Gym rat essentials: things you need when going for a workout based on skill level

By Maggie Hsu, November 6 2024—

Whether it’s your first visit to the gym or you’ve been working out for years, having the right gear can make all the difference. While you don’t necessarily need to bring anything to a gym, it can be helpful to have an emotional support water bottle or headphones to help cancel out all the noises. From preventing injuries to improving your performance, here are some gym essentials to keep in your gym bag to help you reach your fitness goals — based on your skill level.

Beginner

If you’re brand new to the gym scene, it’s okay to repurpose things you already use in your daily life to help you start to build confidence and get comfortable with your new routine.

1. Water bottle: Staying hydrated is vital when you’re exercising, especially for beginners as you’re not used to pushing your body physically quite yet. It can also be nice to grab a sip of water to rest between sets.
2. Workout clothes: You don’t need to be decked out in Gymshark or Lululemon when you’re first starting. All you need is something comfortable that you can move in. 
3. Running shoes: A good pair of running shoes can make or break your workout. Whether you’re running on a treadmill or starting to do strength training with weights, a comfortable pair of shoes can prevent a lot of post-workout pain.
4. Gym bag: Again, you don’t need a fancy gym bag but it is necessary to keep your potentially sweaty, dirty gym clothes and shoes separated from your everyday items. You can use a tote that you had to buy from that time you forgot your shopping bags when you went grocery shopping or an extra backpack that you have lying around.
5. Headphones or earbuds: An essential for, arguably, any activity. Having something to help you tune out everything and everyone around you can help you get more comfortable with the gym and less overwhelmed. Additionally, you can listen to a guided workout to help you learn how to start moving your body.

Intermediate

To up the ante a bit, you can look at adding a few more items to your gym bag to establish your routine further. These pieces will fit the needs of someone with a bit more experience and for someone who is looking to further establish their routines.

1. Resistance bands: These can be good to start increasing your mobility for more advanced exercises while also to introduce your body to strength training with weights. They can also assist you in performing exercises like pull-ups or push-ups.
2. Weightlifting gloves: As you start to move into weighted exercises with the standard bar or dumbbells, it can be helpful to have gloves to prevent your hands from developing blisters. 
3. Foam roller: Progressing into more difficult workouts, your body can become more susceptible to soreness and injuries. Foam rollers are a tool to help you release knots by literally rolling them out or you can use them to hit trigger points to relieve tension.
4. Protein shaker: Protein is an important role in repairing and building muscles so increasing or maintaining your protein intake is very important in maintaining the overall health of your body. Protein shakes make it easy to integrate this into your daily routine and having a shaker bottle helps to create these shakes and ensure whatever protein powder you’re drinking is fully incorporated.

Advanced

At this level, you can look at picking up more specialized gear to optimize your gym sessions. Whether you’re a seasoned athlete or are experienced enough to have established your long-term fitness goals, these tools will help enhance your performance and aid in recovery.

1. Lifting belt: As you get stronger, you will likely want to challenge yourself to lift heavier weights. A weightlifting belt can help your core muscles by stabilizing your spine and surrounding muscles to protect you from injuries.
2. Compression gear: More commonly seen among people who work on their feet a lot in the form of compression socks, compression clothing boosts blood circulation which can help decrease the fatigue your muscles feel after a workout, thus reducing muscle pain and soreness.
3. Wrist wraps and knee sleeves: For more heavy lifters, wrist wraps, straps, guards and knee sleeves are considered a preventative measure for lifting more. As you have become a frequent gym rat at this point, you’ve likely worked your wrist and knee joints excessively where this gear can help provide much needed stability and help prevent any serious injuries. 
4. Pre-workout supplement: Sometimes, you just need a boost in energy. Pre-workout supplements often use some combination of caffeine and other ingredients that promise to put some pep in your step. While it will not make you set a new personal best, it can be a helpful tool to encourage you to go to the gym when you feel like being a couch potato.
5. Fitness tracker: Once you’ve gotten to the point where you have achieved the highest level of gym rat, you might want to invest in a fitness tracker to help you record your progress and set new goals for yourself.

It’s important to remember that anything beyond beginner level is supplementary. You do not need to go beyond the most basic gear to “level up” your fitness level. Consider where you are on your fitness journey and adjust your gear accordingly before you go and start building a massive Amazon order.