It's Prime Day and since so many clients lately are asking for home gear advice I thought I would share some quick safety tips as well as gear usefulness tips.  I have been training in homes, outdoors, in commercial gyms and in studio gyms with clients since 2002 so trust me when I tell you I’ve seen it all and I’ve heard it all too.  Here’s how to avoid injuries and get your money’s worth!  

The #1 Safety Tip: 

Look closely at the copycat product you are considering to see how it compares to the original design.  Take the suspension trainer for example.  The original that I purchased for close to $300 back in 2009 is still going strong but there are plenty of copycats selling for $31 on Amazon Prime Day and while some are good others are so dangerous. 

1. Make sure the door attachment isn't a cheap foam or rubber circle attached to a puny strap.  Look for copycats that have the pillow door attachment so there is ZERO RISK of breaking and injury. 

2. Look at the handle and foot cradle situation.  Most copycats are good but some are very different to the original.  Different doesn’t mean bad but it can create disrupting annoyances like some I’ve used where your foot slips right through the foot cradle and makes glute bridges and core work totally annoying instead of productive and fun!

3. Check out the D rings, straps and buckles.  Are they good quality, weight rated and easy to adjust.  You can actually see the difference in the pictures that Amazon provides when looking at these products.  Cheap materials = annoying workouts and potential for injury.

The #1 Money Saving Tip:  

As one of my favorite sustainable fashion bloggers put it, the value of the item is the number of wears you get.  Are you really going to use this product every week for at least a few months?  I’ve bought many many products through amazon over the years and while some I’ve used daily or weekly for years, others I’ve rarely used and were an impulse buy.  Just because something is trendy and looks like legit fitness gear trainers use does not mean you’ll use it.  

Totally Worth The Buy (for my life)

Some things in my home I absolutely could not live without:  TRX, mega medicine ball, set of dumbbells with rack, cable machine, flow ropes, stability ball, pilates ring, various massagers, glider discs of various shapes, upright bike, box step, Bender ball, sandbag, superbands. 

Fun buys but not used much!

Some impulse buys that are fun but have rarely been used and that most of my clients were not into at all:  monster ropes, tidal tank, donut ball, door bands set, gymboss watch with strap. 

Notice how my list of very loved and used gear is much longer than the rarely used impulse buy list.  You have to think about the types of workouts you enjoy and will do and stick with gear that will make those workouts better. Need personalized advice on your home. Setup a consultation here

The #1 Amazon Secret EVER!: 

I learned this from a client so thank him for this tip but if you are on Amazon searching for deals and you see a “used” product for considerably less then consider it!  Look to see if it’s in an opened box or repackaged and was simply a return that can now not be sold as new.  Sometimes buying used saves you tons of money.   This may not be the best strategy for some gear but it definitely works for certain types of fitness equipment.