FitEquip: The Hotness

This isn’t a newsflash, but it’s hot outside. And when it’s hot, it’s really hard for me to want to be outside at all, let alone to exercise. Thankfully, we’ve uncovered three pieces of hot gear and equipment to help you get through the blistering temps of August. They don’t exactly leave you cool, but they do make the heat a bit more tolerable. Read on for the full product hotness…

PowerLung
I’m not going to lie; this one took some time for me to figure out. But once I did, I sure was happy about it. The PowerLung is a breath-training device that basically gives your lungs a workout. You breathe in and out through the pictured contraption (which is much harder than usual breathing) for three sets of 10 breaths twice a day, and within a few days, you increase your respiratory strength (read: less huffing and puffing during workouts). It’s like a strength exercise for the lungs. It took me a few times to get the hang of the breathing—you really have to focus to push the air in and out—but once I did and actually remembered to use it twice a day, I could really start to tell a difference in my running, especially on extra hot and humid days. Athletes use it, musicians use it, firefighters use it, shouldn’t FBGs use it, too?

Big Stick
We get a lot of press releases sent to us at FBG HQ, and, to be honest, only a handful really ever stand out. Kahuna Creations’ Big Stick was one of those that definitely stood out. The first line of the release? “Matthew McConaughey is still going strong with his Big Stick.” Freaking brilliant, and, yes, I continued reading and learned that the “Big Stick” is actually a land paddle. To which I then asked, after shedding a tear that this was a fitness press release and not celeb gossip with photos, what’s a land paddle? Apparently, it’s this, and it’s one heck of a functional workout. I’m not personally sure if I could stay on it (coordination on wheels isn’t always my forté ), but if Matthew asked me to, I’d probably at least try his Big Stick. I think I just blushed.

P.S. If you’re into stand-up paddling on the water, check out the links under “Stand Up Paddle” for even more info!

Arm Pocket
Whenever I go anywhere—including on a hike, run, bike ride or the gym—it seems like I always have stuff to carry. My ID, phone, sunscreen, iPod…It’s kind of annoying. And I hate leaving stuff in my car in the heat. This is all why the Arm Pocket intrigues me. It seems to be able to carry the stuff you need, and it’s not a fanny pack trying to be fashionable. (Never will the fanny pack be fashionable) Plus, it’s eco-friendly with a bamboo band that’s sweat-proof and won’t stink (a feature you NEED in August). And with the amount of stuff I could cram in there, it’d probably even add some weight-resistance to my arm thereby upping my cal burn. What’s not to like?

What hot fitness products are you using this summer? —Jenn