Four things you may want to start a new gym journey
Starting a new gym can be overwhelming. Choosing the right gym is the most important part for sure, but you are immediately met with peripheral items you find yourself wondering if you do or don’t need. Should I invest in new clothes? What about gloves? Are my shoes the right fit for the workouts?
We’ve tried to think this through and come up with a list of accessories you may want to consider. Each of these are subjective but most would come in handy for folks entering a more fit lifestyle.
Water bottle
Other than controlled breathing, I can’t think of anything that will benefit a workout more than hydration. With that, you have more options than ever of great water bottles on the market. A quick Amazon search will come up with several hundred offerings.
While anything that can hold water will work, there are a few “must-have” features I think should be the bar. It needs to hold at least 20oz of fluid. The last thing you want is to be in the middle of a taxing workout and run out of quality H2O.
Second, I highly suggest one with built-in spill protection. Similar to running out of water, you also don’t want to be the clutz that shuts down a group session because you’ve tipped over your water bottle and created a giant puddle.
Lastly, I’d recommend a simple lid solution that doesn’t screw onto the bottle. Fiddling for a screw-top or trying to get the threading right after you’ve been pounding your upper body is the devil. Many WODs are going to leave you less than coordinated and just having a simple straw or button valve can be a lifesaver.
Palm Protection
We recently covered this in our review of the WODies, but can’t stress this one enough. Especially in a functional fitness or CrossFit scenario. Without healthy palms, you will quickly find you are hindering your experience. A good pair of gloves or gymnastic grips will save you a ton of pain.
As mentioned, we are big fans of JerkFit’s WODies due to the hybrid support of grip, glove, and wrist protection. However, there are plenty of more cost-effective and cheaper options to get you started. Either way, a good pair of gloves or grips added to your shopping cart is a must.
New Shoes
This might be the most decisive on the list. Most people will be fine starting out with a general training shoe. As long as it’s comfortable and has a decent platform, you should be OK in most workouts until you start experimenting with heavier weights.
But, if you don’t have a good pair already, or find yourself leaning more towards the Olympic-style lifts, the proper footwear is key. Most of these options would allow for a slightly more stable sole and supportive design meant to be used in our gym settings.
There are multiple options out for CrossFit and functional fitness that can be a well-rounded shoe to add to your closet. Nobull, Reebok, Nike, and Under Armour all produce specific models in this category.
Recovery Tools
Getting in a good workout is great, but you also need to give your body time to recover. Muscles and tissue need time and energy to build back the reserves you’ve spent. This can take on several different manifestations but most will consider protein shakes and supplements.
Again, preferences and taste will play a huge role in what you add to your routine. Personally, I can’t recommend 1st Phorm products enough. Of all the powders and supplements I’ve tried in my journey, you won’t find a better protein powder. 1st Phorm has nailed the taste and consistency to get a quality shake every time.