1/ Skipping Rope
When it comes to squeezing exercise into a hectic schedule, nothing beats skipping. If you can last an hour at a solid clip you’ll burn a staggering 1300 calories. But even short bouts can be energy infernos, with each jump scorching roughly 0.1 calorie. Skip in style with the RPM Speed Rope Version 3.0 ($70; thewodlife.com.au)
2/ Thongs
No matter how clean the gym looks, we can guarantee it’s a veritable germ factory (a 2016 study found that free weights contained, on average, 362 times more germs that toilet seats). You can’t protect yourself from every nasty, but you can avoid tinea and plantar warts by wearing thongs in the shower. ($25; havaianasaustralia.com.au)
3/ Anti-Dandruff Shampoo
Nothing looks less professional than a sharply tailored suit collar liberally dusted with dandruff. Look after your scalp/ give your scalp the TLC and keep flakes at bay with head & shoulders Clean & Balanced Shampoo ($12.50; headandshoulders.com.au).
4/ Headphones
Whether it’s the traffic noise on your morning commute or the endless announcements at the airport, sometimes a man needs to escape inside an igloo of calm. Bose’s QuietComfort headphones create an acoustic seal around the ear that will cancel out everything from office chatter to the clatter of weights at the gym. ($399; bose.com.au)
5/ Fitness Tracker
If you don’t have the funds to pay a personal trainer to track your every move, then the next best thing is to have the Apple Watch Series 2 strapped to your wrist. With its heart-rate sensor, GPS unit and workout app, this astonishing piece of tech will keep you accountable, no matter where you are. ($529; apple.com/au)
6/ Towel
A man on the go knows the value of a hot shower. But a soggy bath towel rendering everything in your bag a musty mess screams rank amateur. Keep the Speedo Chamois Sports Towel at hand. It’s small, light, super-absorbent and dries in a wink. ($25; rebelsport.com.au)
7/ Massage Tool
From your feet to your hamstrings to your back, the Sklz Dual Point Massager is an unassuming tool that will sort your aching muscles out, then retreat to the front pocket of your bag. ($26; thewodlife.com.au)