Recommended Gear

We’re often asked about gear, so we put together a list of things we’ve used in our gym and kitchen that we’ve recommended to clients and friends over the years. While this page contains affiliate links, we’ve purchased most of the items, or similar, for our own use. “As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. As a Rogue Affiliate I earn from qualifying purchases as well.” Those we haven’t purchased are updates on something we purchased years ago or products we’ve recommended to clients and they’ve given positive feedback on. We’ve tried to make sure we’ve stated that fact in the product description. We’re adding to it as we discover new things and, as always, please let us know how they work out!

NUOBELL Adjustable Dumbbell Rack and Stand

These are a “must have” for the NUOBELL Adjustable Dumbbells. Try storing an 80-pound dumbbell on the ground and you’ll go right out and buy these. Save yourself the trouble and get them when you purchase the dumbbells.

Platemate Magnetic dumbbell microload weights

These are fabulous for microloading cast iron dumbbells since they’re magnetic and simply attach to the end. They allow you to split the difference for dumbbell sets that have 5-pound increments. We have multiple sets of these in our gym and also use them on machines. You can even smack them on the end of a barbell. At 1.25 pounds you can use a single on a dumbbell and it’s not heavy enough to upset the balance. These are a favorite in our gym and we bought a second set right after I lost the first fight over using them.

Micro gainz dumbbell fractional weight plates

We’ve recommended these to clients who have rubber coated dumbbells since the magnetic Platemates don’t work well and the feedback has been excellent from everyone who has purchased them. These are the 1-pound version but they do make a 1.25 as well. Just like the Platemates, they’re great for lifts where moving up by 5-pounds is simply too much.

Adjustable Pull-Up Assist Band

Clients we’ve coached for some time know how we feel about Chins and Pulls and just how effective the closed-kinetic-chain exercises are for building strength and muscle. However, chinning and pulling yourself is difficult and, for those who can’t do it without help yet, these are great. We always purchased the Chin-Up Max from Beachbody but they’re readily available all over now and this particular model has sleeves to contain the band when the inevitable pop happens because, trust me, it’ll happen and it’s hit me right in the face before. You want an assist that has a stirrup that stays open so you can easily slide your foot into it when you’re getting into position. It’s also nice to have removable bands because, along with lengthening and shortening the entire strap, you can adjust how much assistance you’re getting as you work your way to pulling and chinning your own body weight. You’ll be looking for a recommendation for a dip belt so you can add additional weight before you know it!

Rogue “Ohio” lifting straps

It’s hard to get the small muscles of the forearm to equal the lifting power of the legs, glutes and back and lifting straps are widely used to allow you to use an amount of weight appropriate for the muscles being worked without worrying about being able to hold onto the bar. These are almost as old-school as it gets with the exception of going down to a junkyard and cutting the seatbelts out of an old car and making your own. We have several pairs of these in the gym and they’re the ones we first used. They’re tight on the wrist, have longer tails and you can really crank down on them. If you subscribe to Arnold’s Pump Club there’s a great article in the 10/24/2023 edition about lifting straps. Check out Eva’s instructional video on using this strap.

Rogue Oly Lifting Straps

It’s hard to get the small muscles of the forearm to equal the lifting power of the legs, glutes and back and lifting straps are widely used to allow you to use an amount of weight appropriate for the muscles being worked without worrying about being able to hold onto the bar. These are the straps we personally use. We have clients who use either these or the traditional lasso straps. I like these because you can shove the tail through the middle, it’s a little easier and it also lays flatter which is great for heavy dumbbells, etc. Eva uses these for almost every pulling exercise. If you subscribe to Arnold’s Pump Club there’s a great article in the 10/24/2023 edition about lifting straps. Check out Eva’s instructional video on using this strap.

Jerkfit death grips lifting straps

It’s hard to get the small muscles of the forearm to equal the lifting power of the legs, glutes and back and lifting straps are widely used to allow you to use an amount of weight appropriate for the muscles being worked without worrying about being able to hold onto the bar. These are a combination of gloves and straps and Eva swears by them for Deads. They’re definitely quick and easy because you simply slap it onto the bar, grip and twist and you’re ready to go. For ladies who don’t want “man hands” but still want to lift heavy you get the benefit of straps with the callus protection of a glove. They’re popular with Eva’s in-person and online clients. Check out Eva’s instructional video on using this strap.

Nike Metcon

We always recommend a pair of flat-soled shoes for workouts especially the Squat and Dead because you're fighting against the cushion in a running shoe. The running shoe is also designed to propel you forward and if you’ve experienced tipping forward at the bottom of a heavy squat you know that’s not ideal. You can use something as simple as a pair of Chucks or you can move to an all-around training shoe like this Nike Metcon. If you’ve got the cake you can go all-in on a professional-grade lifting shoe like the Nike Romaleos. I started with Metcons and now use the Romaleos on Leg Day only. This is a great all-around shoe and you can use these for all your lifts; however, you'll notice a massive improvement in your Squat with the Romaleos. I started with Metcon 2’s and have various models up through the 6. These are the 8’s.

Nike Romaleos

As mentioned in the review of the Nike Metcon, you will absolutely notice a difference in your Squat with this shoe. However, this is an example of a shoe you’d never buy for anything other than to lift heavy weights especially after you’ve tried it on. They should be snug, laced up and strapped down. As I’ve told clients, you’ll probably hate them when you put them on but the first time you do an Air Squat you’ll wonder how you ever did a Squat without them. Plenty of Powerlifters, and certainly Olympic lifters, use these for every lift but we only use them while doing a Leg Day workout. Have a good pair of Metcons before you make the jump on these but they’re worth it once you buy them.

Barbell Landmine

One of the coolest toys you can have in your gym. We love ours and have never heard anything negative about them from anyone who’s bought one on our recommendation. For those that can’t yet acquire a cable machine this is a really cost-effective substitute. Most of us bros press way too much and don’t do nearly enough horizontal pulling and the result is usually an imbalance between the front and back of the rotator cuff that shows up as pain, often in the elbow. You can can do an awful lot of vertical pulling movements with a landmine that have the same effect as horizontal pulling with a cable machine but at a fraction of the price. There are a ton of other great exercises that work chest, core, shoulders, etc. We’ve had this exact model in our gym for years and it’s solid as a rock. You can mount it in a stack of plates or, as we do, shove it in a barbell holder.

Rogue Parallel Landmine Handle

This goes hand-in-hand with the Barbell Landmine and is the piece of equipment that allows you mimic the effects of a Seated Cable Row without actually owning a cable machine. You also get the added benefit of an explosive move from the floor that’s similar to a Barbell or Penday Row. We have this exact handle in our gym and we purchased the Fat Grip option. Pro tip: You can stand on some risers in order to increase the range of motion in the exercise.

Resistance Band Set

These fall into the category of “really nice to have” because they’re so versatile and allow you to do so many things with them. They’re definitely a lot fancier now than they used to be. Eva and I have traveled with resistance bands during business trips and we certainly built a lot of programs around them during the pandemic lockdowns a few years ago. They get quite a bit of use here in our gym for shoulder prehab/rehad and stretching exercises. This is a very nice set and comes with nylon sleeves over the tubes - you can read all about the face-pop in our recommendation for Pull-Up Assist Bands - as well as a carry bag, door and power rack anchors and some very nifty laminated exercise charts. There are four different weights and each weight has two bands with carabiner-type clips to attach them to the anchors or to each other in order to make a single, big band. For those using them for workouts, you can make a loop and step on them to vary the resistance and, effectively, get different weights with a single band. This is the best set of the many we’ve owned over the years.

Spud inc Heavy duty ab straps

These are a great alternative for those that don’t own or have access to a Captain’s Chair. While these are made to put around a pull-up bar, they’re more versatile than that and can be attached around your barbell - if it’s placed very high in the rack - or even some sturdy hooks in the rafters. For those with the budget and the room we highly recommend a Captain’s Chair and we rue the day we sold ours prior to moving from Dallas/Fort Worth to Birmingham. However, we’ve had these in our gym for over a decade and they’ve seen tons of use. You can do all the ab variations with them and they tuck neatly out of the way. I’ve even seen folks put these in a gym bag to take with them to a commercial gym that didn’t have a Captain’s Chair so they’re also very portable.

renpho smart scale bluetooth body weight scale

We both step on this scale each morning. While it does have various and sundry other measurements we only use it for weight. For those who have coached with us before, you know how we feel about body fat measurements and certainly the ones that come off of a body weight scale. The scale does send weight to MyFitnessPal and various other apps. The app has graphing capabilities and well as a calendar you can go through day-by-day to see your actual weight. We sit down on Sunday and use this function to average our daily weights for the week. We purchased ours in 2017 and it’s still going strong in 2023.

Accu-Measure Body Fat Caliper

The classic handheld, caliper-type alleged body fat measurement tool. I think most of you know how we feel about this horribly misunderstood, frustrating and difficult measurement. As we always say, “Jacked is jacked no matter what some scale or device tells you.” If you’re shredded there’s not a shadow of a doubt. That said, a lot of people like to track this measurement and this is as old-school as it gets. This one comes with charts and we like it because it’s a single-point measurement method. Measure suprailiac - that’s right around the hip (there’s a graphic) - look it up and you’re done. We’ve used this one for years and, even without the chart, a caliper is still a measuring device and you can always track the raw measurement.

renpho smart tape bluetooth body measuring tape

We had one of the originals without the digital readout and it worked very well for measuring things like shoulders, chest, biceps, etc., especially if you’re doing your body measurements alone. This is an updated version that our clients have loved since we started recommending it. The measurement is captured on the readout and will also send it to the Renpho app just like their scale. This has been very popular with our clients.

greater goods high capacity kitchen scale

No kitchen is complete without a good scale whether you want to be a physique athlete or not. You don’t bake without measuring cups and spoons and you shouldn’t be without one of these. We’ve had a bunch of scales over the years and this is the latest and greatest. You want a scale that goes back and forth between ounces and grams quickly and one you can tare at the touch of a button in order to remove the weight of a plate, bowl, etc. We’ll leave just how much of the things you make at home to eat you should weigh for an article or a conversation with your coach. Still, this is one no kitchen, and certainly no one trying to build a physique, should be without.

cheribundi light tart cherry juice

Eva has talked long and hard about the benefits of tart cherry juice especially among those dealing with perimenopausal issues. She’s experienced the benefits firsthand with workout recovery and especially sleep. She went from chronic insomnia and tossing and turning to sleeping peacefully through the night. That means I do too so I love this stuff. This version is only 80 calories per 8 ounce bottle and is delivered to our house from Amazon monthly.

Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones

This is one of our favorite books and we use it all the time whether it’s in our own life or while coaching clients. This is a gift you can give yourself that will keep on giving over the years. Start simple and add small pieces as you assimilate each one - called Habit Stacking - and you’ll be shocked at what you can do. We talk a lot about building a healthy lifestyle that automatically delivers the results on the scale and in the mirror and this is the key to doing it so those results last a lifetime. One of the best things this book has done for me is lead me to his weekly newsletter 3-2-1 Thursday which I think is the real power in his work. Read the book and then sign up for the newsletter.

You Can’t Screw This Up: Why Eating Takeout, Enjoying Dessert, and Taking the Stress out of Dieting Leads to Weight Loss That Lasts

Anyone who has coached with us has heard us say it will come down to how you eat and your success after you leave us will come down to your ability to develop a system that’s flexible, works for you and doesn’t avoid delicious food, great times, travel and all the things that make life great. This book provides a codified and simply laid out approach to doing it. You can learn more about why we love this book in our article. There are tons of programs and hundreds of diets out there that will give you success but it will only last a short period of time unless you learn how to make health and the enjoyment of life work hand-in-hand on a daily basis. As we’ve told you, “There are certain truisms that have to be met and all we have to do is find a simple and enjoyable way for you to meet them and everything you want will fall into place.” This is an excellent reference.

Next Level: Your Guide to Kicking Ass, Feeling Great, and Crushing Goals Through Menopause and Beyond

The compendium for women working on health and their physique while facing perimenopause and beyond. This was an epiphany for Eva and led to her discovery of the cherry juice mentioned above and numerous other techniques she’s used personally and shared with her clients to great success and rave reviews. A must have and one Eva so aptly summed up as, “…the best book on the market for women who workout and are approaching, going through or on the other side of menopause.”

Pure Protein Bars

Hands down the protein bar we’ve used the most and they don’t taste bad at all either. If you’ve been coached by us for long then we’ve had a discussion concerning how we feel about bars that have more calories from fat and carbs being labeled a “protein bar.” Almost all of the Pure Protein bars have around 20 grams of protein and they’re reasonable when it comes to fat and carbs which, if you’ve tracked your macros for long, you know isn’t usually the case. The calories vary but they run from around 180-225 or so. In all fairness, we usually buy the box from Costco that has Chocolate Deluxe, Chewy Chocolate Chip and Chocolate Peanut Butter. There are a bunch of other flavors and they’re actually quite good. I like the Birthday Cake and, of course, Cookies and Cream. There’s also a Galactic Brownie that’s a riff on Little Debbie’s famous Cosmic Brownie. We’ll leave it to you to decide how they did.

Propel fitness water electrolyte powder packets

We’re not going to say you need a sports drink for better performaance or results; however, for those who have trouble drinking enough water this can be a big help. For those who already drink plenty of water, a quick shot of electrolytes can help. I had a serious issue with clinical dehydration years ago during the intensives cycle prior to a black belt test and my physician recommended electrolytes in some form. According to her, you can drink a gallon of water per day and, if your electrolytes are off, your cells simply won’t hold the water. I love the Berry flavor and Eva is a huge fan of Watermelon. We drink one per day and that’s plenty. Eva will keep adding water after drinking it down a little bit in order to keep the flavor going.

g hughes sugar-free marinades & sauces

We chanced across the Teriyaki Marinade (my personal go-to) in the grocery store and decided to give it a try. We loved it and later purchased the set of three sauces you see pictured. I pretty much stick to the Teriyaki but Eva goes back and forth between that one and the Orange Ginger. I use 6 1-tablespoon servings for stir-fry and it’s plenty. At only 30 calories it’s a bargain for sure. They have a bunch of different sauces and marinades and our clients have been overwhelmingly positive about them. The favorites tend to be the Sugar-Free Teriyaki Marinade, Sugar-Free Ketchup and Sugar-Free Italian Dressing but we encourage you to give the others a try if you see a flavor that interests you. As always, we’d love feedback on any of them you try.