This has been asked before. But what I had in my gym bag five years ago is not what is in there now. It is not even exactly the same from day to day since there are a few bulky things I might only use for specific exercises on certain days - and I got tired of lugging around a huge heavy bag that could accommodate everything. And a few gyms don’t even allow gym bags, just those small drawstring bags that don’t fit much.
So this question is more broad. Not just what is in there usually. But also stuff you sometimes bring. And stuff that once was in your gym bag that lost its appeal and no longer is. And stuff you would like in your gym bag, being cool, compact and practical.
Are the deadlift socks worth it? Never tried them. I can see how they might protect the shins, give you confidence to move the bar closer, or be part of a ritual.
Honestly, I only wear them at meets. I just leave them in the bag so I know where they are. Same with singlet, Lol. My shin has been bleeding for 15 years.
You can sweep it out to the side and behind your hips on pushdowns or straight arm pulldowns. Or pull your elbows way out to the sides on rows or facepulls to hit rear delts.
I’ve been doing a bunch of moves with it that I used to use bands for.
5 years ago my gym bag consisted of a towel and belt
Now it still has a towel and a belt, but it packed full of sleeves, wraps, soft belt, elbow sleeves, thera bands, liquid chalk, muscle rub, pain killers, squat shoes …etc…etc..
My minimal gym bag has thin bands, gloves, dip belt, water bottle, Kroc handle, protein snack, wrist straps, ab wheel.
More rarely used items include knee wraps, squat shoes, foam block cut on the diagonal to make little squat ramps, various handles, Spotto boards, slingshot, belt, chains, etc.
I bought a bottle of smelling salts to try them. They worked okay. But even in a closed jar in a Ziploc bag they somehow made my gym bag smell like old man pee.
I took my lifting belt out of the bag as I don’t have any heavy squats or deads programmed for at least the next 16 weeks. Crazy how heavy that thing was. My bag feels light as a feather now.
If I had a gym bag I would have a towel, Old Spice 2 in 1 body and hair wash. Sneakers, shorts and a T would also be in there. A towel with a Velcro waist for the sauna.
As I train at home, I feel like the things in my strongman competition bag are far more interesting.
Because aside from the usual stuff, it includes:
A first aid kit: for various cuts, scrapes, and injuries.
Superglue, to create a fake callus should one tear off at some point in the competition.
Goo gone, to help get tacky off the hands (works WAY better than WD40, and smells of citrus rather than petroleum)
A roll of paper towels, to also help with the tacky. It ALSO helps you become one of the most popular guys at the competition, because no one else thinks to bring one, so you just share the whole roll with everyone else.
The aforementioned tacky itself. Keep it in a ziplock inside of it’s own container, because it will get EVERYWHERE.
My own chalk. Don’t use community chalk. Inevitably, someone will put baby powder on their legs before going into the chalk bowl to chalk their hands, they’ll cross contaminate, and you’ll lose your grip on something.
Electrolytes, because inevitably you’ll cramp up at some point during the comp.
A ketobrick, so that I can quickly wolf down 1000 calories post weigh in (5oz brick of stearic acid and protein: no better fuel). In prior days, this would have been several uncrustables.
A spare pair of clothes. When the event is over, you don’t want to go out for dinner wearing a smelly, sweaty, ripped up tacky covered shirt and strongman shorts.
And finally, “second best gear”. Because EVERYTHING gets shared in strongman, someone is inevitably going to ask “can I borrow your belt/sleeves/wraps/straps/shoes/etc?” It’s poor form to say no in these situations, and one day you may find yourself in the same situation, so I actually bring a full set of my second best gear, so I can give THAT to someone else while still having my own gear.
I quit lifting heavy years ago I don’t need to lug in a belt, straps, or knee wraps. The gym bought more barbell collars so I don’t have to take my own. I found out that if I just eat some fruit before I go to the gym I don’t need intra-workout carbs or electrolytes. I don’t shower at the gym so I don’t need a towel. So I don’t take a bag for lifting anymore. But I learned that if I’m studying I can watch lectures on my iPad while I’m on a treadmill with a weighted vest, for that I carry a backpack with my iPad and one of those acrylic iPad stands.
