What to Bring for Your First Time at the Gym?

With the New Year around the corner, many of us may be planning on making health and fitness a top priority and a New Year’s resolution.  However, for many first-time gym goers, beginning a gym routine may not only seem intimidating but also unnerving.

That is why, below, we are going to review what items you should bring with you to the gym on your first time there.  These items will not only make your workout easier and more efficient but will also help you to remain motivated.

[Disclaimer] Please note, we here at Ball Are Life are affiliated with both the Amazon Associates Program and other affiliate programs.  This means we may receive a small commission from any purchases made via our links below.  This is at no additional cost to you.  While we appreciate the additional commission, we would never recommend a product or service which does not align with our core values nor any product which we would not, and have not, used ourselves.

Why is it Important to Bring Items with You to the Gym?

 While many gym facilities have begun to include basic amenities and comforts, some gyms remain a bit more barebones, only including access to gym equipment and restroom facilities.  However, even for gyms that do include additional amenities and comforts, they may still be missing some basic items which can make your experience there more comfortable.

In addition, bringing your own items can help you to reduce the spread of germs and disease.  While nearly all gyms include sanitizing spray and paper towels to cleanup and wipe off sweat after utilizing a piece of gym equipment, unfortunately many gym patrons do not clean up after themselves.

And lastly, for many of us, bringing our own items to the gym is a matter of comfort and financial responsibility.  Whether it’s a towel to dry off with after a shower or a bottle of water to remain hydrated throughout a workout, these items will ensure your comfort and will help you to avoid the exorbitant prices many gyms charge for food and drink.

A Few Tips for Visiting the Gym the First Time

Before we discuss the items you should bring with you to the gym for the first time, it’s equally as important to understand some basic tips and etiquette expected of all gym goers.  These tips will not only help you to have a more productive gym session but will also help you to be a more polite gym patron.

• Put your weights away after use – perhaps one of the biggest unwritten gym rules is to simply put away your weights after use at the gym.  With gyms being frequented by hundreds of patrons daily, basic etiquette calls for placing the weights you’ve utilized back to their original position after use.

• Be mindful of your space – another important unwritten rule at the gym is to be mindful of your, and others, space during your time at the gym.  This means that you should try to not be in another gym patrons’ space while they are working out.  Similarly, if you have completed a workout routine and are no longer utilizing the equipment, you should move aside so other patrons can utilize the equipment.

• Use headphones – similarly, if you opt to listen to your own music, then be sure to bring a pair of headphones with you.  Gym music is notoriously bad, so bringing a pair of headphones is highly encouraged.  However, if you forget to bring a pair of headphones with you, be considerate of other patrons and don’t play your music over your smartphone for all to hear.

• Clean up after you use a piece of gym equipment – and lastly, be sure to clean up and wipe down any piece of gym equipment you use once you have completed your workout on that piece of equipment.  Not only is doing so considerate but it is also more hygienic and helps to reduce the spread of germs and disease.

Gym Bag

Having an appropriate gym bag will not only allow you to pack your gym clothes, but also any additional items which you may bring with you to the gym.  A gym bag doesn’t have to be overly large but should be sufficiently sized to allow for proper housing of all items.

Personally, we utilize the Ultimate Gym Bag 2.0 by Focus Gear.  This bag comes with 10 separate pockets, allowing you to store smaller items with ease.  In addition, with a dedicated shoe pocket on the side of the bag, you don’t have to worry about placing your shoes atop your clean clothes.

And lastly, the Ultimate Gym Bag 2.0 comes in 6 different colors, allowing you to choose from your favorite one and the one that is perfect for your needs.

Bottled Water

We all know that water is essential to life.  But its benefits extend past just helping you feel more hydrated during your workout.  In fact, the benefits of drinking water, particularly during a workout, may be too much to fully encapsulate here, but a few main reasons why drinking water is important while working out includes to help avoid dehydration, to help regulate your body temperature, and to help transport nutrients to give your body the energy it needs to continue through a workout.

If you are going to the gym, it is absolutely essential that you bring with you a bottle of water.  Although most gyms provide water via water fountains, they may be placed far from you and with the recent emphasis on hygiene, and in this post-pandemic world, drinking from a water fountain may not be the best option.

Personally, we utilize the Pogo BPA-Free Plastic Water Bottle, which houses 32-ounces off water and is more than sufficient for our needs while at the gym.

Headphones

Similar to the above, utilizing headphones at the gym is not only a matter of courtesy but will also help you to maintain focus and motivation while at the gym.  Utilizing headphones helps to keep you focused on your workout and with millions of available songs on Apple Music, Spotify, or Amazon Music, you can choose the perfect song for your workout to keep you going throughout the duration of your workout.

Digit Combination Lock

If you are bringing a gym bag with you to the gym, then you absolutely need a lock to accompany the bag.  Locks will allow you to properly and safely secure your items and gym bag in the gym locker.  Personally, we prefer digital combination locks as they are simpler to open and easier to remember the combination to.

Gym Clothes

While many of us prefer to head out to the gym in our gym clothes, many of us may not have that luxury.  If you are heading to the gym right after work or school, then be sure to bring with you appropriate gym clothes to change into.

In addition to gym clothes, you should also include appropriate socks and shoes to workout in.  Both items are essential to a proper workout and will help you to have a more efficient workout.  In addition, wearing proper footwear will help you to avoid injury and sprains while working out.

When it comes to packing gym clothes, you should pick clothes which have wicking properties.  Wicking clothes have the ability to “wick” the sweat away from your body and can help it to evaporate quickly, keeping your body cool and your clothes dry.

While cotton is a popular fabric, we tend to avoid cotton-based gym clothes.  While cotton may be a great material for everyday wear, it tends to absorb sweat, leaving your clothes heavy and drenched.

Post-Gym Clothes

Similarly, if you are looking to change into your gym clothes at the gym or are looking to go out after the gym, then be sure to bring with you a post-gym outfit.  This is, obviously, at your own discretion and is dependent on where you are planning on going after the gym.  However, be sure to ensure that your post-gym clothes fit neatly into your gym bag and can be properly folded to avoid wrinkling.

Post-Workout Cleanup

Whether you are looking to shower at the gym after your workout or not, it is extremely important to bring with you a set of items to help clean yourself up with.  This should include the following items and should be placed neatly within your gym bag for ease of access.

• Shampoo and Conditioner – while many gyms provide shampoo and conditioner, many of us may opt for our own due to personal or medical preferences.

• Towels – similarly, many gyms provide towels for member access, however, those towels may be insufficient or too small for your needs.  Bringing your own helps you to avoid those issues.  However, be sure to toss that towel into the washer once you get home to avoid unwanted smells and mold!

• Perfume and Cologne – a quick spritz of your favorite perfume or cologne after a workout will help you to avoid smelling of sweat and the gym.

• Deodorant – while working out, you are likely to sweat, particularly beneath your underarms.  Take care of that sweat with deodorant and avoid unkind smells immediately after you’ve completed your workout.

• Hairbrush or Comb – if you do take a shower at the gym, you don’t want to have unkempt hair.  Be sure to bring along a hairbrush or comb with you to the gym to keep your hair neat and tidy.

Post-Workout Energy

Let’s face it, working out takes a lot out of our bodies.  And if you are looking to maximize your workout, then refueling after a workout is nearly as important as the workout itself.  Be sure to bring along a post-workout protein bar and sports drink to help you replenish vitamins and electrolytes lost from sweat.