Posted on June 27, 2017 by Jenny Cromack
Back with another modest but unbelievably epic blog covering my gym bag essentials. For me, these five items must be in my bag as I head to the gym as they help mobilize, motivate and prepare me for exercise.
Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not reliant on these tools however without them I know I am unlikely to push myself as hard during the session so I make sure I have them all to hand.
So let’s get started…..
Drinks Bottle
First of all comes a drinks bottle. Whether it be for containing water, squash or even on the odd occasion a supplement or electrolyte, having water to hand is important for hydration (especially with recent weather) but also prevents me from taking too much rest in between sets by wandering over to the water fountain. This allows me to train hydrated, take less rest but lost importantly focus on timings and intensity throughout.
Foam Roller/Lacrosse Ball
I am constantly stuff due to training, sitting down too long or just from old rugby injuries so it is important for me to be loose and limber to train. The foam roller and Lacrosse Ball get used every session before, after and also throughout the day to massage tight muscles, restore appropriate range of motion and help relieve tension in muscle and across joints. Without using these painful but useful companions I know I’ll feel stiff while training which may alter by biomechanics and result in injury.
Towel
With the weather being so hot and humid, it’s important to be hygienic in the gym and wipe everything down. Being of a larger build but also being a person who likes to train with intensity, I know I’ll probably perspire a little and so will other people, so need a towel to make sure all equipment is clean before and after I use it
Heart Rate Monitor
As previously mentioned I like to train with intensity and like to track my performance from session to session to ensure I’m reaping maximal rewards from everything I do from anaerobic intervals to cooling down efficiently by monitoring recovery. Tracking heart rate also enables me to monitor energy expenditure which allows me to adjust food intake accordingly.
Timer/Stopwatch
Along with heart rate monitoring, I monitor my rests and intervals throughout my session to ensure my training matches the desired outcome. For example if I’m training for fat loss then I know the duration of exercise needs to longer and with shorter rest in between sets compared to if I’m training strength which requires shorter work periods with longer rest. Managing my time like this enables me to gauge if my training intensity is appropriate and if the load used needs to be adjusted to meet my desired outcomes.
So there you have it guys, my five gym bag essentials! For me these five things enable me to get the most out of my time in the gym which I think most people would agree when I say is very important.