gym bag packing

We’ve discussed how to choose an appropriate gym. Now we are to think about the things we need for our gym workouts

FITNESS BAG

Any convenient bag will do; it’s better to have a sport one because it usually has useful strap which allows carrying the fitness bag over one’s shoulder as well as several easily accessible side pockets for required tings (like water or training diary).

SHOWER ACCESSORIES

After each workout session it is necessary to take a shower that is why you’ll need the following shower accessories: a towel, soap or shower gel and a sponge. Instead of a sponge you can buy a shower brush (it would be even better because after a training session with heavy weights it can be a problem to reach to your back with a sponge when your muscles are pumped with blood). You’d better also take bathroom slippers: in any public place there is always a threat to pick up a dermatophyte or something worse; and besides it your feet will feel themselves more comfortable when wearing slippers.

FOOTWEAR

It is neither convenient nor allowed to train barefoot. And it’s reasonable because in a gym your unprotected feet will face danger at every turnJ Falling plates, unaware visitors, splinters and flat-footedness – these are some of the most widespread risks. That is why I advise you to buy good-quality sport footwear with hard grooved soles and high heels useful for convenient performance of squats and pulls. When choosing sport footwear the most important thing is your comfort.

CLOTHES

Nothing special: just an ordinary sport pants and a t-shirt. In the beginning of each training session before your muscles are warmed up it’s better to put on a flannel jersey or pullover; you can take them off later. Frankly speaking, your clothes depend greatly on your gym conditions; you can train in shorts and a vest if it’s comfortable and not cold. Your clothes should not hinder movements and should drink in your sweat well. Cotton is the best material for your vest or t-shirt. Of course, there are special types of clothes for power lifters but it’s up to you to decide.

BENCH TOWEL

It is not an obligatory thing in your fitness bag but if you train in vest and sweat a lot you’ll need something to cover the benches you are training on. Besides it, you simply don’t know who used these benches before you; that’s why a bench towel is not a bad idea.

GLOVES

I mean special fingerless leather gloves. Their main task is to prevent bar sliding in your hands and protect them from corns, which can become rather visible due to heavy loads. Such gloves are not an obligatory thing (for example, I don’t use them considering corns a natural means of adaptability of hands to friction). Still, a lot of sportsmen like them; so, it’s again up to you. But I’d like to stress one necessary thing: do not buy inappropriate gloves (for example farmer ones) because you’ll be laughed at like one person of my gym.

WORKOUT STRAPS

Cotton or leather straps of approximately 1\2 miter  length wrapped around wrists, then under and over a bar held by clenched hands to aid in certain lifts (rowing, Pull-Ups, shrugs, dead lifts, cleans, etc.) where you might lose your grip before working muscle to the desired capacity. The positive moment of using straps is that you can concentrate on lifting and almost forget about your grip. The negative one is that by this simplifying you don’t allow your grip force to increase. Still, I believe that workout straps are required for lots of exercises (for example for the majority of back ones).

FITNESS  BELT

It is a very important accessorise in your fitness bag  that helps you fixate your back and keep your entrails insideJ Usually it looks like a broad leather strip that’s thicker from behind to fixate your back. It is useful for a row of exercises that can be dangerous to your health. First and foremost, it is obligatory to be used for the following exercises: Dead Lifts, Bent Over Rows, Barbell Squats and classic Standing Barbell Press. These exercises belong to a group of the most dangerous still the most effective exercises. It’s not good to wear this belt during the whole training period because in this case your abdomen is squeezed. Appropriate use of a secure belt presupposes you to tighten the belt right before performing a difficult set of a dangerous exercise and to loose it after it to normalize the pressure. Sport shops can offer you different types of secure belts; the most important thing when buying one of them is to choose your exact size.

WORKOUT JOURNAL

This is really an important thing. We are going to cover this issue in the corresponding section of this site. Up to now, you need to know that you’ll have to take it to each of your workout sessions. A workout journal  can be made of a simple notebook or a datebook.

WATER

I appear to be a supporter of the idea of replenishment of electrolytic balance when training. Majority of professional sportsmen, whom I know personally, drink water when training. There are a lot of theories concerning this problem but, being a practitioner, I am convinced in necessity of drinking water when training. Dry throat is not the best companion of a successful training session.

PROTEIN SHAKER

It is not an obligatory thing in your fitness bag; still, it can be extremely useful right after the training session when you urgently need to replenish protein losses of your body and by this to stop destruction processes in your muscles. Definitely, there are many other ways to replenish proteins but I think that a protein shaker is a very convenient tool to do it.

Written by: Dennis Borisoff
© June 2009 www.gymper.com. All rights reserved. Reprint article with link only.