Cool new products for your New Year's Shape Up Plan....

by Stephanie Oakes

* Altus forearm flexor. It's a handy gadget great for strengthening the
wrist and forearm for bowling, tennis, golf, baseball, racquetball, even
basketball. One size fits all, adjustable for regular or reverse wrist curls.
$14.99. www.altusathletic.com.
 
  * Hydro-Tone water weight bells. For water workouts or on dry land, these
hollow plastic bells with end caps can be water-filled to create the perfect
weight. Empty, they float in the pool for resistance training. $29.99. (800)
235-2156; www.sprintaquatics.com.
 
  * Dyna-Disc pillow. It's the latest thing since the exercise ball. It can
be used for single and double-leg exercises, push-ups and sit-ups, as well as
back support. Comes with instruction sheet of several creative exercises.
$28.95 each (three for the price of two). (800) 943-6999; www.gymballs.com.
 
 * Original heavy rope. Who said jumping rope was easy? Here's a way to make
it more difficult than ever. This rope is weighted with l- to 6-pound weights
built into the rope. It comes with a training program. $29.95-$49.95. (800)
556-7464; www.performbetter.com.
 
 * NRG ball. A ball on a stick (actually two padded handles), this is a
popular training tool for sports enthusiasts of golf, hockey, tennis and
baseball. One or both handles can be removed for more versatility or to
practice movement patterns. It's touted as improving power, strength, balance
and flexibility. It comes with video and manual, including more than 100
exercises. $79.99-$99.99. Other attachments available. (877) 422-5534;
www.nrgball.com.
 
  * Mini Insta-Pulse. Ideal for those who want to keep track of their ticker,
but can't seem to count beats during cardio workouts. Simply place hands over
rings at both ends of the cylinder. It weighs 1 pound and includes carrying
case, instructions and 9-volt battery. $88.95. (888) 396-7337;
www.fwonline.com.
 
  * Polar M-52 heart rate monitor. Strap your exercise program to your wrist
with this "fitness" watch that tells you when it's time to work out. Besides
continuous heart rate, it checks average heart rate, OwnCal (calories burned)
and OwnZone (customized target zone and has an alarm if you exceed limits),
Exercise Reminder (no excuses now), and OwnIndex (tracks progress over time).
$149.99-$269.99, depending on features and type of watch case. (800)
227-1314; www.polarusa.com.
 
 * BF-350 body composition scale. "Just stand there" is the message for this
premier commercial product by Tanita, which displays weight, Body Mass Index,
body fat percentage, hydration levels, basal metabolic rate, fat-free mass
and more. Some read-outs require Tanita's HMS Plus software, which connects
the scale to a PC via an RS-232 interface. $695, plus $250 for the software.
Tanita scales also come in "home" versions that keep track of body fat
percentages. $69-$199. (800) 982-6482; www.tanita.com.