Whether you’re an avid gym-goer or just starting your fitness journey, you’ll inevitably end up forgetting at least one essential item for your workout! To solve this, keep a gym pack packed and ready to go with everything you need to make the most out of your exercise.
After years of frustrating gym sessions where we’ve had to forgo the tunes or walk home in stinky socks, we’ve finally got ourselves together and compiled a list of the 11 most essential items you need to have in your gym bag at all times. No more excuses not to work out!
To pack your gym bag, you need to own a gym bag. Although this sounds obvious, there are so many variations in gym bags it can feel overwhelming, and we’re sure that we’re not the first or the last to show up with our belongings roughly thrown into whatever we could find!
Get yourself off to the right start with a stylish and functional carryall. Look for water-resistant materials, as well as separate compartments for stinky clothes, water bottles, and a smaller zippered valuables pocket for your cell phone and wallet.
Although most gyms have water fountains, there can often be long queues, and those tiny disposable cups only provide a mouthful of hydration – not to mention being awful for the environment!
Step up your eco-awareness and make your gymming more productive with a reusable water bottle. We love our stainless-steel insulated water bottle that keeps our beverages cool, refreshing, and convenient.
Although we all like to believe in the good in others, unfortunately, some people will take advantage of unattended property in gym locker rooms. Keep your items safe and secure with a handy padlock so you can exercise in peace.
A simple combination lock will usually be enough to deter sticky fingers, but there are more sophisticated options out there, including some that even use a fingerprint scanner!
There’s nothing worse than having to workout without your tunes, but earbuds are still the most easily forgotten item when heading to the gym. Sick of silent exercising, we invested in a pair of wireless earbuds that fit in the valuables compartment of our bag and live there all the time.
We recommend earbuds designed for working out that won’t slip under movement or sweat. It’s also worth getting a pair with a charging station that doubles as a storage unit, so you never need to worry about running out of power half-way through your training.
Not only is a towel a nice thing to have, but many gyms also require you to bring a towel for wiping down equipment. A microfiber or cotton blend is fast-drying and compact enough to fit in your bag comfortably.
If you’re going to be doing specific activities in the gym, you should also ensure all the gear and equipment you need is packed. For example, it’s useless planning a swim after your HIIT training if you’ve forgotten your bathing suit!
You might also want to throw some resistance bands into your gym bag to add some intensity to your training. You can pick up some awesome ones at Victorem that easily fit into any gym bag.
Keeping a change of clothes in your gym bag ensures you have a comfortable and productive workout and don’t need to walk home smelling of sweat. If nothing else, your gym bag should be large enough to carry a pair of workout sneakers, and it’s a good idea to stick some spare socks in there too!
After a solid workout, we’re heading straight to the showers. Because gym showers rarely offer toiletries, we pack travel bottles of shampoo, conditioner, and shower gel in our gym bag. We also keep dry shampoo and deodorant handy.
According to experts, the best time to eat is immediately after a workout, and we’re certainly hungry after working up a sweat! To tide you over until you can get home for a proper post-workout meal, having a few energy bars stashed in your gym bag can make the walk a lot more pleasant.
Finally, keep your gym membership card safely with your kit. Without this, even the most well-stocked gym bag quickly becomes useless!
Getting your bag packed is the first step to a productive and stress-free workout, and you’ll be so happy when you rock up to the gym with everything you need already organized that the rest of the work will be a breeze.
