Here’s a sneak peak into my gym bag; the things I love, can’t live without, and swear by. Everyone is different when it comes to their gym go-to items, but the following have definitely helped me get to where I am today. If you’re looking to increase your lifting performance, or have injuries that need a bit of support, these items will be great for you!
Lifting Shoes
You might think the type of shoes you wear while working out don’t really matter. Depending on what kind of workouts you are doing, they could have an important outcome. My workouts are comprised of weightlifting routines, focused on strength and loading on the weight. Because of this, I choose flat-soled shoes. Flat-soled shoes can help you push off the ground my efficiently, which comes in handy during squats and deadlifts. They help allow the heel to drive into the floor, which is necessary with good form. When your lifting shoes have minimal structure, they also allow the muscle in the ankle and foot to strengthen, this will help you in the long run with your lifts. The shoes I currently use are Nike SB, which have minimal structure and flat soles. They are also relatively cheap, which makes them a great choice.
Knee Sleeves
If you are one of the many people with bad knees, compression sleeves may be best for you! Currently, I use Nordic Lifting brand knee sleeves because of their excellent price. I have used these for months and they work great when it comes to a heavy leg day! I’ve also looked into the brand Mark Bell, which has the best reviews and has been recommended to me the most.
Benefits of Knee Sleeves
Knee sleeves are great for anyone wanting to increase their lifting performance, rehabilitate and old injury, or prevent injury in heavier lifts. Some other benefits of knee sleeves, as stated on the Nordic Lifting Website include:
- INCREASE PERFORMANCE: Whether you’re an elite athlete or a novice, these sleeves help you to perform at the top of your ability
- AVOID INJURY: By adding support to our body’s weaker joints we can avoid unnecessary injury and pain
- SPEED UP RECOVERY: The compression helps relieve muscle and joint pain as well as aids in muscle recovery & rehabilitation
- WARMING EFFECT: The sleeves efficiently reduce stiff muscles and joints by retaining heat, which in turn reduces risk of injury
- Use for all kinds of Workout such as Powerlifting, CrossFit, Gym and other Fitness Activity
Wrist Wraps
Wrist wraps have quickly become one of my favorite tools to use in the gym. More specifically, Versa Gripps. Versa Gripps have a velco strap that is fitted to your wrist. From there, you wrap the non-slip material around the weight, bar, or cable attachment. Versa Gripps make it possible to keep lifting weight long after grip-fatigue sets in during pushing and pulling exercises.
Pull Exercises
I mainly use Vera Gripps for back day and deadlifts. Most back exercises are “pulling” exercises which engage your lats. The use Vera Gripps for pulling exercises, you wrap the non-slip material around the bar or dumbbell and INTO your hand. With the end in you hand you are able to hod on tight, strengthening your grip. This will increase the amount of weight you’re able to lift and take the squeeze right out of your grip, allowing you to continue to lift after your grip has failed.
Push Exercises
On chest or shoulder days, Versa Gripps can also be utilized for push exercises. The use Versa Grips to push, have the non-slip material in your palm, and wrap it around the bar or dumbbell with your grip. This is give your wrist support and increase the amount of weight they can handle.
Lifting Journal
If you are consistently weight lifting and NOT recording your lifts, I can guess that you’ve probably hit a plateau. Recording your lifts is very important when you’re working on strength gain, fat loss, or preparing for a competition. There are many ways to record, but it’s all about what works best for you. You could use apps for your phone, take notes on your phone, enter your lifts into a tracker, or record in a journal. I, personally, like to use a lifting journal. The reason I prefer a journal is because I can change what I need to change quickly, and can enter in my own notes about my lifts.
What to Record
There is a couple important pieces of information you should be recording when it comes to working out. When I log my lifts in my journal, I am sure to include:
- Exercises
- Weight Lifted
- Sets
- Reps
- Rest Time
- Overall thoughts about the workout
- Cardio
Recording all of these things will help greatly with your progress. When wanting to gain muscle, it is important to use the Progressive Overload theory to put more stress on your muscles and promote growth. In order to do this, you must know exactly how much stress you previously put on said muscles. The learn more about Progressive Overload, read my blog dedicated to helping you gain muscle through overload.
Recording your workouts will also give you great information to come back to later in life if you want to pick up your old routines.
Gallon Jug
Water is essential to every human. Your body uses water in every cell, organ, tissue, and bodily process. Since you lose a considerable amount of water during exercise,it’s important to always stay hydrated. I have found that drinking a gallon of water per day has increased many areas of my life. In order to hit 1 gallon each day, I have a water bottle that lets me know how I’m doing based on the time of day. By using this I can pace myself and make sure I stay on track to hit 1 gallon everyday. Breaking water consumption down by the hour really elevates the pressure, takes the guess work out of it, and also make the task seem less daunting.
Did one of your favorite items not make the list? Let me know in the comments below! Have a specific issue in the gym that needs assistance? Contact me for help and suggestions! Emburnfitness@gmail.com