Unlock the Secret Gear 2026’s Top Athletes Swear By—Are You Ready to Upgrade Your Workout?

I’m anti-Peloton. Suburban America high school football burnt me out on people shouting at me to do things. I’m also anti-metaverse. People should exist in the real world. I am, however, very pro Zwift, the virtual world that actual cyclists turn to every winter. I’ve used direct drive trainers on my real bike in the past, which work great, but are a hassle come spring when you want to switch between virtual and real rides. The Zwift bike is the new hero of my home gym and my mostly screen-free toddlers think the volcano map is a TV show, which means I can fit a twenty-minute ride in while on dad duty.

Pull-ups are good for you, but pull-up bars belong in dorm rooms, not office doorways. Rocking climbing hang boards, or rings, like these save you from looking like a college freshman while also building practical grip strength. Win-win.

Running is, unfortunately, very good for you. And, despite what all the runfleuncers will have you believe, very simple. Lace up a good pair of shoes and do some neighborhood laps, maybe find a community track to keep it up.

Saucony’s Endorphin Speeds are the best all-around shoes you can currently buy. A nylon plate keeps it under $200, but still speedy for races and up-tempo days, but the geometry still supports some easy, zone 2 miles.

You could (and should) get a Theragun. But don’t skip the budget lacrosse ball option, which will do everything from activating foot muscles to rolling out a cramped calf, all for under $5.

Sometimes a lacrosse ball won’t cut it. That’s why there’s Theragun. Best, self-administered Swedish recovery massage that money can buy.

I hate to argue with Remember the Titans era Denzel, but water does not make you weak. And as much as they try, no one can really beat a Nalgene.

Weight vests are taking over the world of walking. An Instagram ad in my feed called it “bio-stacking,” which made me vomit in my mouth. We don’t need a new tech-bro term to know an old truth: carrying weight is good training for your body. This 5.11 vest just makes it more convenient.

Hear me out. You could spend a ton of money on a home gym excercize bench and a set of plyo boxes. Or, like me, repurpose a roto-molder cooler for the exact same thing and have something to pack beach day drinks in, too. Your call.

I’m anti-treadmill for a few reasons: 1) it’s boring, 2) running should be outside, 3) I can never get the speed setting right and am at constant risk of Looney Tunes-ing myself through the basement wall. This Wahoo treadmill solves all those problems by responding to your own pace like a real run. Want to go faster? Just run faster.

You don’t need $155 shorts to work out in, but there are brands out there that will sell you $250 shorts made from cheap plastic that fit poorly. Be thankful that menswear genius Andrew Chen made these, which work equally well for lifting and running, and fit like everything else the NYC-based menswear brands make. AKA absolutely perfect.

These are as close as us mortals can get to those sunglasses from Spy Kids. Goggles that, in real time, will show you how bad you are at swimming by broadcasting your key lap and health data like an underwater international man of mystery.

Raquet brand Spence shows us that a gym bag can be a work of art. Or in the case of this giant yet sleek weatherproof tote, a stunningly capacious work of art.

Long live exercising in cotton. Tracksmith’s Grayboy tee has a lived-in feel immediately that continues mile after mile and gym session after gym session. I’ve had mine for 10 years and countless washes and I still reach for it.

I don’t understand how the sound engineers at Shoxkz discovered that music can travel through your Jawbone, but I do understand (and appreciate) that I can listen to music and still hear when a car runs a stop sign.

A full home gym can be a space waster. As much as I want to put a squat rack in my garage, I need it for storing things like cars and bikes. Smart resistance training setups, like this one from Amp, replicate the full body benefit for those garage poor among us.

Exercise is supplemented by a good diet, and while I refuse to give up beer, I’m happy to add in other things that are good for me. Gainful personalizes your protein supplements for your training goals and (crucially) comes unflavored, with flavor packets you can add at your leisure.

Headphones are great, but so is music not pumping directly into your eardrums. Que up the CCR and lift some weights.