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The Best Physical Wellness Products to Enhance Your Workouts and Recoveries
Design: theSkimm | Photos: Girlfriend Collective, Amazon, Oura
Products you buy through our links may earn us a commission. Oh, and if something's out of stock, oops, it was there (and all prices were accurate) at time of publication.
Whether you’re a fitness class enthusiast or devoted to your daily walks, the right gear to support your active lifestyle is key. We’ve found leggings that won’t bunch or ride up, the most comfortable shoes and socks, tools to support your recovery, and more. We also consulted Miriam Fried, the founder and head trainer at New York-based personal training brand MF Strong, to back us up and share her insights. Live, laugh, love your workouts.
Looking for more feel-good products? Check out our full list of Good For You Award winners here.
Performance Wear
Best Bike Shorts: Baleaf Biker Shorts
These are the best bike shorts we own (and we keep stocking up on them). They’re breathable, don’t ride up, and have pockets on the side for storing your phone while you walk. The high-rise waistband is comfortable and hugs us in all the right places.
Best Lifestyle Leggings: Athleta Transcend High Rise 7/8 Legging
We find ourselves pulling on these leggings for everything from yoga to running errands. We even lounge around the house in them — they’re that comfortable. The fabric is stretchy and ultra-soft, and the high-rise waistband never feels constricting. They also don’t have any scratchy side seams and dry quickly.
Best Low-Impact Leggings: Abercrombie & Fitch YPB sculptLUX 7/8-Length Legging
These are our go-tos for workouts like Pilates, barre, and yoga. They have a double-layered, smoothing waistband, V-shape seaming in the back, and a hidden interior pocket. They’ll give you a little sculpting lift that will make you feel supported, but not overly compressed.
Best Loose Running Shorts: FP Movement Carpe Diem Shorts
We’re a bit like Goldilocks when it comes to running shorts — they can’t be too tight or too loose, too long or too short. This pair is just right. They have built-in underwear, so you don’t have to worry about any bunching, and the high-rise waistband is comfortable and stays put. We also appreciate the quick-dry, water-resistant fabric, ideal for sweaty runs.
Best Compression Leggings: Halara Seamless Flow High Waisted Butt Lifting Leggings
We’re here to tell you that the butt-lifting hype is real. (Don’t believe us? We made a video to show you.) These leggings are definitely compressive, but in a supportive, sculpting way, not a suffocating way. They’re great for high-impact classes where you want to feel fully covered.
Smart Tech
Best Wearable Tech: Oura Ring
We love that this fitness tracker looks at overall well-being, rather than zoning in on steps or diet. It’ll let you know how well you’re sleeping, your stress levels, and can even detect when you might be at risk for getting sick. We don’t find ourselves obsessing over the stats with this one, just using it to feel our best every day.
Best Affordable Earbuds: Beats Solo Buds
Just because these earbuds come in the smallest case, doesn’t mean they skimp on sound quality. They’re specifically designed to be comfortable for all ear sizes, and they have vents that mitigate pressure. They stay charged for up to 18 hours, and stay put when you’re running.
Best Mid-Priced Earbuds: Pixel Buds Pro 2
We don’t take this lightly when we say that these are the most comfortable earbuds we’ve ever worn. You can twist them one way to lock them in place for high-impact workouts, and the other way for a slightly looser fit for lower-impact activities. The noise-cancelling feature is almost as good as over-ear options, and they’re great for taking calls, too.
Best Over-Ear Headphones: Bose QuietComfort Headphones
We’ve tried several of the most popular over-ear headphones, but we always go back to these. While others can give us a headache after wearing them for a few hours, we’ve never had that problem with these. You can toggle between complete noise-cancelling and ambient noise settings, depending on the level of awareness you'd prefer. The battery lasts for up to 24 hours, so we're not always scrambling to recharge them.
Best Muscle Massager: Johnson Fitness & Wellness Synca Kitta Massager
This massager has six interchangeable heads to help you target every sore muscle, ache, and pain possible. You can use it before your workouts to loosen up, and after to help your muscles recover. It’s quiet (so you won’t wake up the entire household if you’re using it before your morning run), and it comes with a travel case so you can take it with you.
Shoes and Socks
Best Running Shoe: Brooks Glycerin Max
These cushiony running shoes feel like walking on a cloud and are so supportive for long days on your feet. The magic is in two different types of nitrogen-infused cushioning to give them a light and airy feel. A few of our editors have knee problems and swear by these.
Best Walking Shoe: Dr. Scholl's Time Off Platform Sneaker
We put these TikTok-famous sneakers to the test and found that the anatomical cushioning provides great support while walking for miles in a new city. Plus, they pair nicely with dresses and skirts as well as athleisure, so they’re great for a travel capsule wardrobe. The under-$100 price tag doesn’t hurt, either.
Best Running Socks: Balega UltraGlide No Show Tab
We’ve been wearing these Balega socks for years. They’re made of breathable yarn that never rubs and keeps our feet from overheating, no matter the activity. Plus, even the discreet, no-show styles don’t roll down.
Best Everyday Socks: Aritzia Best-ever Ankle Sock
When Aritzia named these “Best-ever,” they weren’t lying. They’re the perfect height to wear with any shoe — from loafers to running shoes to casual sneakers. Other socks can cause our feet to overheat by midday, but not these; they stay cool even if we’re walking around all day. The pack of three is well worth it.
Best Pilates Socks: Souls. Grip Socks
Not only are these cuter than most Pilates socks, but they’re also the grippiest, most comfortable Pilates socks we’ve worn. They come in tall and crew lengths, so if it’s still chilly when you’re headed to class, your ankles won’t be exposed. They don’t budge, no matter how many pikes or bridges you’re doing on the reformer.
Bras and Underwear
Best Running Bra: Thirdlove Adjustable Sports Bra
This bra provides the perfect amount of support, without feeling bulky or restricting your movement. It’s great for small or large chests, has adjustable straps, and closes in the back, so you’re not reenacting an exorcism to get it off after a sweaty workout. It holds its shape, no matter how much you wash it.
Best Low-Impact Bra: Spanx SPANXsmooth™ Bra‑llelujah!® Lightly Lined Bralette
This Spanx bralette is our go-to for activities like walking and Pilates, or for daily wear when we want a touch of support. There are no poking wires or pinching elastic, so you’ll feel like you’re going braless. The straps never dig in either, and it looks seamless under your favorite T-shirt.
Best Tank Bra: Girlfriend Collective Dylan Tank Bra
We love this full-coverage tank for its built-in bra and length that ensure absolutely nothing will be popping out, no matter how rigorous the activity. The racerback style gives you full range of motion, and the fabric is stretchy and sweat-wicking. We also love the matching high-waisted leggings.
Best Bikini Underwear: Quince Organic Cotton Bikini
This simple, no-frills cotton bikini underwear are our all-time favorites. The barely-there elastic never digs in, and the breathable material keeps us feeling fresh and cool while we’re working out. We wear them to sleep, too.
Best Thong: Calvin Klein Invisibles Dipped Thong
If you prefer to wear a thong while you work out, it should be this one. The wide, seamless waistband lies flat underneath leggings. Plus, the microfiber fabric is so light and breathable, it feels like wearing nothing.
Tools
Best Running/Walking Belt: The SPIbelt
This is like the Mary Poppins bag of belt bags. It’s small, lightweight, and doesn’t bounce while we walk or run, but it somehow expands to fit larger phones, cards, keys, and more. The waistband is fully adjustable, and it comes in more than 20 fun colors.
Best Resistance Bands: Renoj Resistance Bands
These are made of stretchy fabric, rather than the traditional rubber bands, so there’s no slipping and sliding, and no chance of breakage while you’re squatting. This order comes with three bands with increasing resistance, plus an easily packable bag.
Best Yoga Accessories: Gaiam Yoga Blocks & Strap
If you love an at-home practice or prefer to bring your own equipment to your yoga studio, these are the best blocks. The foam never breaks off and is nonslip to support you through the hardest poses. And the strap is great for stretching or ensuring you have the proper alignment.
Best Workout Headband: 2.0 by Gymwrap
If you’d like to keep your hair fresh during your workout, use this headband to hold it back. It’s sweat-resistant and has a cooling core, so it will actually cool you down while you’re moving. It ties in the back to make it fully adjustable for any hairstyle.
Best Portable Mat: The Stakt Mat Pro
This mat does double duty, since it unfolds completely for yoga and other floor exercises, then stacks on itself to become a block or knee padding. We love that it’s thicker than other yoga mats, but it’s still lightweight and folds up for easy storage. The top layer is textured for extra grip, even in the sweatiest classes.
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