What’s in the…gym bag?
The gym bag is an oh-so-important accessory for all your gym travels. For many people in this day and age, I am sure it contains many tripods and the latest in ass-intruding dildo technology. However, for myself, it has things I actually need for the gym. My gym bag of choice is an old Inzer gym bag, it has no frills or excitement. I have had it since 2009, and I have no plans of ever getting rid of it, it means more to me than just a bag. This is what I take with me:
Bio-freeze (because I am beat up and sore)
Basic first-aid: bandaids, Neosporin, alcohol (this should be self-explanatory)
Bandanas (because I am fat, and this is my sweat-catching device of choice)
Extra shirt for post-workout (because I am fat and sweaty; see above)
Chalk, both dry block and liquid (I don’t care if the gym doesn’t allow it, it’s coming with me everywhere, fuck you)
Wrist wraps and straps (easy to carry everywhere and you never know when you will need them, and don’t give me that “but my grip is strong enough” bullshit. I prefer TUFF Villain wraps and Versagrips Extreme)
Knee and elbow sleeves (a little extra help never goes awry; Tuff power sleeves do the job for me here)
Intra-workout beverage (for me this is a 64-0Z mixture of water, EAA, maltodextrin, and Gatorade)
Ammonia (because let’s get fucking crazy)
One medium-sized band(for basic warmups and interpretative dance purposes)
Extra collars clearly marked that they do not belong to the gym (most gym collars suck or are hard to find pairs, I always bring my high-quality collars, no excuses)
One pair of handles with D-Ring attached (in case the gym doesn’t have decent ones or if I want to use them elsewhere, such as an extension on a fly machine, they work wonders)
Squat shoes (for squatting…or for simply looking taller than you generally appear)
2 Rice Krispy treats (if going hypo after a workout, the treats shall set you free)
On occasion, I also carry decimal plates (i.e., a, 0.125, 0.25, 0.5, etc., for when you love counting)
It sounds like a lot, but it fits nicely if you are well-organized. I want to be as well prepared as possible, so I am not making excuses at the gym if the gym doesn’t have it, you can. Especially if you are traveling and not at your typical gym, don’t leave it to chance; just have it. Until next time.