There tend to be two different types of people in the gym locker room. You’ve got your light-travelling go-getters, who head to the gym at a moment’s notice and always seem ready to work out. Then you’ve got the planners. The people who have a drawstring bag so full that it only just squeezes through the locker door.
If you’re one of the light travellers, then you probably look at those bag owners in confusion. What on earth have they brought with them? After all, you’re here to build a fitness routine, not bring everything but the kitchen sink!
However, did you know the bag owners might actually have it right, at least where their recovery is concerned? You see, when you bring nothing but yourself, you don’t give yourself any help on the recovery front. Bringing a bag, however, means having a complete recovery-friendly pack at your fingertips
We’re not saying you need to pack a travel-sized case each time you want to work out. But keep on reading as we explore exactly what’s in those drawstring gym bags, and why you could benefit from getting one, too.
# 1 – Decent Gym Shoes
The largest gym bag item tends to be one of the most important – a decent pair of shoes. Okay, so you can technically work out in that old pair of trainers you’ve had for years. But should you? We’d argue not.
That’s because the shoes you choose will have a major impact on the shock your muscles and tendons have to deal with. This can be especially damaging with a high-impact workout like the treadmill, where a lack of shoe support can increase your risk of everything from sore ankles to hip pain you can’t put your finger on.
By comparison, taking the time to find a decent pair of supportive gym shoes can prove transformative. During your quest, simply consider your ideal workouts, which will vary your specific footwear needs as follows –
- Weightlifting: A strong and stable base is best
- Cardio: Cushioning and flexibility are key
- Cross-training: Versatile shoes that offer support, cushioning, and flexibility
# 2 – Resistance Bands
Everyone knows that warming up in the gym is the single best way to avoid painful recovery after every session. While you don’t technically need any equipment other than your body and the ability to stretch it out, you may find that a thorough warmup is difficult to achieve solo. Which is why we also recommend slipping some resistance bands into your gym bag.
These unassuming pieces of kit are useful for warm-up purposes because they allow you to really target and stretch out the muscles you intend to use the most. This area-specific approach ensures that you’re properly good to go when the time comes to get started.
Speaking of which, you can also bring your resistance bands into play during your workouts themselves, where some gym-goers even find them to be a great strength-building alternative to options like weight lifting in some instances. Simply play around, research what you can do, and enhance both workout and recovery with something that takes up the tiniest possible amount of gym kit room!
# 3 – The Right Supports
Do you need support to start working out? Technically, no, but you can bet your recoveries will be shorter if you stock a bag with these inside. Of course, supports are most commonly beneficial for weight lifting. Here, the use of everything from wrist and elbow wraps to knee sleeves and beyond can help you to ensure the joint stability and muscle strength you need to ease long recoveries.
And that’s not all.
Joint supports can also help during high-impact workouts like running or jumping, where essentials like knee braces can help to both strengthen and protect your joints from too much stress. Corrective supports can also play a major role in your post-workout routine, and you might want to keep these in your gym bag to improve both your form and muscle recovery.
# 4 – Fitness Trackers
Do you need a fancy fitness tracker to get the most out of your gym workout? Absolutely not. But, we’d also argue that it won’t hurt. That’s especially true when you consider that there are plenty of affordable options out there, which allow you to easily monitor everything from heart rate to steps and calories burned.
Admittedly, you’re probably more liable to have this one on your wrist than in your gym bag, but we think it’s still worth mentioning on this list. After all, a tracker is still a piece of equipment that can cut your recovery time.
Why?
Because trackers are great for making sure you don’t push your body too far. Admittedly, specific features will vary, but the ability to monitor everything from how stressed your body’s getting during a workout to your readiness levels for your next workout can help. This is a level of oversight that you just won’t have otherwise, and we bet it’ll make all the difference to your gym journey.
# 5 – Post-Gym Snacks
You might be happy heading to the gym vending machine when you finish a workout, but is this really the best bet for your body? Probably not.
Don’t get us wrong – many gym vending machines are now designed to optimise post-workout feasts. Unfortunately, they still have the downside of stopping you from being able to choose snacks based on your body and workout of choice.
By comparison, packing your own snacks ensures that you’ve always got a healthy option, that’s protein-heavy if you need it, or sugar-packed if you tend to slump. You can also more easily avoid unhealthy impulse buys this way by sticking to lower-fat options like dark chocolate, rather than the high-calorie alternatives that often still tempt you from the back of the vending machine!
Conclusion
Do you need a Mary Poppins-sized gym bag to get the most from your workouts? Absolutely not, but you could still benefit from a bag packed with these essentials, each of which can enhance your gym experiences and, importantly, cut your recovery times down to size!
