So here is a quick shot of the equipment I use with my post rehab and fitness clients. Why? Because they deliver an excellent training effect, they are relatively cheap and durable, and it all fits in your closet. In short, they are practical. Each piece of equipment is linked. Please click on the link for more info. A quick breakdown of their purposes, and my uses of them;
Stability Ball- Great for helping develop rotary stability and hip flexor engagement for a deep squat pattern. (These are movements that help you move better during single leg deadlifts and squats for example). They are also excellent for planks (a sagittal / anti extension movement for you academic folks).
TRX Suspension System– Very good for horizontal pulling motions (i.e., rowing). You also get the added benefit of allowing a spiral movement (arms extended and hands pronated, to shoulders retracted, hands supinated). This allows for a more vigorous contraction of the rotator cuffs during the retraction movement. Also the TRX is great for horizontal pushing movements (i.e., push-ups). The same spiral pattern can be achieved for rotator cuffs. The added benefit for the pushup and row, is that you can increase load in very small amounts by extending the straps in very small amounts.
Bodylastics– are rubber bands that come in a variety of resistances. This is great because you can combine them to get several loads. These are excellent for anti-rotation movements (i.e., teaching you not to twist with the lower back). Also great for other half kneeling variations like one arm rows or face pulls.
PowerBlocks– These are probably the most versatile of all of the tools. They are great because they can be adjusted from 5lbs right up to 170lbs (if you buy the additional plates). And they are quite compact and fit into each other. Many basic exercises can be done with these (i.e., deadlifts, split squats, single leg squats, rows, chest presses, shoulder presses, snatches, powercleans, and turkish get-ups).
Foam Roll– An excellent tool for self-myofascial release (i.e., self-massage). Great for improving blood flow and breaking up trigger points via autogenic inhibition. (You basically roll a muscle group over it a couple dozen times, for example). Great as part of a warm-up / active warm-up. It can also help relieve pain from muscle cramps and muscle soreness. A tennis ball is another great tool to reach muscles that the foam roll cannot get to adequately. I have an article on this under the blog section with more detail.
Enjoy!!
-Michael McIsaac