Growing up, I was never really the sporty sort. I was that kid who was always sitting in a corner, reading. (True story, one of my classmates said this was her most enduring memory of me.)
In college though, I learned I was pretty strong. I took up weight training for women for PE, and I was surprised to find that I had strong arms and good form.
Over the years, I’ve picked up more than a few sports and hobbies: wall-climbing, running, yoga, arnis, boxing.
During the pandemic, I’ve also gotten into Zumba, dance fitness, resistance band exercises, and weight training.
I’m nowhere near American Ninja Warrior levels, but I do feel stronger. I’ve been working out almost every day, and I’m always on the lookout for exercise videos and tips.
Naturally, that means I’m always on the lookout for exercise gear too! Fortunately, there’s a Decathlon less than ten minutes away from where I live, so it’s easy to get what I need. I also have friends who are fitness freaks, so I’ve been able to borrow some stuff too.
IMPORTANT: This is not a sponsored post, okay! I just really love Decathlon haha.
Above, left to right: 2.5 kg dumbbell from Domyos/Decathlon; 14 lb kettlebell borrowed from Caroline; Domyos Body Power
Above, left to right: Spread across my cheap green Daiso mat are my Domyos yoga mat, which I used to carry around with an adjustable strap; a resistance band (which doesn’t seem to be available at Decathlon anymore); yoga blocks; and the Domyos Body Power.
If you’ve done any sort of yoga, you know that you can get really really sweaty, which can mess with your grip on the mat. I have a few towels that are specifically for yoga.
The resistance bands hurt my hands, especially since sometimes I have to grip the rope instead of the handles, so I use weight training gloves with them.
I bought a jump rope early on in the pandemic, but I can’t seem to get into it.
Above: These are my mom’s! I’m pretty sure we’ve had them for at least 25 years, because I remember her using these when we were still living in Riyadh. They’re only 1.5 kgs, so they’re a great addition to other workouts, like squats and lunges.
I’m not going to get into how many leggings, sports bras, dri-fit tops and socks I’ve bought during the pandemic. Suffice to say I can go two weeks wearing nothing but exercise clothes without needing to do laundry! But I think my shoes are worth mentioning.
The last time I bought myself rubber shoes was in 2018, and almost daily Zumba was threatening to tear them apart. Sure enough, soon after I bought my new shoes, the old ones started coming apart!
These are a little big for me, but with thick socks they’re just right. I’ve used them for Zumba, hip-hop fitness and grocery shopping!
I’m mostly sure that I’m going to get more gear soon. I have a punching bag and gloves that haven’t seen any use since March. There’s a foam roller on my wish list. I’m tempted to get a bag (but where would I go?).
What’s your home workout setup like?
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