Packing the essential things inside your gym bag is a routine procedure if you regularly go to the Gym. You might keep a pickup and go to the gym bag which is pre-packed with the things you need.
We’re talking about a Gym Go Bag and exploring its contents – those that are necessary. Life is more enjoyable and efficient when you have the right bag and kitted out with the correct items. Check the 20 Top Items below:
1. Quality Gym Bag
Before you pack your things in your gym bag, you might want to consider what kind or type of gym bag you will use. Consider the things that you will go to pack if it suits and fits well in it.
It does not make sense to put your things in a too big or too small bag.
Choose the gym bag that is the right size that will carry all the things you need and is portable enough to take on public transportation if needed.
Think about using a bag with separate wet and dry compartments if there is any chance that you might take a shower at the Gym. We prefer to use a gym bag with an adjustable strap that eases your shoulder without cutting it.
So, to help manage and prepare your gym kit, here are the top 20 must-have items to be included in your gym bag.
2. Shoes
Your gym shoes are part of the essentials, but it is necessary to keep in mind the precise kind of shoe you will need for a specific workout.
Many all-purpose athletic shoes are good enough to wear to the Gym, but it will benefit you to pair your exact pair of shoes to a particular activity. Varieties of shoes are designed for cross-training, indoor running, weightlifting, and indoor rock climbing.
You will also benefit from having and using different athletic shoes in terms of their rotation; you will have ample time to wash and dry each pair completely between workouts.
Cleaning your shoes regularly will help you avoid acquiring unpleasant foot odors.
3. Water Bottle
Hydration is the key, no matter where you are sweating. Keeping a handy water bottle with you is better since not all gym establishments have water on hand.
After a hand spinning class, a hand reusable water bottle makes it easier for you to stay hydrated. Some bottles can hold beverages cold for up to 24 hours.
In choosing a reusable water bottle, pick the one that is made with non-toxic bisphenol A plastic. Vacuum-sealed water bottles that are new should be ideally condensation-free.
During your sweat sessions, do not be caught without a water bottle. So, include it in your list as Gym essential.
4. Workout Clothes
Keeping a complete workout outfit in your gym bag is a must. Forgetting a critical piece of workout clothes is very frustrating and aggravating. So, workout clothes must be on a top priority in terms of packing your gym kit.
If you do not have one in your gym bag, you might as well plan on canceling your workout session.
Workout clothes may include clean underwear or sports bra, workout tops and bottoms such as shorts, sweatpants, or leggings, and so on.
Also, keep post-workout clothes because you might decide on getting a shower after your workout. So, do not forget to put post-workout clothes in your gym bag.
5. Gym Towel
Some gyms require you to take a towel to the gym floor for good purposes. You might not sweat overly, but the next person to use the equipment might feel the moistures you have left behind.
So, having a gym towel during your sessions is not only hygienic, but it is also a manifestation of good manners. It is usually best to go to the Gym with cotton towels as its fiber is extremely absorbent and will take a short period to dry.
Towels that are microfiber can also be convenient because they dry even faster. Even though most gyms provide clean towels for their members to use if you prefer to use your towel, then bring one with you.
6. Personal Care Items
No matter what Gym or workout you have chosen, hygiene is necessary. Aside from freshening up after a heavy workout, you might also want to avoid having body odor and other common locker room infections.
It often helps to put it together in a small pouch.
This Personal Care Item Includes:
- Deodorant – This one is an obvious personal care item, before, during, and after your workout sessions. Always keep your body odor at bay by swiping your underarms with a lightly scented deodorant.
- Body Soap and Shampoo – If you have plans to have a quick rinse after your workout, be sure to have it packed in your small pouch, a shampoo, and a bar of body soap.
- Disinfectants – Always bring disinfectants with you to disinfect the gym equipment before and after use to avoid getting infections.
7. Heart Rate Monitor
Heart rate monitor is not a necessary item for working out, but if you monitor your heart rate during your workout sessions, it is nice to have one with you.
Having a heart rate monitor is useful when you are pushing yourself, not the anaerobic zone or interval training.
8. Cellphone and Earbuds
Listening to music will help you get in the zone and pace your workout. Of course, most gyms have their piped music, but if you do not enjoy it, you should bring your cell phone and earbuds with you.
Just make sure that your device has enough battery life for your workout.
You must bring devices or accessories designed for sports for more comfortable usage while having your workout.
You might also want to make sure that you have a way to securely take your devices and keep it dry while you exercise. So, bring devices that are both wireless and sweat-resistant at the same time.
9. Snacks and Energy Bars
Keep and bring an energy bar or snack in your gym bag for your pre-workout or post-workout snack to fuel your body. A high-carb snack would be your best option before a workout if you did not have a chance to fuel your body beforehand.
Choose a high-protein snack to feed your muscles after a workout, and if you will not have a chance to eat a meal soon. As they say, food is fuel to our body. So, it is vital to feed your body with healthy foods before and after your heavy workout.
If you do not feed your body after and before your workout, it might harm your health. Make your health a top priority in engaging workout sessions.
10. Wide-Toothed Comb
Pack a wide-toothed comb in your gym bag to deal with annoying tangles. Girls often use these essentials to remove the snags and knots from their strands delicately. To prevent any unnecessary damage or breakage to your hair, be sure that you detangle from the bottom up.
You lessen your chances of damaging your hair by working with it from the bottom up as you will not be tugging downwards on your hair, causing your knots to become entangled with one another.
11. Dry Shampoo
If you do not have ample time or energy to take a shower after your workout, then bring along with you a bottle of your favorite dry shampoo. While adding volume and texture to your roots, you can soak up excess oils and sweat from your hair strands.
If you are heading to work or having dinner with your friend after your workout, then dry shampoo can make you look fresh. Some gyms do not have a shower facility, and going back to your house just to shower can be very time-consuming.
Instead, pack dry shampoo and a few sprays in your gym bag to continue with your day as you usually do after your workout sessions. It is also beneficial if you are running late and do not have enough time to take a shower.
12. Grip Gloves
Grip gloves might come useful if you engage in workouts that involve lifting weights. Aside from making sure that your hands do not get rough, it also helps you get a better grip on weights.
The skin of your palm might turn hard when you are engaging in pushing and pulling weights. To keep weights safely in your grasp, the rubberized pads and dots of grip gloves provide friction on it.
Instead of worrying about holding the bars, grip gloves allow you to focus on your form. Using a grip glove will allow you to lift the maximum weights.
13. Arm Band
You can get an armband while running on the treadmill and you would like to listen to music but do not like to keep your phone in your pocket and have it bounce around.
For your more comfortable run without any interruptions, an armband will help you tie your phone in a strap around your biceps. Pack an armband in your gym bag to make your life easier.
14. Extra Socks
Although many gym-goers forget this one, a pair of socks is essential too. If you go to the Gym wearing socks in hotter seasons, it will probably get wet because of sweat after your workout.
Take a pair of extra socks in your gym bag with you if you do not want your feet to smell bad. Just like wearing different clothes every day for work, wear a fresh pair of socks too after a shower in the Gym.
It is part of being a hygienic person not to wear socks more than once. An extra sock does not take up that much space in your gym bag.
Why not bring 2 to 3 pairs? It is highly recommended to use cushioned black or gray athletic socks that hug your feet. If you spend a lot of time on the treadmill, ill-lifting socks might lead you to blisters.
15. A Reliable Fitness Tracker
It is great to have a record or track your progress at the Gym. Bring a fitness tracker that has a basic step, sleep, and calorie tracking down.
Fitness trackers can instantly recognize when you have started a workout and have an altimeter onboard to track stairs climbed. Use a fitness tracker that syncs smoothly and is accurate in gathering the data of your progress.
16. A Soothing Muscle Rub
To relieve yourself from having muscle aches from a particularly rigorous workout, make sure you have packed a muscle rub or painkillers in your gym bag.
A calming blend of peppermint, wintergreen, eucalyptus, and menthol, this waxy salve smells good and does what it sets out to do well.
17. First Aid Kit
No matter how coordinated and careful you are, accidents may happen to you anytime. Do not forget to prepare a case or small pouch filled with bandages, tape, and gauge in your gym bag as a precautionary measure in the event of a mishap.
18. Flip Flops
The use of flip flops is necessary if you want to use other amenities such as the shower or pool in the Gym after your workout. Aside from keeping your feet clean, wearing flip-flops will prevent you from catching other athlete’s foot fungus.
After you have cleaned off all the gym sweat from your body, it is the worst trying to put on your gym shoes again. However, don’t use the public showers in the Gym without using your flip-flops. A trusty pair of flip-flops will be your best friends because showers are a breeding pool for fungus and germs.
19. Gym Lock
Most gyms have their self-locking combination lockers, but others still require you to bring your lock. While tiny luggage locks can easily be broken into if a gym has poor security, larger padlocks might be too big for certain catches.
Not all locks fit all lockers. So, bring your gym lock that is suited and fits very well to the gym locker. Call the Gym in advance to ask about locks to avoid mishaps. Leave your valuables at home or your hotel.
Ask if the front desk has facilities to store your valuables if you feel that the Gym’s security is lax. Carry them to the floor with you, if not.
20. Membership Card
A membership card is essential in going to the Gym because big chain gyms require a membership card for you to enter.
But most of the big chain gyms we have today no longer need you to give your membership card to enter the Gym. Many use apps, your phone number, or your fingerprint scan instead.
It is important to check if reciprocal deals allow you entry into another gym under the same membership when you are traveling.
Make sure to keep it handy in your gym bag if your Gym still uses a card or key fob.
While regular-sized cards can be stored in a gym bag pocket, some cards are tag-shaped and can be easy to use as a keychain or clip in your bag.
If you need a card for all your activities, it might be easier to keep your card in your wallet if you use a different bag for workouts.
There you have it, the top 20 items that you need in your gym bag. Packing your gym essentials is part of your working routine.
It is not easy to cram packing your gym essentials from the clothes, toiletries, and snacks, and so on.
It is a smart trick to pack your gym bag with your essentials beforehand. May this article help you in packing your gym essentials beforehand.
Specific Gym Go Bags
Most gym-goers have multiple go-bags that are geared up for various types of workouts. It is not an uncommon circumstance that you happen to forget some essential pieces of gym kits.
You should manage and put things that fit in your gym bag and, at the same time, could help you get back to your or office or home in no time.
Final Thoughts
Go bags are great! You can organize yourself a go-bag for every one of your regular pursuits.
Not just for the Gym but a great many other purposes.
If you’re organized, if you have all the essential items that make up the contents of your gym kit, you should have peace of mind.
Then you can relax and give all your attention to the matter at hand – getting fit (and possibly torturing yourself in the pursuit of the perfect body)!
But at least you’ll have all the contents of your go-bag to make you more comfortable while you’re bearing all this physical punishment!
Yes, a go-bag is undoubtedly the answer and means you can perform all exercise positions in style – because you have your quintessential go-bag.
It’s a gotta have!
Ann Roberts
