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• Posted 04/09/2010
• Tags:
  strength training
• 4 comments

It’s interesting to see what people bring (or don’t bring) to the gym with them. Over the past few years my gym bag has gotten bigger and bigger as I find more tools to use.

Today I’ll share some of the items I frequently take with me to the gym, and some items I use on an almost-daily basis.

Training Journal – I never leave home without this. Every workout I perform is recorded so I know exactly what I need to do each day I train. If you don’t have one, you definitely need to get one. By recording your workouts you know what records you have to beat, and as I’ve mentioned previously (check it out here => The One Thing You Must Do), you must set PRs.

Chalk – I don’t use lifting gloves, and I don’t recommend anyone else use them either. When doing a heavy deadlift chalk is an absolute necessity. I buy my chalk from a local outdoor shop that sells rock climbing equipment and rock climbing chalk. You can find it online as well.

If you’ve never used chalk I suggest you give it a try the next time you do a heavy pull. If you’re gym doesn’t allow it, then go to a different gym.

Weight Belt – Many people use weight belts, but they use them improperly and/or excessively. For instance, you don’t need a weight belt when you do curls. I use my weight belt for max effort attempts when deadlifting and occasionally when doing a max effort squat.

Flip Video Camera – I use this to record videos for the blog and to record my performance on certain exercises so I can critique and analyze my form and then make the necessary adjustments. If you don’t have the luxury of a skilled coach by your side, I highly suggest you record yourself training on the big compound lifts; namely the squat, bench, and deadlift.

Kettlebell – I don’t always take this with me, but I like to use the kettlebell for interval training by performing swings and snatches.

Foam Roller – I leave this at home but use it before I head to the gym. If you don’t have a foam roller, get one. This is great for improving tissue quality. It may be a little painful at first, but you’ll feel better after using it and your performance in the gym will likely improve.

Jump Rope – This is probably my second favorite item in my gym bag; perfect for warming up and for interval training. Jump ropes are cheap, can go anywhere, and can help you improve your conditioning and burn off some body fat.

Ab Wheel – Training core stability is very important, and the ab wheel accomplishes that. You don’t need anything fancy, just a cheap one from the local store will do just fine.

Those are a few things that I use consistently.

So, what’s in your gym bag?