While you can certainly do O15 at your gym with expensive weight machines, most of our clients prefer the versatility of taking O15 anywhere with a handful of cheap, basic tools.  If you are doing O15 at home, here is a list of useful equipment and tools:

• A floor
• A wall
• A door frame
• A seat :
  • small stool
  • chair
  • coffee table
  • ottoman
• Mirror:
  • wall mirror nearby
  • Best option – over the door mirror to borrow and move around based on which exercise you are doing
  • Mirrors are important when learning, but once you are a master, you will feel when you are out of position and can get by without one if you are traveling and away from your usual setup.
• Weights:
  • A couple light and medium dumbbells, preferably 3 lb, 5 lb, 8 lb, 10 lb, 15 lb, and 20 lb.  If you have more, that’s fine.
  • You can also do with less by adding mini breaks of 5 seconds at a time in the set to readjust and be able to continue with the heavier weights.
  • If you happen to have bars, you can use those for many exercises, the most useful being a 30 lb barbell and an 18 lb (commonly sold) or 20 lb barbell.  If you have the corresponding dumbbells though, no need to go out and get barbells just because.
• Sticks:
  • Mandatory – A small stick around 20″ long. The stick is to keep your spine in the straight alignment when there is no wall or floor to use as a guide, such as in the pushup exercise or the bentover row.
    • You will want to lightly sand away any splintery spots if using newly cut wood.
    • If you put 3M tread tape on the back (it’s like sandpaper), it’s a big help so that it doesn’t slide and move around on your back.
    • You could also completely wrap the stick & ends in duct tape, keeping any splintery spots away and also providing a non-slip surface in place of using the no-slip tape.
  • We prefer sticks that are narrow to align with the spine and fit between shoulder blades.
    • 1.5 inches square around or 1 inch by 1.5 inches.  Whichever narrow width you find is fine.
  • Any lumber yard at Home Depot, Lowes, or a local lumber yard will have very cheap wood available and they will cut it for you.
  • Most places also have a scrap bin by the cutting station where you can find leftover pieces.  You might even find a piece exactly the size you need.
  • If not and you have to buy a full 6 or 8 foot length (usually for under $2) that they will then cut for you, ask for one 20″ long and one 28″ long (or 30″ long if you are taller) so that you have one for the back and one to use as a cane for some of the other exercises.
    • If you buy an 8 foot piece of lumber, those 96 inches are exactly two 20″ sticks and two 28″ canes with no scrap leftover. (20 + 20 + 28 + 28 = 96 inches)
    • The cane isn’t necessary and most people at home use a kitchen towel rolled up and pulled wide, but if they’re cutting the wood for you, you may as well.  It will allow you to catch your fall on some exercises and can be useful.
• Balls:
  • Balls for the knees and feet are optional but helpful.  They are not weighted and not to be squeezed, but simply hold the space between legs evenly hip width apart.
  • Choose a ball that separates your knees without flaring the knees out so much that the legs are not parallel lines.
  • Average size is 6″ diameter.
• Time Keeper:
  • A face clock to follow the time and breathing.
  • If you use the DVD, the clock isn’t necessary because the instructed workouts will follow the breathing for you.
  • Audio files to play on iPod or stereo coach the breathing and remind you of some of the basics that are the same regardless of exercise.  This is available for download in the Resources section.