Sports and fitness brand rankings

Currently, there is no officially certified unified sports and fitness brand ranking list in the world or in China. All third-party lists have clear selection biases. If broken down according to consumption scenarios, budgets, and training needs, the top brands suitable for ordinary people are very different. This is the most practical conclusion I have made after five years of purchasing fitness venues and helping nearly a hundred members with training equipment.

To be honest, the first thing ordinary people come into contact with is sportswear and footwear, and this is also the most "moist" part of the list. Many lists put lululemon, Nike, and Adidas at the top. Do you think this is wrong? They have indeed spent a lot of money on research and development. Lululemon's Align yoga pants are indeed full of nude comfort. Nike's ZoomX midsole has a cushioning feedback from running in the marathon. Whoever wears Adidas' Boost knows how it feels on the road. But you say it's right? It really tricked a lot of novices. I met a young man who just got a fitness card a while ago and bought nearly 2,000 yuan of Nike training shoes based on the list. As a result, he practiced powerlifting three times a week. When he did deadlifts, the soles of the shoes were so soft that he almost sprained his feet. In the end, he spent more than 300 on a pair of domestic flat-soled strength shoes, which were very useful.

Oh, by the way, this area is quite controversial now. One group is the "one-stop party", which believes that the fabrics, tailoring, and technology of big-name brands have been professionally verified and are not easy to get into trouble. Even if they are more expensive, they are not expensive on average after wearing them for two or three years.； The other group is the "cost-effectiveness party". They feel that the technology of domestic sports brands has long since caught up. For example, Anta's nitrogen technology cushioning and Li Ning's 丨 technology are completely sufficient for running a half marathon. For yoga wear, such as Lolita and Focus, the fabric's skin-friendliness and shaping effect are not much different from those of the thousand-yuan lululemon. The price is only one-fifth of the price. Ordinary enthusiasts have no need to pay a brand premium. My own experience is that for frequently worn items that are safety-related, such as running shoes and sports bras, and occasionally worn items such as casual sports jackets and yoga pants for photography, there is no problem in choosing domestic replacements.

If you want to set up a small fitness corner at home, don't believe the nonsense about "Top 10 household equipment". Eight out of ten are internet celebrity brands that have received promotion fees. Last year, I helped a friend choose an elliptical machine. The internet celebrity brand he showed me was number one on the list. It was really good-looking. It had a white body and a touch screen. It looked like an ornament at home. I found out that the counterweight was only 6 kilograms. It floated like cotton when I stepped on it. It would make strange noises after three months of use. Later, he chose the domestic Merrick, a 12kg flywheel with magnetic noise reduction, which cost less than 2,000 yuan. He now pedals for 40 minutes a day and has been using it for almost a year without any problems.

Of course, if you have enough budget and want a commercial-grade experience, Technogym and Life Fitness are brands that you cannot avoid. The treadmill in the venue I am staying at is from Life Fitness. I have used it for four years, and more than a dozen people use it every day. Apart from regular lubricating, there is nothing wrong with it. The price of one machine is more than 20,000 yuan, so there is really no need for ordinary families to feel pain. Oh, by the way, if you want to do strength training, you need to buy horizontal bars, dumbbells, and barbell plates. Brands such as Hansu and Lu Xiaojun are highly recognized in the fitness circle. They have small weight tolerances and a comfortable grip. They are used in many professional competitions. They are much safer than those cast iron barbell plates of other brands. After all, it is no joke to drop them.

Oh, by the way, if you practice a specific sport, such as CrossFit, triathlon, or powerlifting, public lists are basically useless to you. Just look at the brands used by the professional athletes in your sport. For example, when it comes to powerlifting belts, many people think of SBD. The hard cowhide leather is supportive enough and can be used in competitions. Even though the price is more than 1,000 yuan, it is not cheap. There are also many amateur athletes who choose the domestic Titan, which can be purchased for more than 300 yuan. The support is not much different, and it is completely sufficient for daily training. Not to mention those who play triathlon, Speedo swimsuits and Garmin sports watches are basically the default choices in the industry. Some people think that Gochi watches are more cost-effective and have longer battery life. Each has its own advantages.

To be honest, in the past few years, I have met too many people who ask for rankings and just buy them to save trouble. It is really unnecessary. When it comes to sports and fitness, what is suitable for others may not be suitable for you. If you dance at home for 15 minutes every day, Liu Genghong, a yoga mat worth dozens of yuan and a pair of sports shoes worth more than 100 yuan are completely sufficient. It is not a good idea to buy them according to the configuration of professional athletes and leave them gathering dust at home. It is a waste of money. If you really have to choose, it is better to think clearly about your training frequency, specific needs, and budget range. It will be more reliable than looking through ten third-party lists. If you're really not sure, go to a venue near your home and give it a try. Wear it on your feet for half an hour and practice a set of movements. It's more intuitive than any fancy parameters.