Obviously, working out is extremely beneficial for your wellbeing – including a potential 3.4 years added to your lifespan.
But sometimes, it’s a struggle to track your progress from workout to workout. You want optimal results, yet without proper tracking, packing, or equipment, you’re at best guessing how much you’ve improved.
Fortunately, we live in an age where technology, products, and our health are in perfect harmony. If you’re looking for a little extra help, here are 8 gym accessories you need to try out to instantly upgrade your workouts.
1. Sweatproof, Perfect Fit Earbuds
When you’re in the workout groove, the last thing you want is somebody’s loud grunts from a bench away throwing you off. Or, worse – terrible gym music.
Instead, invest in a decent pair of earbuds. They should be able to withstand sweaty situations, as well as stay put in your ear despite constant movement. If you’re running using the bar, or simply doing burpees, you want headphones that give you crisp, clear musical motivation.
A terrific option is the Snugs Active earbuds. Customized to fit your ears for fitness, you can choose your color and whether you want wireless or not.
2. A Durable Jump Rope
Well-known as pound for pound the best calories burner, owning your own jump rope is really important if you want to lose that body fat.
Equipped with your personal jump rope, you can adjust the length of rope to fit your frame. Not only that, you can opt for either a speed rope or agility rope, depending on your fitness goals.
There are multiple tremendous choices for jump ropes. A simple Amazon search will help you research which one best works for you.
3. Universal Resistance Bands
Resistance bands are great for those who are just getting into working out and for advanced calisthenics.
Need help with learning how to do pull-ups? Resistance bands are to the rescue. Pull-ups too easy? Throw resistance bands over your shoulders and secure them to the floor – this will add weight to your lift. You can go from needing assistance on a movement to doing the movement normally to adding resistance to the movement easily with bands.
As with the jump ropes, there are countless resistance bands out there. Do your due diligence and find the bands that help you with your exercise goals.
4. A Foam Roller for Any Body Part
Wonderful for stretching and breaking down lactic acid or scar tissue from repeated workouts, foam rollers should be added to your gym accessories collection without hesitation.
Taking care of your body between workouts is vital to your longevity. Other than static and dynamic stretches, foam rolling pain areas like your back, hips, quads, hamstrings, and calves are incredibly beneficial.
If you’re sensing a pattern, foam rollers are also a dime a dozen. Decide on the most optimal choice by perusing the many variations out there. (We prefer the ones with ribbed edges.)
5. Fitbit + Fitbit Gym Accessories
For tracking how healthy you’re becoming, nothing beats a Fitbit.
Fitbit has a long track record of tracking your workouts and steps with acute precision. Easily begin a workout on your Fitbit, then get to work! It will track your steps, heart rate, calories burned, and time.
While this is great, you also need Fitbit gym accessories to make sure it tracks consistently and constantly. Items like sweatproof wristbands, Fitbit chargers, and the Fitbit app on your smartphone are all necessary for your Fitbit to work at peak capacity.
Track your workouts efficiently so you can see where you’re coming from and where you’re going with a Fitbit.
6. A Versatile, Sturdy Gym Bag
The quality of your gym bag is just as significant as what you put in your bag.
There are a ton of gym bags out there, but that doesn’t mean most or some of them are high quality. You want a gym bag that’s durable, made of materials like kevlar, heavy burlap, nylon, or something else ultra-durable. Other factors to consider are heavy-duty zippers, double-stitched linings, waterproof pouches, and multiple compartments to keep sweaty or dirty things from the rest.
You need a gym bag, so make it one that lasts a long time and has you ready for your workout day in and day out.
7. A Water Bottle that Keeps Liquids Cold (or Hot)
The worst is getting done with a grueling workout and taking a drink from your water bottle…only to discover the water inside is now lukewarm.
This simply will not do. It’s worth it to look into buying an insulated bottle. Brands like Hydro Flask and Yeti provide different bottle sizes to keep things hot or cold. If you’re working out on a budget, there are other aluminum bottles that do roughly the same. Just be sure to go with quality; you don’t want substances leaking into your beverages.
Have a better water break with ice-cold water. Choose an insulated bottle.
8. Shoes that Can Tackle Any Challenge
Don’t be that guy or gal that streaks mud and water from outside to the squat rack.
Your everyday shoes and your gym shoes should be two completely different pairs of shoes. Why? Because your gym shoes need to be versatile, have the ability to withstand any and all pressures you demand of them, and be virtually sweatproof. Plus, you’ll want heightened traction for jumping and running.
Now don’t get cute when considering these gym accessories – stick with name brands like Nike, Adidas, and Reebok. They give you the best bang for your buck, which is what you want in an athletic shoe.
These Gym Accessories are Game Changers
Most – if not all – of these gym accessories should be in your arsenal. You grab these 8 items, all high-quality, and you will become an unstoppable force in the gym. Your workouts will instantly upgrade, allowing you to reach new heights with your fitness and go for bigger goals.
If you want more fitness and training advice, check out our article about the best ab workouts for women for 2018.
