You know those strange, odd, weird, funny lookin’ fitness contraptions hiding in the corner of your gym? You always notice them for a second, then continue on with your regularly scheduled workout. Some of these pieces look like they belong in an industrial warehouse, while other neon things could fit right in at a child’s birthday party. They’re squishy, they’re hard, they’re oblong, they’re wobbly, they’re bouncy, but more importantly — they’re about to give you the sweat of a lifetime! 

Because with a little help and a lot of knowledge from your friends at Studio SWEAT onDemand, we’re gonna uncover some hidden truths about these mysterious gizmos and gadgets, to help you actually use them and discover yet another way to burn it up! So pay attention, because we’re running through some forgotten gym equipment that you’re probably not using, but most definitely should.

Yoga Blocks

First up on our list is a seemingly insignificant, yet completely effective workout tool. Sure they may look like bricks, but have you ever seen a bricklayer doing high-level yoga? (Actually, we’d love to see that.) How yoga blocks work is by supplementing your stretches and poses with some much needed support. Many first-time yogis get turned off by the fact that they’re just not limber enough to tackle those advanced poses. But with some added help with yoga blocks, they can ease their way into those harder poses, with some beneficial support. And since stretching is (and should be) an integral part of your fitness routine, we think they’ve earned their spot on the top of our list! 

Try This Exercise: Child’s Pose

To get you into the yoga block world, let’s try a simple one. Child’s pose begins with kneeling and sitting on your knees, then leaning forward, keeping your butt on top of your heels, and resting your forehead on the floor and your arms flat in front of you. This can cause some unnecessary stress and tension on your lower back, so simply place one block under your forehead on the floor, and sink into it. With this more comfortable pose, you can slowly ease into the stretch, working towards doing it without the blocks. 

Prowler Sled

The Prowler Sled. Such a perfect specimen of gym equipment. No moving pieces, no cables, no snapping bits, no interlocking spheres — just a tray with a couple handles and a place to hold a lot of plates! Not to mention, it’s one of the most functional cardio and lower-body explosions you’re going to find. It’s low-impact, gets your heart rate up, it’s easy on your joints, and pretty addictive if you ask us. 

Try This Exercise: Push & Pull

Keeping both your arms and back straight, get low to the ground and grab the handles of the sled. Push forwards along the floor for as much room as you have. Then, grab any rope or strap handy, and pull the sled backwards, keeping your arms completely straight and your back upright. Take long, powerful strides in both directions – try ten reps in each direction. 

Plyo Box

Ever ask yourself, what are those strange boxes lying in the corner of my gym? Someone’s gotta be moving, right? Is that a half-built bookshelf? Well those first two things may be true, but they don’t take away from this seemingly simple yet totally effective workout tool! The Plyometric Box is used to build lower body strength, explosive power, and more, using just your bodyweight! 

Try This Exercise: Box Jumps

Could an exercise be any simpler? Not really, but still pretty darn tough. Box jumps use practically all of the muscles in your legs, including those glutes, hams, quads, and calves. But even more than that, they lead to increased bone mass, and will help you jump higher and run faster. Choose a lower-height box to start with, and face it with your feet shoulder-width apart. Bend at your knees and push your hips back on a hinge. Then propel yourself up, and land on the balls of your feet softly. Step back down and do it again for 3 sets of 8. 

BOSU® Ball

The BOSU ball is a squishy, funny looking thing — and it’s surprising considering how much damage it can do to your body (damage in a good way, of course). We’ve even got a Full-Body BOSU Workout that utilizes this semi-circle of total-destruction with lunges, glute bridges, squats, push-ups, and so much more. 

Try This Exercise: Mountain Climbers

For a little taste of what BOSU has got to offer, perform your regular mountain climbers with your hands placed on top of the ball, with the inflated side facing the ground. Make sure your back remains flat, perform the exercise as you normally would, and witness your abs catching fire! Try four sets of 20 mountain climbers.

TRX Straps

You’ve seen these swinging yellow ropes before, we just know it — they’re usually dangling from a squat rack or mounted on the ceiling. But what you may not know is that these Total Resistance Exercise (otherwise known as TRX) straps can be used to get one of the best belly-bustin’-est core workouts there is! Heck we wrote a whole blog on the wonders of TRX training for a better, stronger core, and you can read that right here. 

Try This Exercise: Atomic Push Up

These are performed exactly like a normal push up, only your feet are suspended in the TRX straps! Although it looks like a teeny tiny difference, that added instability delivers the most insane workout to tons of different muscle groups. Try two sets of ten, increasing once you’ve got the hang of it — and have a towel handy, that’s all we’re saying! Once you’re finished mopping up your forehead (and most of your floor), we’ve got a whole library of Virtual TRX Fitness Classes that you can do from anywhere – be sure to check ‘em out. 

Well we hope we’ve shed some light on this sometimes-overlooked equipment, and we hope we’ve encouraged you to always check out new fitness routines to keep you challenging yourself! And if you’re looking for an unlimited supply of sweat-pumping group fitness classes that you can do at your gym, on the road, or in the comfort of home, be sure to sign up for a 7-Day Free Trial with Studio SWEAT onDemand! We offer tons and tons of virtual workouts to choose from, using all sorts of equipment, plus tons that use nothing but your own bodyweight! We even give you the option to search for your perfect workout by the type of equipment you’ve got to work with, the level of intensity, and more. Sign up today, and get your sweat on!