Cool Fitness Tools to Keep Workouts Fun - Champion Fitness Training

Let’s face it. Staying motivated with the same exercise routine can get boring – fast. The human body and mind have a certain threshold when it comes to doing the same thing over and over again. And exercise is no exception.

The good news is you don’t have to limit yourself to the usual go-to of free weights or strength and cardio machines. The fitness industry is always creating training devices that are different and challenging and produce great training results.

I’m not talking about fad infomercial products like the shake weight or the ab belt. These are the same training tools used by fitness enthusiasts and even professional athletes. Specifically, a few that are “outside of the box” include SandRopes, SandBells and the TRX Rip Trainer. From a training standpoint they are great because of their versatility, and each one will help improve cardiovascular endurance, strength and power – and burn fat.

1. SANDROPES

SandRopes, as the name implies, are neoprene battling ropes filled with sand.

Made by Hyperwear, SandRopes come in either a 15- or 30-pound option. SandRopes give you a few advantages over regular battling ropes.

First, they take up less space. Regular battling ropes range from 30 to 50 feet in length, while sandropes are only 10 feet. Second, they don’t require an anchor point like battling ropes do (though they can be anchored if preferred).

And last, because they are filled with sand, they will challenge grip strength much more.

SandRopes are used traditionally by implementing a whipping or circle motion with your arms, creating a “wave” in the rope. And with the shifting of the sand and dead-weight feel, it’s even more challenging to keep the wave going.

As a bonus, SandRopes are also great for resisted running drills as well. Overall, they are a great total-body training device that will tax your muscles and cardiovascular system.

SANDROPE SAMPLE EXERCISES

• Basic wave

• Ultimate Warrior (Side-Facing Wave)

• Rope Drags

• Ax Chops

2. SANDBELLS

Also made by Hyperwear, SandBells are sand-filled neoprene disks that range from 2 to 50 pounds. SandBells create great workout diversity because they can simulate exercises used with dumbbells, medicine balls and kettlebells. And, of course, there is the increased challenge to grip strength, which you don’t experience with traditional free weights.

Also, because they are compact, SandBells can easily be used for workouts when traveling or if you have limited space.

SANDBELL SAMPLE EXERCISES

• Rotational Slams

• Squat Toss

• Walking Plank/Row

• Swings

3. TRX RIP TRAINER

This is a resistance-cord system that creates an unbalanced load to help develop core strength, power and endurance. The cord can attach to one end of the resistance bar for high-variety asymmetrical and rotational exercises to challenge core strength. But you can also attach the cord to each end of the bar for more traditional strength exercises, giving you countless options. The Rip Trainer is very portable. All you need is a stable anchor point for the opposite end and you’re ready to press, pull, squat and rotate your way into a killer total-body workout.

TRX RIP TRAINER EXERCISES

• Squat to Overhead Press

• Slap Shot

• Rotational Punches

• Squat Row