The Basics: Workout Gear

What do you really need for the gym? In this article we go through the outfit and gear you will need for the workouts.

The Essentials

The following five items are absolutely needed for each workout. Have these always with you.

Workout Shoes

Choose a pair of comfortable sports shoes. They must hold your feet firmly. If you are just starting to lift, there is no need to invest in new ones; any sneaker will do.

If you want to go for the absolute best, there are shoes specially designed for bodybuilding. These have thin soles that provide much better contact with the ground, and this quality comes in handy when performing squats and calf raises. These shoes also have a firm grip on your feet and hold your ankle. And finally, the tongue will give you some cushioning during leg extensions.

Wrestling shoes are just as good as bodybuilding shoes, and there is a much wider range of brands and styles for you to choose from.

Gym Clothes

You will need to find an outfit that allows you to move freely. For your upper body, a simple T-shirt or tank top will do just fine, although it’s always a good idea to start the workout with a long sleeve top over your T-shirt to keep your shoulders and elbows warm. As for legs, comfortable shorts or sweatpants are the best options.

Water Bottle

You should make sure that you keep your body hydrated throughout the workout. Especially if you sweat, water intake becomes crucial. Make it a habit to take your reusable water bottle to the gym and fill it with water there. Not only is it cheaper than buying bottled water each time, but you also help our planet by reducing unnecessary waste.

Towel

In some gyms, towels are mandatory, while in others it’s up to you. No matter what the requirements, it’s always a good idea to cover the bench or the seat of the machine with your towel before you start using it. The ideal size is a little larger than the surface of a bench.

Workout Log Book or Workout App

In resistance training, we aim for gradually heavier loadIn resistance training, we aim for gradually heavier loads each time, so it’s in your best interest to know what you did during your last workout. Log your sessions to have a better understanding of where you are at and what’s your personal best that you need to break. You can use an app on your phone or a simple notebook will serve the purpose as well.

Nice To Have

The list below contains items that are nice to have and will help you with your workouts in different ways. But it’s totally fine working out without these.

Headphones

Listening to your favorite energizing music through headphones or earphones can make a huge difference in your mood and focus in the gym. Your best bet is a wireless set with active noise cancellation (ANC) that helps filter out ambient noise.

Fitness Tracker or Smartwatch

You can use a fitness tracker or smartwatch as a companion to your workout log or app to keep track of your sessions. As these gadgets can record your heart rate and synch all your workout data with your fitness app, the calculation of your daily active energy will become more accurate.

Weight Lifting Straps

As you advance in resistance training and get stronger, with some exercises your grip will be the bottleneck of how much you can lift. Even if your targeted muscle group would be perfectly capable to pull, if your grip fails, you can’t train your target muscle to the maximum. That’s the point where you will need the lifting straps. A simple pair of any brand will do.

Weight Lifting Gloves

Gloves have several benefits. Your grip will improve when lifting heavy weights. They also protect your palm by spreading out the pressure evenly preventing pain and the development of calluses and blisters. If you are already using straps though, you won’t need gloves.

Weight Lifting Belt

Belts are used by advanced lifters for exercises that require significant core strength and can result in serious injury if the core muscles fail to support the upper body. The most common such exercise is squatting.

Wrist Wraps and Knee Wraps

Wrist wraps and knee wraps provide additional support for the wrists and the knees. You will not need these until you reach an advanced level.