The Gear

What I actually use.

Supplements, training gear, recovery tools, and content equipment — all tested in real training, real shoots, and real life. If it's on this page I either use it weekly or I've recommended it to someone I actually care about.

Supplements Training Gear Nutrition Recovery Content / Camera My Products

Supplements

What I actually take. The stack is built around training hard, recovering clean, and not crashing through a workday at 43.

Featured Partner

Bucked Up Supplements

Pre-workout, protein, hydration, recovery

Brand ambassador since 2022 — and I was using it before that. The pre-workout doesn't crash you mid-afternoon, the hydration formula actually works during long training blocks, and the recovery products let me get back in the gym the next day without feeling wrecked. This is the foundation of my stack.

WHATLEY20 20% off sitewide
Shop Bucked Up↗
Amazon Pick

ON Gold Standard Whey

Daily protein — the benchmark everyone compares to

Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard has been the go-to for a reason — clean macros, mixes easy, doesn't taste like chalk. I use this as my base protein and build around it. Consistent quality across every batch, which matters when you're buying it regularly.

Get it on Amazon↗

Training Gear

Equipment I actually use in the gym. Nothing here is for aesthetics — every piece has a job.

Amazon Pick

Gymreapers Lever Belt

10mm lever — squats, deadlifts, heavy compounds

A real lifting belt makes a real difference the second you hit heavier compound work. Gymreapers hits the quality mark at a price that isn't absurd. The lever buckle means you're actually going to wear it consistently instead of fighting a prong between sets.

Get it on Amazon↗
Amazon Pick

Gymreapers Wrist Wraps

18" stiff wrap — pressing movements, overhead

Wrists are one of those things you don't think about until they're a problem. Wraps let me push harder on press days without babying the joint. The Gymreapers pair is stiff enough to actually do something, holds up for months, and doesn't unravel mid-set.

Get it on Amazon↗
Amazon Pick

Fit Simplify Resistance Bands

Loop band set — warm-up, activation, travel days

Five resistance levels in one set. I use these for glute activation before lower body work and as a full session when I'm traveling and don't have access to a gym. They hold tension well and haven't snapped on me yet — which is more than I can say for cheaper sets.

Get it on Amazon↗

Nutrition

Beyond protein. The supplements that actually move the needle on performance and body composition — no snake oil, no exotic compounds.

Amazon Pick

Creatine Monohydrate

5g daily — the most researched supplement in existence

If you're not taking creatine and you train, you're leaving performance on the table. Monohydrate is the only form with decades of research behind it. I take it every day regardless of training day or rest day. Nutricost makes a clean, unflavored version that mixes into anything.

Get it on Amazon↗
Amazon Pick

Athletic Greens AG1

Daily greens — coverage for the gaps in a real diet

Nobody's diet is perfect. AG1 covers the micronutrient gaps without needing a cabinet full of individual bottles. I'm not going to tell you it replaces vegetables — it doesn't. But it does replace a stack of 6 separate supplements, which simplifies the morning.

Get it on Amazon↗
Amazon Pick

Thorne Magnesium Bisglycinate

Before bed — sleep quality and muscle recovery

Most people are deficient in magnesium and don't know it. The bisglycinate form is the one that actually absorbs. I take it before sleep — the difference in sleep quality and next-day muscle soreness is real enough that I notice when I skip it. Thorne's quality control is consistent.

Get it on Amazon↗

Recovery

At 43 I train hard enough that recovery isn't optional. These are the tools that keep me in the gym consistently without breaking down.

Amazon Pick

TriggerPoint GRID Foam Roller

Daily soft tissue work — the one I've had for 3 years

The GRID holds its shape longer than cheap foam rollers, which go flat within a few months of actual use. I run through a 10-minute rolling session every morning before I do anything else. It's not exciting but it's the difference between training 5 days a week and training 3.

Get it on Amazon↗
Amazon Pick

Theragun Mini

Percussion therapy — spot treatment between sessions

The full-size Theragun is overkill for most people. The Mini hits the same percussion frequencies, fits in a gym bag, and costs half as much. I use it on stubborn spots — hip flexors, upper traps, calves — for 2 minutes before and after training. Worth every dollar.

Get it on Amazon↗
Amazon Pick

KT Tape Pro

Kinesiology tape — joint support without bracing

Not a magic fix — but for nagging joint issues during heavy training blocks, KT Tape lets me keep moving without fully bracing the joint. I use it on shoulders and knees during high-volume weeks. The Pro version stays on through sweat better than the standard.

Get it on Amazon↗

Content & Camera Gear

Everything I use to shoot content, build a portfolio, and capture training footage. You don't need a full production rig — you need the right few pieces.

Amazon Pick

DJI OM 6 Phone Gimbal

Stabilized phone video — looks 10x more professional instantly

Shaky phone video is the number one thing that makes content look amateur. A gimbal fixes it completely. The DJI OM line is the best consumer option — tracks faces automatically, folds flat for transport, and works with the free DJI Mimo app for guided shooting modes. This is the first piece of content gear I'd tell anyone to buy.

Get it on Amazon↗
Amazon Pick

Joby GorillaPod 3K

Flexible tripod — wraps around anything, works everywhere

For gym shots, outdoor shoots, and any solo content where you need a stable angle and there's nothing clean to set a tripod on. The flexible legs wrap around poles, railings, benches. The 3K version handles mirrorless cameras and heavier phones without wobbling. I've had mine for years.

Get it on Amazon↗
Amazon Pick

Elgato Ring Light

Key light — indoor shoots, video calls, self-tape

Lighting is the fastest way to close the gap between amateur and professional looking content. The Elgato Key Light is more controlled than a basic ring light — adjustable color temp, diffused output, app-controlled. Better for skin tones and fitness content than a harsh ring. Use it off-axis for dimensional light, not dead-center for flat selfie light.

Get it on Amazon↗
Amazon Pick

Rode SmartLav+

Lavalier mic — clean audio for any phone or camera

Bad audio kills good content faster than anything else. The Rode SmartLav+ clips to clothing and plugs straight into your phone — no adapter needed for most setups. For voiceovers, walk-and-talk content, or gym instruction videos, the audio jump from built-in mic to lav is enormous.

Get it on Amazon↗

Browse the Full Storefront

Everything above lives in my Amazon storefront along with additional picks I add as I test new products. Bookmark it — I update it regularly.

Whatley's World on Amazon ↗

My Own Products

If you want the system that built all of this — that's on me, not on Amazon.

Live · $27

Train Like Me: Break The Norm

4-Week Foundational Break the Norm Program

The exact 4-week foundational program that keeps a 43-year-old working model camera-ready year round — structured around a real schedule, NASM methodology, built-in content capture, and no bro-science. Run it 6–8 weeks at a time. One-time $27, instant access, yours forever.

Get the Program→
Live · $10

Modeling Course — Chapter 1

Freelance modeling from scratch · no agency required

How to find and book real modeling work with no connections, no agency, and no prior experience. The foundation chapter that starts the full system. PDF + private narrated video. $10, instant access.

Get Chapter 1→
Free

Quick Reference Sheet

Industry vocab + platform checklist · no cost

The free PDF that anchors the course — industry vocabulary, the platforms where real work actually lives, and the red flags that get beginners burned. One page. No cost. No catch.

Download Free→

Affiliate disclosure: Some links on this page (Bucked Up, Amazon) earn me a commission if you buy through them — at no extra cost to you. I only feature products I actually use or have personally tested. If something's on this page, I'd recommend it to someone I train with.

Train Like Me — 4-Week Foundational Program · $27 Start Training → ×
Fitness Course Work Gear About Casting Contact Train With Me · $27