diff --git a/nb-api/src/main/java/io/nosqlbench/engine/api/metrics/ActivityMetrics.java b/nb-api/src/main/java/io/nosqlbench/engine/api/metrics/ActivityMetrics.java
index 2ebf5e9c3..3e367b27e 100644
--- a/nb-api/src/main/java/io/nosqlbench/engine/api/metrics/ActivityMetrics.java
+++ b/nb-api/src/main/java/io/nosqlbench/engine/api/metrics/ActivityMetrics.java
@@ -125,6 +125,17 @@ public class ActivityMetrics {
         return registeredTimer;
     }
 
+    public static Timer timer(String fullMetricName) {
+        NicerTimer timer = get().register(fullMetricName, new NicerTimer(
+            fullMetricName,
+            new DeltaHdrHistogramReservoir(
+                fullMetricName,
+                _HDRDIGITS
+            ))
+        );
+        return timer;
+    }
+
     /**
      * <p>Create an HDR histogram associated with an activity.</p>
      *
@@ -151,6 +162,17 @@ public class ActivityMetrics {
                 ));
     }
 
+    public static Histogram histogram(String fullname) {
+        NicerHistogram histogram = get().register(fullname, new NicerHistogram(
+            fullname,
+            new DeltaHdrHistogramReservoir(
+                fullname,
+                _HDRDIGITS
+            )
+        ));
+        return histogram;
+    }
+
     /**
      * <p>Create a counter associated with an activity.</p>
      * <p>This method ensures that if multiple threads attempt to create the same-named metric on a given activity,