What accessories do you bring to the gym?

redwngs13
redwngs13 Posts: 194 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I read an article the other day essentially making fun of different gym stereotypes. One of them was named "The Accessorizer" - the guy that has a basket full of gym equipment brought from home that he carries from machine to machine. I laughed because my boyfriend is kind of like this. But the thing for him is that he only brings things that he believes will truly enhance his workout. For example, he brings these things called Fat Gripz which are supposed to be great for increasing grip and forearm strength.

One time I saw a guy with this weird head strap thing that he connected a couple 10-lb weights to and was doing "neck curls" (hunched forward and nodding his head up and down). I must admit, he looked pretty ridiculous...

What accessories do you bring, or have seen? Would you recommend them?
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Replies

  • micheleb15
    micheleb15 Posts: 1,418 Member
    Water, towel and iPhone/ear buds for music. I can barely find room for those things.
  • ChrisLindsay9
    ChrisLindsay9 Posts: 837 Member
    iPod or iPhone with ear buds, workout drink, and gloves.

    I "have" to wear gloves. It sounds stupid, but when I put on gloves, it's like I'm getting focused for the task at hand. They enhance my workout. And yes, that means I often wear gloves on leg day. :P

    Edit: Oops, forgot to add that I also bring my workout log and pen.
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
    iPod, earphones, heart rate monitor, interval timer for HIIT, counter (if doing exercises that require 5 sets of 5 reps). Anything that makes exercise less boring or more efficient is worth it to me.
  • justal313
    justal313 Posts: 1,375 Member
    Water Bottle, iPhone and headphones. Sometimes, but not often, I will bring my kindle to read instead of listening to music but it has to be on a day where I am supposed to be taking it easy. We are coming up on nice weather and I'll only be going to the gym when I'm not running outside which is hopefully not very often.
  • gerard54
    gerard54 Posts: 1,107 Member
    My shaker, towel, iPod, spare ear buds, goggles, straps and a hat...
  • meerkat70
    meerkat70 Posts: 4,605 Member
    a towel.

    Sometimes a bottle of water.
  • bostongrl13
    bostongrl13 Posts: 58 Member
    Notebook and pen, gloves, waterbottle, straps, ipod.
  • n_unocero
    n_unocero Posts: 445 Member
    The norms: Ipod, headphones, water bottle, HRM.

    and then sometimes I bring my own medicine ball. My gym only has 5 lbs ones (weak!) so I bring my 10. =)
  • tabik30
    tabik30 Posts: 443
    If I get there with my ipod/headphones, phone (i use some apps) and my water bottle I am happy. Too often I can't find one of them so I wouldn't do well with all of the other stuff.
  • Amy11108
    Amy11108 Posts: 74
    water bottle, cell, headphones
  • Keiras_Mom
    Keiras_Mom Posts: 844 Member
    Water bottle.
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
    If I get there with my ipod/headphones, phone (i use some apps) and my water bottle I am happy. Too often I can't find one of them so I wouldn't do well with all of the other stuff.

    I have a checklist, which is a bummer, but I really do so much better if I have all my toys. Just last week, there was another story on how exercising to music at high rate beats per minute affects one's perception of effort.
  • kingscrown
    kingscrown Posts: 615 Member
    I have to have water, tissues, chapstick, gym gloves, bonk bar, extra hair band, pen, my iPod, and reading glasses :), I had a tiny back pack it all fits into. Seems like the minute I get to the gym my nose needs to be blow and my lips dry out. For some reason I can't get in a good workout if I don't take care of both. The other stuff is just stuff that has come up that I've needed every now and then over the past year and a half. My hair band broke and hair was in my face. ugh. Someone at front desk needed me to read a contract once. Can't see without the reading glasses. etc.
  • Curleycue0314
    Curleycue0314 Posts: 245 Member
    Headphones, heart rate monitor, cell, H2O bottle
  • ChristyRunStarr
    ChristyRunStarr Posts: 1,600 Member
    water
    my iPhone so I can change the reps/weights I do as well as listen to music
    headphones
    HRM
  • AlongCame_Molly
    AlongCame_Molly Posts: 2,835 Member
    Camelbak, towel, lifting gloves, phone armband phone and headphones.
  • katy_trail
    katy_trail Posts: 1,992 Member
    my 'gym' is at home, so if I have it, it's already here somewhere.
  • tatd_820
    tatd_820 Posts: 573 Member
    I always bring my milkshake. It brings all the boys to the yard.

    Seriously, earphones, phone and water...that's it.
  • Rambo529
    Rambo529 Posts: 170 Member
    iPod, straps, waterbottle. Straps are dependant on what exercises I'm doing. I don't always use the iPod, but it depends on what i"m working on at the gym that day.
  • CorvusCorax77
    CorvusCorax77 Posts: 2,536 Member
    i'm seriously gonna start brining my own bumper plates. WTF is up with gyms that don't have bumper plates????
  • JezzD1
    JezzD1 Posts: 431
    water and iPod with ear buds. =) I always travel as light as possible
  • Warchortle
    Warchortle Posts: 2,197 Member
    Gripz take the tension away from the main muscles your working, so I don't feel like they're a good accessory unless you're just using them on last reps / finishing sets. I just bring my phone and head phones and if I'm doing chest day I might bring gloves.
  • Lupercalia
    Lupercalia Posts: 1,857 Member
    phone (this is my mp3 player), earbuds, notebook, pen, water bottle, towel, chalk if I'm dead lifting.
  • BikerGirlElaine
    BikerGirlElaine Posts: 1,631 Member
    Phone & earbuds, that takes care of 1. recording my workout (on JEFit), 2. music to listen to, and 3. book to read if I am doing cardio.

    Towel, water bottle, post-workout shake (but I put that one in my locker)

    Fractional weight set. I put them in a fanny pack and sling it over my arm.

    Seems like an awful lot of junk to me, but it's all needed.
  • vkc1978
    vkc1978 Posts: 63 Member
    If im taking a class, just my carkeys... if im going independent, the musical device, and the carkeys. My 24hr supplies towels... they rock. My 5yr daughter,however, who goes to the kids club, often brings a purse full of everything she can get away with lol.
  • Elegra2006
    Elegra2006 Posts: 144 Member
    Bottle of water

    iPod until I misplaced it and now it's driving me mad not being able to find it
  • DrMAvDPhD
    DrMAvDPhD Posts: 2,097 Member
    For lifting, Versa Grips, notebook and pencil, water, phone and headphones. For yoga, my own mat, mat towel, face towel, and water.
  • donnacervelli11
    donnacervelli11 Posts: 109 Member
    iPhone, headphones, keys, maybe a water bottle if I can find one.
  • redwngs13
    redwngs13 Posts: 194 Member
    Gripz take the tension away from the main muscles your working, so I don't feel like they're a good accessory unless you're just using them on last reps / finishing sets. I just bring my phone and head phones and if I'm doing chest day I might bring gloves.
    I think that's kind of the point of the gripz. They're supposed to be used for strengthening your grip and forearms so that when you take them off you'll find that you're able to handle more weight. I think including them in compound pulling lifts would make for a well-rounded program. Strong grip strength is important too!
  • BonaFideUK
    BonaFideUK Posts: 313 Member
    earphones, water bottle and wrist straps.

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