Gear: Accessories and tech devices for your workout

May 11, 2013

GEAR

Roy Wallack: Clip-in bicycle shoes to keep the pedals turning

"How do I make this old bike go faster?" That refrain, heard frequently among the teeming masses riding from downtown to the beach in last month's CicLAvia and sure to be repeated again at the next one on June 23, has one obvious answer (work out more, dude) and three not-so-obvious ones: Oil the chain, adjust the seat to the proper height (so there's a slight bend in your knee at the bottom of the pedal stroke) and get some "clip-in" cycling shoes and pedals.

April 27, 2013

GEAR

Roy Wallack: The latest in popular ellipticals

For all the hoopla over "natural" and "functional" fitness movements, one of the most popular workouts for all body types and athletic levels continues to be the wholly unnatural egg-shaped stride of the elliptical machine, invented by Precor less than 20 years ago. As smooth and joint-friendly as cycling and almost as calorie-burning as running, the elliptical offers an unmatched all-body aerobic workout in a number of creative variations, from front-drive to rear-drive, electronic or mechanical, and standing or seated. All of them have the famously addictive oval gait pattern that now seems as natural as the circular pedal stroke of a bike, which, come to think of it, was a completely unnatural act until it was invented 150 years ago.

April 13, 2013

GEAR

Roy Wallack: Let these new bike helmets go to your head

I should be dead, twice. The fact that I'm not — or even brain-damaged (I think) — is due to the helmets I wore while being hit by a car and slamming head-first into a mountain trail. By design, their foam shells cracked instead of my skull, leaving me with scrapes, a concussion and the ability to ride another day.

March 30, 2013

Gear

Roy Wallack: Watts up with electric bikes?

Electric bikes are slowly picking up speed. Already booming in Europe and Japan, these bike-path legal bicycles combine a normal drivetrain with an electric motor, which is usually embedded in the rear hub. You decide how much to juice your pedaling with the motor, allowing you to fly up steep hills or commute to work without huffing and puffing, then push it manually when you want a workout. There are two types of electric bikes: a "pedal-assist" that kicks in only while you are pushing the pedals, and a throttle-actuated motor that works without pedaling. Electric bikes aren't light (typically more than 50 pounds) or cheap ($2,000 to $4,000 for a model with a 36-volt or 48-volt motor and a lithium-ion battery good for 500 to 1,000 charges). But they're far cheaper than a moped or motorcycle and are invaluable for anyone who wants the joys of cycling with less of the sweat.

March 9, 2013

Gear

Roy Wallack: These rackets give backhanded — and forehanded — compliments

Put a bunch of brand new, high-tech tennis rackets in front of a handful of pretty good middle-aged 4.0 players (7.0 being Roger Federer and 1.0 being an untrained monkey), and they won't care what kind of Nobel Prize-winning innovations went into building them. But they will tell you what works. Here's how they rated the hottest new tennis technology, all about $200 retail, on a cold winter night in suburbia under the lights.

February 23, 2013

Gear: Up to speed on latest running shoes

Camera shutters clicked. Techno music throbbed. Dramatic slow-motion images danced on massive video screens. World-famous athletes bounded up on stage to spout well-rehearsed sound bites. Last week, before hundreds of assembled media flown in from around the world, the top brass of one of the world's largest sporting goods companies breathlessly revealed a radical new high-tech product, years in the making after thousands of engineering man-hours, that they claimed would take running to a new level and revolutionize the athletic shoe world:

February 9, 2013

Roy Wallack: Gear: Home gyms don't have to take up a lot of room

The old home gym isn't what it used to be. It's more creative, often combining traditional fixed-path movements with self-balancing "functional" movements that force you to use more muscle groups to stabilize the load. Despite very different designs, the four models reviewed below share key attributes most people will love: compact, room-friendly footprints, a wide variety of exercises that can work you hard from head to toe, and retail and online sales prices of less than $2,600.

February 2, 2013

Gear: Bike lights for a safe ride

Nothing's scarier than being invisible on a bike, and that can happen too often with the sun still setting before 6 p.m. That's why there's no excuse not to carry bike lights along, especially when some of the new ones are so convenient and compact that they'll stow in the smallest fanny pack, pocket or tool bag.

December 29, 2012

Roy Wallack: Gear: Ways to run with the weather

Too cold outside to go out for a run? Too wet, icy? All the old wintertime excuses for ditching your daily jog don't work with the new breed of bad-weather footwear. Warm, dry and grippy, they're designed to get you safely through rain, ice and snow without a chill. Just don't forget to wear a jacket.

January 12, 2013

Gear: A sneak peek at some innovative workout aids

The L.A. Fitness Expo, to be held at the Los Angeles Convention Center next weekend, is always a good showcase for innovative, far-out and just plain weird new fitness products. Here's a preview of four standouts that tackle full-body and upper-body workouts.

December 8, 2012

Roy Wallack: Gear: Clever gifts for Yoga and Pilates fans

Yoga and Pilates are the missing ingredients in many fitness plans, the ideal complement to cardio and strength work. Here, just in time for the holidays, are four convenient, space-saving innovations and the timeless gifts of flexibility and postural alignment.

December 15, 2012

Gear: Cutting-edge stocking stuffers

What's more fun: getting hold of some of the coolest new athletic technology, or giving it as a gift? You could end up buying two of each of these noteworthy innovations.

October 27, 2012

Gear: New kinds of wheels for fitness, fun

The invention of the wheel sometime around 4,000 BC suddenly made all kinds of things easier, from carrying to killing to athletics. Fitness is great on wheels; putting a circular ring with an axel on any athletic contrivance instantly gives it an exhilarating sense of speed that can turn any workout into fun. Here are some of the newest wheeled workout wonders sure to inspire feats of fitness at any age.

October 13, 2012

Gear: New ways to be old school

Jump, push, pull, lift, move. The boom in functional fitness, led by hot, high-intensity programs such as CrossFit and P90X that use traditional exercise movements and gear, has caused people to look at old-school strength in new ways. The result: house-friendly innovations that update classic exercises to deliver surprisingly thorough all-body workouts.

November 10, 2012

Gear: The basic fixie can get fancy

For the last five years, this column has avoided covering one of the hottest youth-culture urban crazes in the bike world: the fixie — a minimalist, single-speed bike with a fixed gear and no brakes. Some people like them ugly, others gaudy and others tricked-out with doodads and custom paint jobs. To be honest, I thought these bikes, which have introduced thousands of former non-cyclists to two wheels, were dumb deathtraps (hey, no brakes?) and that the fad would disappear along with the first crash.

September 29, 2012

Roy Wallack: Gear: New tech can make for happier trails

When the weather cools off (we hope) this fall, the active man and woman will hit the trail. Whether you hike, bike, run or bird-watch, carry a giant backpack or a pocket-sized water bottle, push your heart rate to the limit or barely break a sweat, the items below will add to the fun — helping to speed you along, keep you on track, record the adventure and get you home safer and sounder.

September 15, 2012

Roy Wallack: Gear: Endurance bikes, for those who've endured

Although it is said that cycling is the "new golf" for aging baby boomers, it's clear that the low, aerodynamic position of a Tour de France racer doesn't work for old bodies burdened with stiff backs and diminishing flexibility. Enter one of the hottest cycling categories: the "endurance" race bike. Built for comfort, it's got a raised handlebar, a sloping top tube for more stand-over clearance, some shock-absorption in the frame and a slightly longer wheelbase for better stability. Although these are bona fide race bikes designed for rough roads and long stages on European tours, their comfort has proved ideal for people taking on century rides and all-day challenges. Several new breakout models, including three reviewed below, sport intricate vibration-eating designs and bold manufacturer claims that they'll keep you fresh through endless days of cycling abuse — er, fun.

July 14, 2012

Roy Wallack: Gear: Exercise equipment that's on the ball

What do you get when you mate old-school strength devices like push-up bars, ab wheels and vertical knee-raise, dip and pull-up stations with balls? Some of the most innovative, effective home fitness devices to come along in recent years.

September 1, 2012

Roy Wallack: Low-tech delights for runners

Runners naturally lust for high-tech GPS wristwatches that measure heart rate, altitude and dozens of other metrics and record way-points of your route (which is why I'll review one in this column next month). But the stuff that can make more of a day-to-day practical difference for runners often proves to be lower-tech, more affordable fare that, in its own way, is no less innovative. Below are four good examples.

July 28, 2012

Roy Wallack: Stand-up paddleboard gear: A guide

Stand-up paddleboarding is free once you get the gear — but the gear's not cheap. Besides the board itself, the shopping list includes a paddle; a personal flotation device (PFD), which has to be worn by those 12 and under or otherwise carried; and a hydration pack — not to mention a car rack. Advice? Rent before you buy.

August 11, 2012

Roy Wallack: Gear: The new crop of 'fitness' bikes

If you're ready to ride a bike for fitness but not ready to hunch over like a Tour de France racer or tackle death-defying single-track trails in the mountains, a single-speed, bulbous-tire beach cruiser won't do. You need a "fitness bike," what the industry now calls the broad category that combines the large, fast-rolling 700-C wheels of road bikes, a tough multi-tread tire and the straight handlebars of a mountain bike. Formerly known as hybrids, these lightweight aluminum-frame bikes have become more refined, stylish and specialized; all work for commuting while sporting varying capabilities for pavement and mild dirt paths. Here are four notable, entry-level 2013 models, each outfitted with mounts for racks and water bottles, and priced so they won't break the bank.

June 16, 2012

Roy Wallack: Gear: A test of 4 new bike computers

Bike computers get better and more complex every year. The trick now becomes simplifying the experience, from easily accessing the fancy data to being able to attach and move the hardware quickly. These four new models offer tons of data at different prices.

1:51 PM EDT, June 1, 2012

Roy Wallack: Gear: Sound systems to tune up workouts

Music may be the ultimate performance-enhancing drug. It makes long runs shorter, big hills smaller and hard stuff easier. In fact, studies have shown it can speed your warm-up by raising your heart rate, motivating you to move faster, even enhancing your coordination. On the other hand, wearing earbuds can be dangerous — and illegal — for cyclists and runners because they can seal out ambient sound; in fact, Florida and Rhode Island prohibit headphone use in any vehicle; California, Maryland, and Delaware legally limit their use to one ear. Here's some innovative, sports-friendly sound systems that either get around those legal limitations or stay in place better, making them safer and more convenient ways to feel the beat.

May 19, 2012

Roy Wallack: Gear: Big wheels rule

The revolution is over — and big wheels have won. The "29er" mountain bike, which first appeared on the scene a decade ago with monster-truck tires 3 inches taller than the age-old 26-inchers, now dominates the market. It's easy to see why: The bike makes you faster and safer, gaining more momentum and floating better over sand and rocks. This year, the demand's so hot for huge hoops that some companies don't even sell 26ers anymore. Others have started experimenting with different-size big wheels, like the 650B, a "27.5er" (reviewed below) that touts faster speed with sharper steering. At the recent Handmade Bicycle Show in Sacramento, one company even rolled out a 36er — a cruiser with 3-foot-diameter tires. A mountain-bike version can't be far behind.

March 24, 2012

Roy Wallack: Gear: Bike options for commuters

Gasoline is more than $4 a gallon, and you know what that means: A lot more people than just college professors and DUI offenders are going to be interested in bike commuting. They'll find everything from high-end electric-assist bikes to bare-bones models, all with fast-rolling 700C road-bike wheels, upright positioning and clever convenience and safety features designed to help reduce the work of pedaling to work.

June 30, 2012

Roy Wallack: Gear: More ways to play on beach days

Summer's here, and you know what that means: Lying on the beach and ducking dozens of colorful rubber and plastic projectiles. If you can break away from your Corona and dog-eared copy of "50 Shades of Grey," get up and join the fun. Playing ball games that involve hitting and throwing build coordination and flexibility and burn calories like crazy. And when you've worked up a good sweat, collapse back on your towel. There's a great one reviewed here too.

April 21, 2012

By Roy M. Wallack, Special to the Los Angeles Times: Gear: Resistance cord workouts

Home workout products made of resistance cords, including stretchy rubber tubing and retractable nylon cables, usually don't get much respect from hard-core fitness freaks. The innovative products below could change that. Often inexpensive and portable, they get the job done and would complement anyone's normal 20-mile run and super-set dead-lift session.

March 10, 2012

Roy Wallack: Gear: Water bottles

Staying hydrated is serious business when you're working out. Sure, you can just grab any old $3 plastic water bottle and go out for a run, but these days you also can buy a customized bottle that complements your sport, your music and even your hygiene requirements. Here are some of the new shapes, materials, technologies and accessories that'll help you go with the flow.

May 23, 2011

Gear

Roy Wallack: Bicycles are getting artsy smartsy

Creative bicycles, long a favorite subject of student industrial design contests, are busting out of art college and onto the streets. This year, there's been an explosion of creative frame designs across the cycling spectrum — road, mountain, electric, commuter — that are nothing short of sculpture on wheels. And unlike a lot of artsy inventions that are good only for mounting on a wall, these two-wheeled wonders not only work but also offer some innovative functional capabilities not seen on bikes with the century-old diamond-shaped frame.

May 5, 2012

Roy Wallack: Gear: Cardio exercise machines add fun features

Time does not pass quickly when you're going nowhere fast. Suddenly, however, a new crop of stationary cardio exercise machines has livened up the indoor workout world, adding everything from Internet compatibility to ecology aids to creative new movement patterns. Here's some innovative aerobic body blasters worth working up a sweat for.

July 18, 2011

Gear

Roy Wallack: Tricked-out trikes for older riders

Whenever I write about bicycles, I inevitably receive emails from older folks who are interested in adult three-wheelers. "I'm a 71-year-old whose balance is not as good as in the past, and I'd like to take up recreational bike riding but don't trust myself on a two-wheeler," wrote Marion Levine of Laguna Woods last month, voicing a common concern. So I called up my dad, Norm, an 82-year-old retired aerospace engineer who used to hit the bike path once a week, and put him atop some of the hottest new upright and recumbent trikes.

June 20, 2011

Gear

Roy Wallack: Home workout devices are now affordable and portable

For those times when you can't get to the gym — or don't feel like breaking out your credit card to pay the membership fee — home workout equipment is essential. But as these innovative, lightweight and very portable devices show, a home gym doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg or take over the entire living room. They don't even have to stay at home anymore.

April 7, 2012

Roy Wallack: A look at new camping and hiking gear

With summertime weather hitting lots of the country in late winter this year, overnight backpacking trips can now conveniently move to April and May. Just in time, an impressive new crop of hiking and camping gear has sprung up along with the cherry blossoms, promising easier times on the trail in any season.

January 9, 2012

By Roy M. Wallack, Special to the Los Angeles Times: Gear: The latest in minimalist running shoes

At first, they laughed at Vibram's weird ultra-light shoes with the five individual toe compartments. Now, with the barefoot-inspired minimalist tide sweeping the running and workout worlds, competitors big and small are rushing to copy it. Converts rave about the better balance, greater speed and reduced injuries that result from the funny-looking shoes, which enable a lower-impact forefoot landing. As companies experiment with new takes on the concept, they're adding cushioning and enclosures and trying to broaden the appeal to cross-training activities. Here's a quick look at the new minimalism.

December 5, 2011

Roy Wallack: Gear: Bicycles shift into high-tech mode

The "retro-grouch" — that hard-core traditionalist cyclist who was riding before it was cool and grew to hate the carbon fiber frames, heart rate monitors and other technological advances that swept the bike world in the last two decades — is a dying breed. The final high-tech nail in his coffin may be the items in this column. How good is this stuff? It makes pedaling a bike so irresistibly better, easier and faster that it might make no sense to be retro — or grouchy — anymore.

June 6, 2011

Roy Wallack: Gear: Hands-free video cameras record your adventure

For some outdoor enthusiasts, the age-old question, "If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?" has been replaced by "Did we actually have any fun on our rockin' mountain biking/kayaking/rock climbing adventure if we didn't get it on video?" Simple and rugged, wearable cameras have been proliferating on the market, recording video from a perch on one's helmet, chest or handlebars. Watching and editing is simple; just plug the units' USB cords into a computer to turn your high-adrenaline pursuits into home movies.

May 9, 2011

Roy Wallack: Gear: Shoes for not-quite-barefoot running

Barefoot running has become a hot fitness trend thanks to evidence that it can reduce injuries and strengthen feet. But ironically, many "barefooters" prefer to keep their feet covered. Fear of injuries from broken glass, rocks and other sharp objects inspired the invention of the "minimalist" running shoe, whose essential feature is a thin, tactile and flat bottom that lacks the elevated heel cushion typically found on running shoes. This category — pioneered by Vibram's popular FiveFingers individual-toed shoe-glove four years ago — now includes styles that enclose all five toes together. Hard-core barefooters will scoff at any shoe, even these stripped-down alternatives to traditional running shoes with generously padded soles. But for those who want the benefits of barefooting with some protection, the minimalists have you covered.

February 21, 2011

By Roy M. Wallack, Special to the Los Angeles Times: Gear: A step up in home ellipticals

The elliptical trainer and its smooth oval foot pattern was a hit the moment it arrived on the scene in the mid-1990s, but a good one that could stand up to regular home use without rattling apart has never come cheap. That's doubly true of some of the expensive new sub-categories that have arisen recently, such as the seated elliptical, which gives older exercisers a safer all-body workout, and the suspended elliptical, which has a free-form, variable movement that is a favorite of high-performance exercisers. Fortunately, the market has finally responded with newer, high-quality and affordable alternatives, such as the models below.

July 4, 2011

Gear

Roy Wallack: Hiking on the tech trail

Getting out in nature for a hike or a trail run can offer an escape from the modern world. But that doesn't mean techie innovations should be left at home, especially when they enhance the experience in a quiet, unobtrusive way. If you want to get there or get back faster and safer, these lightweight devices can help.

April 25, 2011

By Roy M. Wallack, Special to the Los Angeles Times: Gear: Getting taken for a ride

Serious cyclists become obsessed with flashy new miracle-material frames and high-tech componentry, but there's also plenty of innovation among the less-glamorous parts of the bike. Here's proof that essential-but-mundane products like inner tubes, pedals, water bottles and indoor training stands can have a "wow" factor too.

8:41 PM EDT, March 25, 2011

Gear

Roy Wallack: Bikes for every $4-a-gallon gas shunner

The price of gas is topping $4 a gallon — again. And like 2008, when this last happened, interest in bikes for commuting and shopping is rising fast. With a variety of designs and technologies now available, there is now a practical bike for all types of work, be it urban city transport, long-distance commuting or short-haul shopping and delivery.

April 11, 2011

By Roy M. Wallack, Special to the Los Angeles Times: Gear: How to get a grip

Good grip is a good thing. In daily life, you need strong hands, wrists and forearms to hold grocery bags, staircase railings, steering wheels and plenty of other things we take for granted. In athletics, your grip is the last link between you and your sport — whether it be gymnastics or tennis or rock climbing or ping-pong. New research even says your grip is an indicator of overall body strength — and also maybe how long you'll live. Bottom line: It pays to keep your grip strong, especially if you play hard or are older than 50, when strength wanes. Below are four ways to do it conveniently, even as you sit in front of the TV.

February 7, 2011

Roy Wallack: Gear: Heart rate monitors, vital sign trackers keep you in the know during workout

Whether you're 18 or 80, if you like to run, bike, row, swim, cross-country ski or climb mountains, you have to keep an eye on the old ticker — for training and safety purposes. Those aiming for victory have to know how hard to push it; those out for basic health and longevity have to know when to throttle back. And those who take it too far absolutely have to get help fast. Here's some technology that provides instant access to your vital signs exactly when you and your helpers need it.

January 24, 2011

Gear

Roy Wallack: Cooler ways to play in the snow

Snow is a beautiful thing, especially when you have the right toys for playing in it. Some of these items are simple and others are high-tech, but all are innovative and are sure to make any winter wonderland even better.

December 13, 2010

Gear

Roy Wallack: No-sweat holiday gifts for serious athletes

The serious athlete is a picky fellow or gal, normally quite unwilling to delegate the critical task of shopping for high-tech training gadgets to mere holiday well-wishers. But the stuff here is disappointment-proof — compact, functional, not prohibitively expensive and, best of all, so new that it will impress any recipient's hard-core buddies.

January 3, 2011

By Roy M. Wallack, Special to the Los Angeles Times: Gear: Exercise masquerading as old-school fun

Remember how fun it was when you were a kid — jumping up and down, swinging your hips and rolling around on the floor? It was really just stealth exercise, and it can be just as fun for adults with the help of the products reviewed below.

December 27, 2010

Gear

Roy Wallack: Workouts at your workstation

You don't need to be a Mayo Clinic researcher to figure out that being glued to an office chair all day makes people fat, but that's what it took to start a revolution. A few years ago, the clinic's Dr. James Levine theorized that raising one's metabolism through low-level, daylong movement could burn at least as many calories as a conventional workout at the end of an inactive day. He proved it by grafting a treadmill to a desk — his test subjects got healthier and walked off dozens of pounds without breaking a sweat at a 1 mph pace. Naturally, that led to the Levine-designed $4,199 Steelcase Walkstation, followed by a host of lower-cost, move-while-you-work accessories, some of the best of which are reviewed below.

October 18, 2010

Gear

Roy Wallack: The big deal about 29er bicycles

Wes Williams was right. In the late 1990s, the tiny custom-bike builder in Crested Butte, Colo., developed a cult following for his odd Willits mountain bikes with their weird, 29-inch wheels — 3 inches taller than those on standard bikes. He told everyone that "29ers" would take over the industry some day. When mountain-bike icon Gary Fisher rolled out his own 29ers, his dealers laughed at him — until customers started clamoring for the monster-truck tires that fly over rocks, mud and sand so much faster and easier than little wheels. Today, big wheels have become the hottest story in the bike world. And Williams has a mile-long waiting list for his prestigious, all-titanium 29ers.

November 15, 2010

Gear

Roy Wallack: Rating 2011's new team of bicycles

Two wheels and pedals, a handlebar, frame, chain and derailleur gears. The bicycle's basic design is so simple and efficient that it hasn't really changed for more than 75 years. But the relentless human urge to improve produces annual refinements in bikes — and maybe none push the envelope like the 2011 models examined below.

October 4, 2010

Gear

Roy Wallack: The latest in bike racks

Recession — what recession? So say makers of bike racks, who claim that the tough economy has encouraged more people to take up healthy, inexpensive activities like cycling. For those who would rather drive to the start of a century ride or an off-road trailhead, these innovative new bike carriers are loaded with convenience and security features to get you rolling faster and safer.

November 1, 2010

Gear

Roy Wallack: Searching the soul of trail-running shoes

As the minimalist tide sweeps across the running world, a battle rages for the soul of trail running shoes: Thin, low-profile padding versus regular cushioning. Do you want the superior ground "feel" and stability of a lower shoe, which can rattle your bones? Or do you go for the taller, more traditional padded shoes that pamper you over rocks and ruts at the expense of that prized feel? We took four pairs out to the trails in Orange County's Peters Canyon for a mano a mano (or is that pies a pies?) showdown.

September 20, 2010

Gear

Roy Wallack: Pricey 'performance' clothes do their job

"I simply can't believe that the world needs a $50 T-shirt," said my editor, forever banning reviews of "high-tech" clothing in this column. Well, in the eight years since that conversation, high-tech's gone higher and attitudes have mellowed. "Performance" clothes for sports and fitness are everywhere, and a few of them actually work. A few examples are below — including a $99.95 T-shirt.

August 23, 2010

Roy Wallack: Gear: Comparing four hiking boots

The Santa Monicas. The San Gabriels. The Santa Anas. Los Angeles and Orange counties are loaded with mountains and mountain trails that are begging to be hiked, run and biked. You could conceivably do these activities in tennis or running shoes, but those shoes lack the burly pedigree of the stable, protective and fast breed known as "lightweight hikers," cross-trainers designed to help you do it all.

September 6, 2010

Gear

Roy Wallack: Exercise equipment that makes routines less so

Adding dynamic movement to strength exercises, such as doing a squat on a moving surface, is a good thing, forcing your body to balance, coordinate and challenge a wide range of muscle groups at once. Here are some dynamic new fitness products that encourage creativity and enhance workouts for exercisers of all ages and abilities.

August 9, 2010

By Roy M. Wallack, Special to the Los Angeles Times: Gear: Golf fitness to a tee

Riding a golf cart is so old-school. Golfers are interested in fitness like never before — with Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and other top players working out to play better and physical conditioning increasingly recognized as a performance enhancer. The modern fit golfer enthusiastically walks the course and works on strength, aerobics and core with golf-specific fitness products. Those featured here were reviewed with the help of several serious sandbaggers.

June 28, 2010

Gear

By Roy M. Wallack, Special to the Los Angeles Times: That little something extra for the triathlete

Tackling three sports at once has a strange effect on triathletes: It makes them famously open-minded. Always in learning mode, tri guys and gals flock to clinics to improve their swim-bike-run, pay online coaches big bucks for training advice and love to experiment with far-out, supposedly performance-improving gear — often long before their single-sport counterparts. Here's a look at some of the hottest innovations for which triathletes are currently opening their minds and wallets.

June 21, 2010

Roy Wallack: Gear: Better bike accessories

Always a tinkerer's delight, the bicycle offers inventors an endless challenge to improve the ride. The four new accessories below make on- and off-road touring a breeze, indoor training more realistic, fast rides more comfy and data-rich biofeedback safer and more accessible.

July 26, 2010

Roy Wallack: Gear: Back Bay bikes

The Back Bay loop, a 10.5-mile nearly car-free bike route around Upper Newport Bay filled with birds, scenic vistas, a museum, exhibits, side paths, headwinds and a few quick, steep climbs, is a worthy notch in the belt of a beginner cyclist and a good training ride for a veteran. It's also the perfect route for the comfortable flat-bar road bike known in the cycling world as the "fitness" bike, or as some local shops refer to it, the "Back Bay" bike.

May 31, 2010

Gear

Roy Wallack: Techy tennis rackets

Tungsten. Basalt. Giant holes. "Smart" materials that morph from hard to soft. Tennis rackets, like everything in life, seem to get stranger and techier by the minute — but do they actually make you hit the ball better? We gathered four of the hottest new upper-end models from the biggest brands in the U.S., put them in the hands of enthusiastic players, from college-age to middle-age, and headed to the courts to find out.

July 12, 2010

By Roy M. Wallack, Special to the Los Angeles Times : Gear: vibration platforms

Vibration platforms, which purportedly provide a host of bone, muscle, circulatory, flexibility and injury-rehab benefits by shaking your body 20 to 50 times a second as you stand on them, are becoming more varied and practical as the market grows beyond pro sports teams and physical therapy offices. Backed by numerous studies (sometimes company-supported) suggesting that vibration increases load and stimulation with less joint stress, the machines are promoted as "workout accelerators" that hammer muscles in half the time of normal gym sessions.

May 3, 2010

Gear

Roy Wallack: Carbon-fiber frames

How low can carbon go? Carbon fiber, the ultra-light, ultra-strong, ultra-shock-absorbing and ultra-expensive frame material once limited to exotic, $5,000 bikes, can now be found on dozens of road bikes retailing for around $2,000. This hot-selling category is made possible by manufacturing efficiencies in China and by pairing lower-end components with carbon frames, forks and seat posts often found on pricier machines. With sloping top tubes and taller head tubes/handlebars, these bikes are a bargain both for casual riders moving up to century rides and for serious, over-40 bike geeks looking for more upright-position comfort with no performance penalty. Here are four versions of the concept across the comfort-performance spectrum – all available for less than $2,000, despite list price.

April 26, 2010

Gear

Roy Wallack: A vat of kettle bells

The growing popularity of kettle bells, the primitive-looking bowling-balls-with-handles that deliver a great all-body workout, has given rise to similar products with more flexibility. Available now are weight-changeable kettle bells that can be customized to new fitness levels, for different family members or even during a workout — so you don't have to own more than one. Below, find four innovative ways to throw your weight around. — Roy M. Wallack

May 17, 2010

Gear

By Roy M. Wallack, Special to the Los Angeles Times: Bare-bones gyms on a strap, cable or cord

"Come on — you can actually get a workout with that?" That was my first reaction to these four products, but I was wrong. Simple and relatively inexpensive though they might be, you can work up a sweat with these low-tech yet innovative strap- and string-based resistance devices. They won't turn you into Arnold (the bodybuilder, not the governator), but they can be used at your desk and on the road, and, with a little effort, can make you feel the burn.

November 16, 2009

GEAR

Treadmills, ellipticals tap into natural power

Nothing would seem to be more "green" than exercise, which gives off sweat and smell but not pollution. But if you get your cardio on a machine, you're not completely eco-clean unless you use one that doesn't plug into a wall socket, which is at least partially powered by fossil-fuel-burning power plants. Aside from a few categories -- rowing machines, spinning bikes and some high-end self-generating exer-bikes -- there have been no other electricity-free treadmills and ellipticals available until just a few months ago. Here's the first look at the workout world's newest green machines.

April 5, 2010

Gear

Roy Wallack: Machines to help you take a load off

"Every runner over 45 that I see in here has advanced osteoarthritis in his knees," my doctor told me last year before recommending surgery for my torn meniscus. "I tell all you guys the same thing: ‘The impact is too much. Switch to the elliptical or cycling.'" Instead, some runners take up impact-reducing techniques such as the Pose Method, ChiRunning, aqua-jogging or barefooting. Others eye innovative running machines — indoor and outdoor — that once might have been reserved just for rehabilitation and high-performance training. If you're addicted to the runner's high and want to save what's left of your cartilage before it's too late, one of these expensive contraptions might be worth the investment in the long run.

November 30, 2009

GEAR

Going beyond the basic bike

Ever since two Ohio bike shop owners named Wright changed the world, tinkerers have been using the bicycle as a launching pad for new ideas. Now, in an effort to get America outdoors and exercising more, modern-day inventors are tapping the unique efficiency and comfort of the bicycle once again -- mating the bike with popular indoor exercise equipment. Below, meet a new elliptical, a rower, an all-body ergometer and even a treadmill -- on wheels.

March 22, 2010

GEAR

Hydrate and bike like the wind

In bike racing and triathlons, aerodynamics can become an obsession. Because overcoming wind resistance is key, riders have for years shelled out big bucks for aero bike frames, aero handlebars, aero wheels and aero helmets — without giving a second thought to sticking a blunt, wind-dragging 3-inch-wide water bottle right in the middle of it all. Now, straight from the wind tunnel, the final piece of the puzzle has arrived: the aero hydration system.

January 11, 2010

GEAR

Spinal decompression devices watch your back

Fitness stores sell a variety of spinal decompression/traction devices -- inversion tables and ankle boots that hang you upside down and stretch out your back -- on the promise that they help relieve back pain, enhance general back fitness, provide deep relaxation and maybe even slow age-related height shrinkage. The last, after all, is partially caused by the flattening and dehydration of the soft disks that separate your vertebrae.

September 21, 2009

GEAR

Functional weight machines shake up routine

Sure, you're fit. But are you functionally fit? The hottest trend in fitness today is "functional training," which means working out in a way that better prepares your body for real-life movements such as catching a pass, hitting a tennis ball or hoisting a couple of bags of groceries up the stairs.

April 6, 2009

GEAR

Kettlebells give workouts weight

Five years ago, a serious man named Pavel Tsatsouline, a lean, muscular Russian who listed his former occupation as a physical trainer for Soviet special forces (which I assumed meant KGB), took me through a workout with an odd, low-tech device I'd never seen before called a kettlebell, a dense cast-iron weight, with a handle, that looks like a solid tea pot.

March 8, 2010

Goodbye chains, hello belt-drive bicycles

The 24 Hours of Adrenalin Solo World Championship is often a grueling showcase for the world's toughest bikes and riders, but the July event in Canmore, Canada, was something special.

March 9, 2009

GEAR

Folding bicycles travel well

Once the quirky love object of obsessed cyclists who couldn't travel anywhere without getting their ride in, the funky-looking folding bike has morphed into an everyman's transportation solution -- a fast, easy way to get to work and around town. These bikes don't just help you skirt painful airline bike-luggage fees; they collapse in seconds to carry-on size after you've pedaled to the subway, bus or carpool van. And when you get where you have to go, forget about locking the bike to a tree or a railing; just fold it, head up the elevator or stairs and set it quietly in the closet. It's as utilitarian as a jacket or an umbrella -- that you use for a 20-mile workout during the weekend.

January 25, 2010

GEAR

Backpacking products for a better outing

When times get tough, people go hiking. That's the news from a CBS News/New York Times poll released a couple of weeks ago, which found that recession-wracked Americans are now getting by on less, doing more and valuing experiences over things. High on the list: inexpensive, exciting family-bonding adventures like canoeing, biking and backpacking. Coincidentally, backpacking was the theme of the mammoth Outdoor Retailer trade show that began Thursday in Salt Lake City. Straight from the showroom floor, here's a look at some standout backpacking gear that can offer assistance on the long, adventurous trail to recovery.

February 23, 2009

GEAR

Give exercise hoops a twirl

Truth is, when I planned this review of fitness hoops and attended a 90-minute hooping class in Santa Monica last Sunday, I did not know that hooping had become a giant fitness trend and that Marisa Tomei used it to get in shape for her role as a stripper in the Oscar-nominated film "The Wrestler." But I can tell you that it is a smile-inducing, easy-yet-challenging, sweat-drenching, skill-building core workout for an uncoordinated male, and that when I woke up Monday morning I swear my gut had shrunk by an inch or two. And having seen "The Wrestler," I can also tell you that I recommend the products below to every woman in the universe.

February 9, 2009

GEAR

New spinning bikes get supercharged

The attraction of the bare-bones stationary bikes used in spinning classes has always been that they feel like real bikes, with the same saddles, pedal spacing and body positioning found on race bikes. The newest spinners have the same feel -- but with one big change: They're far from bare bones. Some have program-laden touch-screen monitors; some rock and bob and require balance; others provide sophisticated, downloadable electronic feedback. With enough bells and whistles to please hard-core cyclists and average exercisers alike, these super spin bikes might just make you forget about class.

March 30, 2009

GEAR

Yoga gear helps loosen up stiff bodies

"I can't do that," said the 36-year-old woman to my right as I leaned down and touched my toes in a yoga class. "I'm a runner." Such limitations may seem ironic, but they're all too common among seemingly fit athletes: marathoners so tight that they can barely reach their shins, cyclists so fixed in their hunched-over riding position that they can't lie flat -- "like crabs," as one masseuse told me. Flexibility is a key element in performance, and a fun and effective way to get it back is through yoga, which is increasingly popular among the high-VO2-max crowd. Helping the cause are new yoga accessories that can help loosen up any body, athletic or not.

November 3, 2008

GEAR

Pull on up to the pull-up

Big, burly bodybuilders generally don't do them. Neither do little old blue-haired ladies. Nor does anyone in between. That's because, as strength training goes, the pull-up, the king of the back exercises, is quite difficult. But the benefits of this rigorous, compound body-weight movement -- which targets the latissimus dorsi along with a host of supporting muscles -- are so pronounced for posture, balance, flexibility and overall upper-body strength that everyone should try to do at least one or two at home. After all, pull-up bars are among the least expensive of all home-training equipment, require no space other than a few inches of a door frame, and will even help you blast your abs via hanging leg lifts. A couple of the models reviewed below offer some surprising innovations that make pull-ups more convenient and doable for all ages and fitness levels. And, of course, they all double as great coat hangers in a pinch.

September 8, 2008

GEAR

Flying discs turn exercise into play

In the 51 years since a company called Wham-O made a plastic saucer and named it Frisbee, we've gotten disc golf, a team disc sport called Ultimate and even an annual World Canine Disc Championship, featuring disc-catching dogs performing jaw-dropping aerial gymnastics. Those dogs are on to something. As you twist your body, whip your arm, then run after and catch a flying disc, you stretch your muscles, strengthen your back, build coordination and burn as much as 200 calories an hour, according to www.fitday.com. It's stealth fitness, masquerading as pure fun, that you can do anywhere at any age. Here are four spins on the concept

October 27, 2008

GEAR

High-tech elliptical workout machines stand out from the rest

Buying an expensive, all-body elliptical machine -- even cutting-edge models that push the technology envelope like the novel sit-down and multi-mode models tested here -- might seem a bit counterintuitive in the midst of tough economic times. But bull and bear markets don't matter if you think of health as a long-term investment. The four excellent, club-quality machines below, each of which deliver smooth, heart-rate-monitored, arm-and-leg aerobic workouts that burn calories without joint stress, will pay dividends for decades.

June 30, 2008

GEAR

Review: Paddle craft that let you sit down, stand up or pedal your way to fitness

Last Monday morning, I was splashed by a mullet when it leapt at least five feet out of the water in a crazy attempt to fly. I cruised alongside a guy who casually reached down and picked up a Frisbee-sized jellyfish. I stood within four inches of the long, thin beak of a pelican resting on a buoy; it looked at me and yawned. You get a wondrous workout of wind, water and wildlife when you push off into Newport Bay. On a recent day, after lessons from Jim Smiley of Paddle Power, I headed around Balboa Island in sit-down kayaks that let you paddle and pedal, then cruised along on trendy stand-up paddle boards, balancing on two feet like a Venice gondolier. From your shoulders down to the soles of your gripping feet, these innovative paddle craft deliver an all-body, all-sensory workout you won't soon forget.

September 22, 2008

GEAR

Skateboards catch an innovation wave

With innovative board sports growing -- think snowboarding, wakeboarding, kiteboarding -- it makes sense that the granddaddy of them all wouldn't stand still. Skateboarding, developed in the 1950s among surfers who wanted to "surf the streets" in their spare time, is being influenced by its modern offspring. Novel new boards let you carve asphalt like it's powder, stand up and paddle like you're in Waikiki and twist like, well, nothing I've ever seen.

August 25, 2008

GEAR

Road bikes relax a little

The mantra was "Comfort = Performance," and the product was radical in 2005: A high- performance endurance road bike for aging baby boomers who rode a lot but didn't want to lean over so much anymore -- such as Specialized President Mike Sinyard, originator of the idea. In less than four years, this simple concept -- that normal folk could ride longer and stronger with a stiff but shock-absorbing frame and handlebars raised a couple of inches -- has swept the industry. The 2009 road-bike lineups of the big brands are dominated by these so-called relaxed-geometry models with upright riding positions. And they're no longer targeted only at big-mile boomers -- because, it turns out, riders of every age like to be comfortable.

March 10, 2008

GEAR

The cool kids? They're playing outside

"How to get the kids off the computer?" is the question for today's parents, who often are alarmed to find themselves more fit than their children. One answer: Give them outdoor sports gear so cool, so innovative, so captivating that it tricks them into running around in the grass or playing on the streets -- if not all day, at least for an hour or two. That'll still leave them plenty of time to rush back in and instant message their friends about it.

December 17, 2007

GEAR

Stocking stuffers for athletic set

What to buy the biker/runner/swimmer/backpacker/kayaker/skier who already has all the sport-specific toys he/she will ever need? Preferably something that's functional, has a cool design, is so new that no one's heard of it and, of course, is small enough to slip into a stocking.

March 24, 2008

GEAR

Flying on a 5-incher

Five inches. In the mountain-biking world, where the probability of enjoying a breathtaking descent is often measured by the distance your bike's wheels can compress, or "travel," when they hit a big rock, 5 inches of travel is way better than 3 or 4. Although 5 inches typically came on heavy, slow-climbing, 33-pound bikes, advances in suspension design and tubing fabrication have brought big travel to nimble, sub-30-pounders.

October 22, 2007

GEAR

Have jump-rope, will travel

Go on vacation and come back in better shape than when you left? It happened to me last year when I went to northern Spain -- with a jump-rope. Packing more luggage-friendly fitness-per-ounce than any other exercise, skipping rope obliterates calories, rocks your heart rate and does wonders for your agility, posture, balance, reflexes and upper-to-lower body coordination. Always a boxing mainstay, it's increasingly being used as a warmup and tune-up for weightlifters, wrestlers, volleyball players, skaters and swimmers. Remarkably efficient and economical, these unique jump-ropes let you target your home workout to speed, strength and general fitness -- wherever in the world you happen to be.

December 31, 2007

GEAR

Boring muscle builders? Not here

Every Dec. 31, thousands of people make resolutions to start weight training, only to wake up New Year's Day and remember they can't stand the sight of dumbbells. That's why we made sure that none of the simple, innovative, compact strength products reviewed here looks like one. But don't be fooled: They'll build and tone muscle quite well -- and do it in a fun, functional and flexible way that'll keep your inner Arnold pumped all year long.

January 14, 2008

GEAR

Go ahead, spin your wheels

Mild weather might make Southern California one of the best places in the country for winter cycling, but the short days and the occasional monsoon blowing in from Alaska mean you still need an indoor trainer. Whether you own a mountain bike or road bike or no bike, the devices below can get you a great cycling workout any time -- night or day, rain or shine.

February 11, 2008

GEAR

Monitors can go strapless

Love monitoring your heart rate, but hate wearing the tight, uncomfortable transmitter chest strap? You're not alone, as the sudden rise of the strapless heart rate monitor indicates. Popular with walkers and gym rats but viewed skeptically by hard-core athletes for a perceived lack of accuracy and potential danger during cycling (you have to take one hand off the handlebar to get a reading), strapless monitors come in convenient wristwatch and finger-ring form. There's even a breakthrough design that incorporates a chest transmitter into a bra and shirt.

November 19, 2007

GEAR

Running-shoe designers put function before foam

Runners run through a lot of shoes -- the reason is the foam midsole, which steadily loses its cushioning. Brands are experimenting with models that replace foam with shock-absorbing structures they claim don't degrade as much.

June 4, 2007

GEAR

Roy M. Wallack: With these bikes, easy does it

Although bike riding is an ideal fitness activity for all ages and abilities — doable from home, easy on the joints, free (after buying the bike) — most people don't ride.

May 21, 2007

GEAR

Roy Wallack: Shoes to run around in in the water

On Sept. 17, 2006, in the Netherlands, Lornah Kiplagat of Kenya set a world record in the 10-mile run after some unconventional training.