Credibly Choosing Fitness Training Aids
Advice from the pros

As a consumer, you are likely barraged with marketing and advertising for a myriad of exercise products. These range from the late night infomercial "quick fixes” to those that can really assist you in staying on track with a fitness program and reaching your goals. Over the past 21 years of helping our personal training fitness clients achieve their goals, one of the top 3 comments we hear are, "I'm really confused. I've seen (fill in almost any product here), and am wondering whether you would recommend it or not?” Or "does it really work?” With the fitness equipment market being flooded with a greater number of products than ever before, you must become an educated and savvy consumer. Over the years, my trainers and I have come up with the tips we feel are most important in making purchasing decisions to help you spend wisely. Following these tips, we've identified some product categories that we've found are particularly useful and almost universal in their benefit to a variety of fitness enthusiasts.

1. If it sounds too good to be true, it is. This may sound like a cliché, but certainly is worth mentioning. Use your natural instincts and get the professional advice of a certified trainer before pulling out your credit card, particularly with online products. Millions of consumers per year throw their dollars at pills, powders, ab products and the like "flat abs in 5 minutes per day.” Sadly, most of these products don't deliver on their promise and end up in the closet.

2. Start your shopping with a specialty fitness retailer. This is the type of store that specializes in selling only fitness equipment. Their staff is generally better trained, and in many cases, will include personal training backgrounds as part of their sales team. Specialty fitness retailers will also have a higher quality selection of products to choose from, and be less inclined to sell "gimmicky” or substandard products. Finally, in this setting you are likely to have the opportunity to truly sample a training product on real equipment in situations that mimic how you'll really use the product at home or in the gym. Finally, specialty fitness retailers will usually stand by their products, both in terms of service and returns, in a timely fashion.

3. Know your goals and write them down before shopping. This is critical and will help you from making impulse buys that end up at your next garage sale. As part of this process, also take inventory of products that you might already have that never were used. Make this list before your first store visit.

4. Take inventory of your current fitness equipment or the equipment in your health club. Determine what is missing from your routine that a wise purchase will help complete. Here's an example. If your gym has quality strength training equipment, and particularly free weights, consider high-quality strength training gloves, wrist, and knee wraps, etc. These are items that will help you get the most from your gym's equipment without causing calluses, and also will help reduce the risk of injury.

5. Think long term. Fitness routines can, and often do, become monotonous over time. Adding variety is very important for both sticking with a program and also changing it so that you continue to see progress. Examples include large exercise balls and rubberized strength training tubing to supplement your current routine. Additionally, these products will serve to supplement your gym workout when at home or traveling.

6. Look at features, and make sure they will really benefit your needs. Is it really important that an NFL lineman uses a particular type of strength training glove if you are a 35 year old man simply looking for an accessory to help strengthen your muscles for golf? Matching features to your benefits means things like-antimicrobial fabrics or surfaces in a glove that will help reduce the risk of viruses from other users in the gym. Make sure you consider your personal needs-not someone whose you've seen on t.v.

7. Consider your lifestyle including how often you travel or are without the use of your regular exercise equipment. In the times we live, time is a valuable commodity. Most of us, particularly parents, are already over-programmed in their schedules. Choosing ankle weights, tubing, exercise mats and other training aids that can be carried with you to the office or on a trip will help keep you on track. This is so important for those with less time; you'll want to look for training aids that complement your lifestyle.

8. Choose quality manufacturers. If you are reading this article, you are clearly committed to fitness. Exercise equipment that gets used frequently needs to hold up to the rigors of your routine over time. Ask a salesperson about the quality of particular brands and also their warranties. A quality manufacturer will also have a website that provides usable, credible information about product usage and generally, what types of products are designed for particular exerciser levels. The best websites will also have downloadable photos of proper form and mechanics.

As fitness professionals who've worked with over 40,000 individuals, here is a partial list of the products we have found that enhance workouts and actually get used! Exercise balls, portable rubberized exercise tubing, portable hand and ankle weights, exercise mats, exercise gloves, weighted exercise balls, heart rate monitors, sports/exercise watches. All of these items provide a great return on their investment, but remember if you choose them, use them!