Gym Essentials

Alright let’s get straight to the nitty gritty. Here are my favorite gym essentials

First of course is my gym bag. This is to carry all the things I’m going to be listing. Currently, I am using a bag I bought from amazon. It's super cute, sturdy and easy to keep all my things organized. I have bought other gym bags from amazon but some of them either ripped fast or the latch broke off. The bag I have now has lasted me a while now and even doubles up as a travel bag.

Inside my gym bag I always need booty bands to warm up on leg days. These are usually sold in sets of three and can be used to do squat pulses, duck walks, lateral steps, leg kickbacks, and more. I also have a pair of regular long bands for my upper body days. I typically use them to warm-up my shoulders or for assisted pull ups.

Next I have a pair of barbell clips. Some people refer to them as clamps, I call them clips, but technically the correct word is barbell collars. This is used to keep weights from moving and/or sliding off when you squat, deadlift, chest press, or do any exercise that involves having to use a bar. This is also useful to help keep the weights balanced. If you tend to use one side of your body more than the other, this will help you maintain form from the weights moving.  

Next is a weightlifting belt. My favorite is from Uppper. It’s great quality and relatively cheap compared to other quality leather brands. They are also super cute and come in many colors. If you are planning on lifting heavy you definitely want a belt to help avoid any back injuries. Nonetheless, you should never lift more than you can. 

Now, if you are super into weightlifting eventually it may be worth it to invest into some knee sleeves and lifting shoes. Knee sleeves are used to reduce and prevent pain and maintain joint stability. Thankfully, I have good knees so far! So I have a pair, but I do not use them. I do however hear many people benefit from them. When it comes to lifting shoes there are both squatting and deadlifting shoes. I have a pair of squatting shoes that I love and they help me maintain form by providing great support to my feet. I used a pair of vans for the longest time and they also work just fine. I don’t own a pair of deadlifting shoes, but you definitely want shoes that are flat. Vans or converse work just fine if you are not trying to spend extra money on that. 

Of course I also always have to carry extra hair ties and a chapstick specifically for my gym bag. It’s so annoying having to move things around from one bag to another and then things get lost. That’s why I like to have one for just my gym bag and keep it there.

These are some of my favorite gym essentials for strength training. Happy gyming!

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