All views stated in the article are the author’s personal opinions and recommendations. ELEVEN is not endorsed by Decathlon in any way.
Most of us can relate to the feeling of waking up during the late night, restless with anxiety and adrenaline. In the midst of it, a sudden burst of inspiration hits us - by some force of unknown energy, our body whispers to us that we urgently need to start working on ourselves in the middle of the night. One activity comes to mind: the thought of finally adopting an exercise routine. Yet, with so many restrictions in place, the motivation becomes a hassle when attempting to leave the house to exercise.
When in-person classes were cancelled early pandemic, so were physical training sessions across all different sports. Gyms were closed and I was too afraid of stepping out of the house. Still, I was determined to find a way of keeping fit at home. As an ex-rower, I was very used to conditioning almost every single day and did not want to break the momentum I was finally gaining after ending my exams.
In desperation, I turned to online videos and prepared my own home routine. Of course, not without proper resources - with the help of Decathlon products! Personally, I own most of the items listed here and can thoroughly vouch for their quality. Alongside the items I used, there are also other really convenient products that I think are worth purchasing! Keep reading and have a look below for why that is!
Here are ELEVEN Decathlon products that are definitely worth your money:
#1 Ankle Weights
Super soft and comfortable, these are ideal for strength training at home. They are adjustable and can be worn on wrists.
#2 Yoga Mat
Decathlon sells a variety of yoga mats and this particular one is affordably priced at $10. It's also not too thin and perfect for beginners!
#3 Push-up Bars
Prior to the pandemic, I received a set of push-up bars as a birthday gift but this has been my reliable go-to ever since. With these bars, doing push-ups doesn't hurt your wrists and it's a great deal more hygienic. Plus, the bars allow for a more extended range of movement, i.e. lower your upper body much further, for higher intensity of exercise.
#4 Arm Sleeves
Occasionally, when stepping out of the house for a run, why not opt for arm sleeves with a short-sleeved dri-fit shirt? They are efficient in protecting your arms from getting sunburnt, with the inclusion of anti-UV properties!
#5 Long-sleeved T-shirts
The loose cutting makes it ideal for covering our 'awrah, including the buttock area. The flowy, soft material also makes it effortlessly comfortable to run and exercise in.
#6 Running Hijab
Made out of opaque material, this hijab is ideal for my fellow active or to-be active hijabis. It comes in 4 different sizes (XS, S, M and L) too, so you can find the optimum size of shirt for your workouts! The material dries quickly - meaning you can just toss it in the washing machine and use it again the day after.
#7 Resistance Bands
There’s a variety of ways you can utilise resistance bands at home - the versatility makes it all the more worth your buck. Resistance bands come in three different levels (Low, Medium, High), but I would recommend the low one for beginners!
#8 Massage Roller/Foam Roller
If you intend on exercising regularly or already do, I highly recommend getting this particular roller for self-massages, which can be used on your back, thighs and calves. The Decathlon website has a bunch of videos on how to effectively self-massage and target particular muscles. Hence, check them out too!
#9 Running Stopwatch
Decathlon sells water-resistant stopwatches which are also easy to use. Different stopwatches have different functions, but almost all of them are affordably priced below $20, so feel free to pick and choose according to your planned routine.
#10 Pull-up bar
Decathlon sells two types of lockable pull-up bars, one 70cm and the other 100cm. Both bars can withstand up to 100kg without screws and 120kg with screws. Easy to install and very affordable for a pull-up bar!
#11 Compact Microfibre Towels
While this may not necessarily be a need for your home workout routines, microfibre towels sold by Decathlon are super absorbent and come in three different sizes. They are compact and easy to carry around as well, convenient to bring for a quick shower after a gym session.