches (2 inches shorter than most), which makes for a tighter fit. This is helpful when you’re using them to add resistance to body weight movements like lateral steps or hip bridges, which have you place the band around both legs. As a personal trainer, I’ve found that this set of four bands — in color-coded resistances — works the best for me and my clients. |
There isn’t a lot of scientific evidence backing the use of foam rollers (yet), but that hasn’t stopped them from becoming fixtures in gyms. (Most experts agree that if foam rolling feels good, you should keep doing it.) The original TriggerPoint GRID Foam Roller is an efficient pick for self-myofascial release — self-massage that’s focused on breaking up knots in connective tissue called fascia and easing tight muscles. Its foam surface is on the firmer side, and it has three different textures (raised, tubular and flat). I like to roll my calves, hamstrings and glutes, rotating through the various surfaces. At 13 inches long, this roller is not as lengthy as some its longer version, the TriggerPoint GRID 2.0, which measures 26 inches and is easier for me to maneuver for other uses, such as mobility exercises. But the original works well, it will save you space and it’s durable. |
Tip of the Week: Goodbye, Christmas tree |
This week I’ve invited the writer Madison Malone Kircher to give us an easy, less-mess way to get rid of that Christmas tree. (Just don’t wait until February.) |
The first year I lived in my current apartment was also the first year I bought my own Christmas tree. Which meant that when the holiday season ended and my tree had long since turned from festive symbol to dried-out fire hazard, it was up to me to dispose of the thing. (In past years, the task had fallen to my roommates.) This was also around the time I received a friendly, but strongly worded email from my building’s management company reminding tenants to wrap up our trees before dragging them down the stairs to the curb. |
Christmas tree disposal, I quickly realized, isn’t a thing you think about until it is something you really need to think about. I had not thought in advance to purchase a plastic bag large enough to fit my tree. Instead, I used what I had on hand, a top sheet. Here’s how to do it. |
Take off all your tree’s lights, ornaments, tinsel and other decorations. (Friendly reminder: You probably can’t dispose of a tree with anything still on it; check your local regulations.) Lay the sheet flat on the floor, and place the tree parallel atop it on its side. It should look as if the tree is a person in a bed. Tie the top corners of the sheet together around the tree. Repeat with the bottom corners to create a tree bundle. |
It worked great. My tree made it down all four flights from my walk-up to the street without leaving a trail in its wake. I’ve used this tactic every year since. It’s stupidly simple but perfectly effective. It’s green — unlike your now-dead Fraser fir — and convenient. Join me in keeping your carpet needle free and your security deposit intact. |
