New Toys

[SusieO]

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday weekend.

I received a couple of fun fitness-related gifts, and thought I'd share. One was a hip pack with I can wear while I run. It has a slim flask-like plastic water bottle that fits inside of it. Not particularly attractive, but it's very nice to have water when I need it. It also provides a convenient place to clip on a walkman.

The other gift was a yoga video, "Yoga Conditioning for Athletes." I really like it. It's a good overall workout, although not very strenuous. Modifications are offered for beginners.

Did anyone else receive fun fitness toys as gifts?

[lindrusso]

Hi all! Happy Holidays!

I got a headphone-radio thing that I can wear at the gym to watch/listen to TV while I work out. It's very nice because it's all hands free so I can lift too without missing anything! It's the only time that I get to treat myself to one of my guilty pleasures - watching soaps! And I've already used it twice....

[Pat58]

I got a wonderful gift for AFTER the workout - a Conair Thermal Spa Bath Mat. Oh, what a wonderful gift. This is worth the money, and I bet anyone could snap it up in post-holiday sales. If you work out - you want this item! After my first bubble bath with it, I felt like I'd had a massage and a yoga class in one. One word of caution - seriously reduce the amount of bath bubbles - the bubble jets whipped my Bath & Body Works Freesia into a cloud of merengue that went halfway up to the shower head. But it was still fun!

[Mitchdoggy]

Pat-
How much did the thermal bath mat originally cost and where did you get it?

Sounds like a great gift!

[Gina O]

The bath mat sounds terrific, will have to check that one out.

I received some running related items: pepper spray, mittens, socks, a head band, and "artic" tights. If the ice ever melts off my street, I plan on trying them out. Gina

[Pat58]

My DH got the Conair thermal spa on sale at Ames, a local dept. store, for $70. There are two models, one comes with a remote for extra $$. I don't see the need for a remote control, the motor unit rests outside the tub and you can reach over to use the controls as easily as putting your magazine on the floor.

[hhcowgirl]

I got some great new running shoes--I am the biggest Saucony devotee ever. Is anyone else partial to these??

[kwormann]

Alysha
WHat brand is your tv thing? I have only seen radios, not tvs. I am interested in checking it out!

Kim

[food girl]

I got a bike trainer and a new bike computer so that I can monitor my cadence (how many times the pedals go around per minute), mileage and speed while I am on the trainer. I have already done 50 miles on it!

[lindrusso]

Kim,

Actually the headphones are just a radio. I use it at the Y where they have TVs mounted on the wall - you just tune your radio to the number/station listed on the TV and you're set. I like the headset I got because the whole thing is contained in the headphones - no walkman to carry around. Sorry if my first description mislead you!

[Laura]

Originally posted by Karen from VA:
This is my first post on this board. Thanks, Lindrusso, for reminding this was here. My fitness toy that I got from my Mr. Santa (of 41 yrs.)was a heart rate monitor. I walk 5-6 miles a day 5/6 times a week and even at age 62 and at the average rate of just a little over a 14 minute mile, I know I should be getting my heart rate up a little higher so the monitor is really cool. I set my target zone and it beeps if I'm below or above it, so I either force myself to walk faster or run. It also serves as a regular watch, alarm clock, and it has a stop watch feature. Quite a little gadget.
Karen

Karen what brand is yours. I am in the market but get little overwhelmed with all of the ones are out there. Sounds like yours has all the right bells and whistles. Is it comfortable to wear? Someone told me there is a sports bra that holds the chest transmitter but I have never seen one.

[Karen from VA]

Laura, my HRM is a Pilot ($129). There is another brand that can download information directly into your computer, but that really gets pricey (as if this one isn't) and I, for one, would never need that feature. My Pilot is so comfortable I don't even know I'm wearing it. I thread it through the back of my regular sports bra and it stays in place perfectly. The wrist monitor works well and is easy to read, but I've found that it gives erratic information if the temperature is below about 25 degrees, as it has been these past two days. One other caveat, the directions say that wearing it too close to other electronics may cause erratic readings, such as being too close to a treadmill or other piece of exercise equipment that monitors your pulse rate. I only wear mine on the road.
Karen

[Karen from VA]

This is my first post on this board. Thanks, Lindrusso, for reminding this was here. My fitness toy that I got from my Mr. Santa (of 41 yrs.)was a heart rate monitor. I walk 5-6 miles a day 5/6 times a week and even at age 62 and at the average rate of just a little over a 14 minute mile, I know I should be getting my heart rate up a little higher so the monitor is really cool. I set my target zone and it beeps if I'm below or above it, so I either force myself to walk faster or run. It also serves as a regular watch, alarm clock, and it has a stop watch feature. Quite a little gadget.
Karen

[djoygirl]

I, too received a heart-rate monitor from Santa. It's made by Polar, and it's great. Ordered from a catalog for about $100, but there are 2 cheaper models as well. Polar also makes one that can connect to your pc and download alot of different info, but it's true that it is quite pricey.

[Karen from VA]

Guess I left my brain out on the road. My HRM is also a Polar -- not a Pilot. Sounds like you got a good deal. In the stores, it seems they are priced at $79, $99, $129. I wasn't interested in anything more expensive than that.
Karen