To help you embark on your 2017 resolution of working out more than once every two months, we accosted five local trainers and asked them to tell us their absolute favorite piece of workout gear. Below, the leggings, dumbbells, and jump ropes they swear by. (And if you’re in the market for more instructor-recommended gear, here are their go-to deodorants and sports bras.)
Tiana Hester-Charles, senior dance instructor at Banana Skirt Productions:
“I just got put onto Sweaty Betty and I am in love with their fitness wear. The Power leggings are my favorite. It’s just the quality of them. The sweat-wicking keeps you dry, the high-quality material forms to your body and how you work out, and the high waist is really comfortable. Plus, they just came out with new ones that you can monogram.”
Note: This peachy mesh pair is almost out of stock, but Sweaty Betty has an oxblood option here and a chambray blue option here.
Steve Uria, founder of Switch Playground:
“I love the Spri Step360 Pro Trainer for multipurpose use as a functional and core-training base. I prefer this over the Bosu because the top is flat so it doesn’t compromise ankle and Achilles positioning, while still giving the challenge of an unstable surface.”
David Juhn, personal training manager at Life Time Athletic at Sky:
“One of my favorite running workouts is interval training because the whole thing can be done in 30 minutes as a mix of sprints and walks. I’ve tried lots of running shoes and Nike’s LunarEpic Flyknits are my favorite for their smooth-gliding ability during my sprints. They have unique cuts on the bottom allowing them to distribute the force of the pounding evenly.”
Will Jackson, founder of WRKNYC:
“The Benran jump rope is durable, easy to use, has a decent weight to it for efficient control during revolutions, transfers minimum sting during any errors, and won’t easily break.”
Noah Neiman, co-founder of Rumble:
“I like Rogue dumbbells because they come in rubber and steel and they’re just a quality product. I fancy the look because they’re super old school and remind me of when I was learning to weight lift in my high-school gym. Also, the hex shape doesn’t roll so you can do push-ups and stuff with them.”
The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the best workout leggings, gym bags, workout gear, flattering sweatpants, running shorts, and sports bras. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
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