Buying Your Own Equipment
For the wedding workout, the equipment is simple and affordable. To do the exercises in this book, you will need a good exercise mat, rubber exercise bands or tubing, one or two pairs of dumbbells, and a stability ball. A stretching strap with individualized loops is recommended to improve your flexibility. A sturdy, stable, armless chair is ideal. Be sure that your chair is not on wheels. If you want to buy fancier equipment it's up to you, but it's not essential to be able to do the exercises outlined in this book.
Buying a Mat
A good exercise mat is wide enough to comfortably accommodate your body and long enough to fit your entire body, including your legs. Many types of mats are available in stores. Do not necessarily buy the cheapest mat that you can find because your mat should last many years. Instead, select a quality mat that provides cushioning, support, and is easy to clean and transport. More expensive mats also have antibacterial surfaces, which may not be essential, but are desirable.
Avoid purchasing an ultrathin yoga sticky mat. This will not give you the support that you need for all of your exercises. Avoid mats that are covered with cloth since these are more difficult to clean. Avoid soft foam mats that have too much give because these do not provide sufficient support. A little bit of firmness is desirable with enough give to protect your bones from pressing uncomfortably into the floor.
The ideal, all-purpose mat is a minimum of 3/8" thick and lightweight enough for you to carry easily. Its surface is easy to clean with a sponge. It should have some give but shouldn't completely flatten under pressure so that it provides cushioning between you and the floor underneath. When you train, you can cover it with a towel to enhance cushioning and to absorb sweat.
Selecting Resistance Training Tools
For the muscle-conditioning exercises in this book, you will use your body weight for resistance as in a pushup, or rubber exercise bands or tubing as a tool. If you already own dumbbells, you can use them to increase the difficulty of some of the exercises, but they are not essential. Make sure that you purchase bands or tubing that are specifically designed for exercising. These come in a variety of levels of resistance so you can start at a level that is appropriate for you and progress the difficulty as you become stronger.
If you have an allergy to latex, you can either purchase latex-free exercise bands and tubing, or you can wear weight training gloves when you work out. Weight training gloves are available in most sporting goods stores and are padded to increase your comfort.
Bands and tubing are fantastic training tools because they are inexpensive — typically costing between five and ten dollars each — and they are lightweight and easy to store. SPRI and Thera-Band manufacture bands that you can buy online or through their catalogs. Fitness Wholesale is a retailer that sells exercise tubing and bands. Look in Appendix D for supplier information.
Buy bands that are at least four feet in length to maximize your exercise options. If you own several bands and tubing, you can store them in a plastic bag with a little bit of baby powder to keep them dry and prevent them from sticking to each other. Check your bands frequently to make sure that they do not have any tears or holes. Replace bands right away when they are worn out, so they don't break when you're using them. Pay particular attention whenever you are using a band around your feet so that it doesn't slip and snap back at you.
Home Cardio-Equipment Choices
For the cardio portion of your wedding workout, you can follow a series of walking workouts at a variety of levels. If you live in an area where you can easily exercise outside, you can do all of these workouts near your home or your office. If you live in an area where weather does not permit outdoor exercise, you can do these workouts on a treadmill at home or at a health club. Alternatively, you can walk at indoor locations such as local malls.
Walking is one of the safest and most effective forms of exercise that requires minimal equipment. All you need is a pair of good walking shoes and appropriate exercise clothing. Studies show that walking as little as thirty minutes on most days of the week can provide health benefits.
Treadmills come in all levels from professional club models that cost thousands of dollars to inexpensive home models that require no electricity and that can be stored under your bed. Before you buy a treadmill, be sure to test it. If you're considering purchasing one from a catalog, make sure that the company permits returns and provides full refunds. Beware of bargains on ultracheap models. Typically, you get what you pay for.
There's more than one “right” way to exercise, and there's no one “right” way to get married. Maybe you'll choose a treadmill at home over a gym membership, and maybe a backyard barbeque beats a fancy reception hall. Whatever your preferences, put your resources toward things that matter most to you.
Other inexpensive ways to get a cardio workout at home include purchasing a step bench and some step workout videos or DVDs. Alternatively, you can purchase a jump rope for quick workouts. If you enjoy exercising to videos or DVDs, a number of high quality products that have been created by fitness professionals are available.
Buying and Caring for Exercise Balls
The only additional pieces of equipment that you will need are two exercise balls, a stability ball and a 5-inch ball you can use as a prop to tone up the inner thighs. Use the table below to make sure that your stability ball is the right size for your body.
Height |
Appropriate Exercise Ball Size |
Shorter than 4″8′ |
45 cm ball |
Between 4″8′and 5″3′ |
55 cm ball |
Between 5″3′ and 6′ |
65 cm ball |
Over 6′ tall |
75 cm ball |
When you sit on your ball, your knees should be at a right angle. A slightly larger angle is okay, but don't buy a ball that is too small. For a softer ball and an easier workout, buy a larger one and underinflate it. For a harder ball and a tougher workout, blow your ball up to full size.
Higher quality balls are burst resistant and deflate slowly. This means that the ball is less likely to puncture, and if it does puncture, it will release air slowly. The worst accidents when using a ball happen when a ball bursts. Buying a higher quality ball with these features reduces the likelihood of this type of accident.
Rubber bands, stability balls, and dumbbells might sound like small props, but think of the big results they'll bring. These small props will go a long way when it comes to building your strength, assuredness, posture, and poise as you gracefully glide down the aisle.
You can find a five-inch rubber ball at any toy store. This is a useful prop for when you do your toning exercises to hold between your thighs. Simply gripping the ball requires you to use your inner thigh muscles and will improve their tone. This way you can firm up your inner thighs and slim your legs while you're doing abdominal and other exercises.
Balls are easy to maintain. You can wipe them clean with a damp sponge. Stability balls usually come with a pump. If not, you can find one at a toy or sporting goods store. Because balls leak air, you will need to refill them from time to time. Make sure you keep the floor of your exercise space clean to avoid anything that can puncture your exercise balls.
