What to Put in Your Gym Bag

You get to the gym, ready to hit legs and you’ve forgotten your AirPods. Suddenly your motivation crashes as you contemplate whether you want to even attempt a silent workout. Making sure you have all the key things in your gym bag can make your workout go smoothly from beginning to end.

Wondering what things to keep in your gym backpack? We’ve got you. Here are some of the gym bag essentials you need to crush a workout, every time.

Pack well, perform well

The ‘7 Ps’ is a military adage: Proper Planning and Preparation Prevents Piss Poor Performance. It’s self-explanatory: be prepared, perform well. The same goes for your workouts. It can be difficult to stay motivated and consistent, particularly when you are a beginner. You’ve got to make it easier for yourself by being well prepared and predicting the things you’ll need to keep you at your best.

Gym bag essentials

These gym bag essentials will give you some inspiration on what to pack in your gym backpack. It’s a good idea to keep these gym bag necessities in your bag permanently so that every time you workout, you grab the bag and go, knowing that you have everything you need for a killer session.

1. Water bottle

Staying hydrated will enhance your performance and recovery. The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine determined that an adequate daily fluid intake is about 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of fluids a day for men. About 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of fluids a day for women. However, that’s the baseline. If you’re working out, you need to drink more.

During a workout, you’re constantly losing electrolytes and water through sweat. You need to rehydrate continuously during a session to keep your body working hard. The American Council on Exercise recommends drinking 7 to 10 ounces of fluid every 10 to 20 minutes during exercise and 16 to 24 ounces of fluid for every pound of body weight lost after exercise.

Buying a separate water bottle just for workouts is an easy way to make sure that you always have one ready to use. Forgetting a water bottle prevents you from staying adequately hydrated throughout your workout.

WOLFpak 24 oz stainless steel shakers are designed to keep liquids at their desired temperature, whether that’s a coffee for your morning workout kick or cold water to cool you down between sets. The double wall insulation prevents condensation and the leak proof lid guarantees no drips in your gym bag. A true necessity.

2. Towels

Most gyms do not offer towels for free. Even if they do, those towels have had their share of usage and as a result, can hold germs like E.Coli, MRSA and Staphylococcus. Having a couple clean towels in your gym bag is key.

Pro tip: Pack a few different towel sizes:

• A small towel that you can bring with you for mid-session sweat clean ups
• A large towel for post-workout showers

Go for 100% cotton towels which are more absorbent for sweat, and fast drying. Check out the WOLFpak gym workout towel. It’s machine washable, dryer safe, and has a personal zipper pocket for your keys, wallet or phone.

Remember to wash your towel after every use and replace these towels regularly to prevent bacteria growth.

3. Lifting essentials

Here’s a checklist with some lifting items to pack:

• Lifting belt
• Straps
• Weighted belt
• Squat shoes
• Lifting gloves

Not all lifters will use these items, so if you’re wondering what to pack in your gym bag as a beginner - this may not apply to you. That being said, these items are rarely offered at gyms so bringing your own can be helpful should the situation require them.

4. Pre and post-workout nutrition

When you’re running from work to the gym, having a few snacks in your gym bag can be super helpful. Avoid food that needs to be refrigerated. Instead, grab:

• Protein bars
• Protein powder and a shaker
• Nuts
• Trail mix
• Beef jerky
• Fruit

For pre and post-workout nutrition, go for foods that are high in carbohydrates and protein. Carbs are your body’s preferred fuel source during workouts and protein is key for optimizing post-workout protein synthesis. Store these items in a meal prep container to prevent spillage. The WOLFpak deluxe meal prep bento box contains utensils and a compartment for separating and organizing meals and snacks.

5. Padlock

Bringing your own padlock lets you keep your gym backpack in a locker without having to lug it round the gym, getting in people's way. You can grab one for less than $4 on Amazon. No excuses.

6. Spare clothes

You’re getting to the gym after work and realize you forgot your workout clothes. Damn it. Pack a few spare gym clothes like shorts, t-shirt, hoodie, socks, and underwear to make sure you have what you need, when you need it.

7. Music

Do not make the cardinal sin of forgetting your earphones. Grab a spare set and keep them permanently in your gym backpack so you never have to push through a silent workout again.

Pack it all in your gym backpack

Let’s start with the obvious: you need a backpack that is sturdy, stylish and functional. That’s where WOLFpak gym backpacks come in. These backpacks have been specially designed for the gym, with a waterproof surface, spacious compartments, protective insides, 180 degree opening and more key features that make it perfect for workouts.

Recently, gyms have been putting restrictions on the size of your gym backpack. Luckily WOLFpak offers bags in four different sizes: 9L, 25L, 35L, and 45L. The 9L backpack mini is big enough to fit your daily workout essentials - phone, airpods, straps, snack, and water bottle. If your gym has started getting tight on restrictions, this is your go to choice.

The bigger sizes are ideal if you have more to pack. These gym backpacks are built to last and have plenty of space and pockets to store anything and everything you may need throughout your fitness journey.

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Stay on your gym game by being prepared. Follow this gym bag checklist for success. Click here to join the WOLFpak family.