The Perfect Gym Bag

A Christmas Wishlist

Author

Fletcher Poole
December 22, 2024

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Christmas is near so let’s start thinking about what we can ask Santa for.

It’s best to ask for things that aren’t perishable, no one cares about protein powder.

Let’s look at things that can actually help our gym sessions. You’ll soon know a ton of things you can add to your gym bag for that perfect workout. Some have niche uses and are expensive, others you’ll use daily and are reasonably priced.

Before we start kicking off let’s set some criteria for this.

  1. Has to be strength training related (sorry cardio)

  2. Has to have an actual purpose (can’t be just for the aesthetic)

  3. Needs a score on how useful it actually is

    1. Price ($$$)

    2. Usability (how useful is it)

    3. Adaptability (can it be used in multiple ways0

    4. Regularity (will it be used often)

    5. Homemade (are there DIY alternatives)

I’ll end the newsletter by finding a good bag that fits everything… and hoping Santa comes this year

Also this will be very long… bear with me on this one or skip it 🙄 

Little update from later on, this post is so long that Gmail has probably cropped it, I’d read the online version instead.

The Kit

This one is probably on a lot of people’s Wishlist.

Weightlifting shoes instantly improve all squats, especially if you buy the right one.

They’re setup to give you a bigger heel which lets your ankle have more range of motion, this lets you squat deeper, and have an easier motion.

In my eyes it’s a most have for leg movements.

  1. Price 1/5 ~£130

  2. Usability 5/5 Extremely good

  3. Adaptability 3/5 Very adaptable, although only really for squatting paths.

  4. Regularity 4/5 Will be used on every leg day.

  5. Homemade 3/5 You can replicate this by putting plates under your heels, but it’s nowhere near the same.

  6. Overall 16/25 It’s a bit on the pricey side, but I’d call this a must have.

Weightlifting belts are misused a lot but they’re an incredible tool.

The point is to provide something that’s easier to brace against SO PEOPLE WHO KNOW HOW TO BRACE can brace easier and have more core stability.

It’s not just something you slap on and it improves things.

  1. Price 5/5 ~£20

  2. Usability 5/5 Very good at helping heavy compounds

  3. Adaptability 5/5 Good for all squats, hinges, and other complex lifts

  4. Regularity 5/5 ~Twice a week for many muscles

  5. Homemade 5/5 This can’t be replicated at all

  6. Overall 25/25 I’d call this a must buy.

If you’ve been reading my emails for a while now you’ll know how important lifting straps are.

The only time someone shouldn’t be using this is if they’re getting in the gym for general health, don’t care about gains, or their number one priority is arm wrestling.

That’s like, no one reading this.

This needs to be in your gym bag, I’d even have a second pair as a backup.

  1. Price 5/5 ~£5

  2. Usability 5/5 Essential on any pull/hinge

  3. Adaptability 5/5 Can be used on countless exercises, and also can be turned into an attachment for cable machines

  4. Regularity 5/5 Used pretty much daily

  5. Homemade 5/5 It’s so cheap that you don’t need to homemade it, but you can get some climbing webbing to make it yourself

  6. Overall 25/25 Another must buy.

You’re probably wondering why we’ve got some random pink yoga mat in our gym bag.

This isn’t for yoga… it might be for stretching

But the proper purpose of this will be for protecting our knees/clothes.

Sometimes you have to get on the floor to do an exercise, don’t raw dog the floor.

  1. Price 5/5 ~£11

  2. Usability 5/5 Great at protecting the knees

  3. Adaptability 2/5 Could be used for other exercises, like barefoot calf raises, but it’s not very adaptable.

  4. Regularity 1/5 Might not be used at all

  5. Homemade 1/5 Most gyms have these

  6. Overall 14/25 Over kill.

You’re going to have off days where there’s zero pre, your sleep was bad, you don’t feel up for the workout.

Throw some of this in your gym bag for those emergencies. It’ll pay dividends

  1. Price 5/5 ~£5

  2. Usability 5/5 Great at giving you a boost

  3. Adaptability 1/5 Not very adaptable, has one use.

  4. Regularity 1/5 Might not be used at all

  5. Homemade 5/5 Nothing can replace this at this price

  6. Overall 17/25 For how cheap it is, it’s worth it.

Sometimes you just don’t feel hydrated well, this is a good fix.

You could use this every single day, or you could leave it for times that matter most.

  1. Price 5/5 ~£15

  2. Usability 5/5 Great at adding electrolytes to your water

  3. Adaptability 1/5 Not adaptable at all.

  4. Regularity 1/5 Might not be used at all

  5. Homemade 1/5 You can easily make your own version by combining electrolytes and throwing it in a tub.

  6. Overall 13/25 Probably not the best way to do this.

It might look like these don’t have much use but they become insanely powerful when you start attaching them to the cable machine.

Lateral raises, chest flys, tricep extensions. It literally does everything incredibly by taking grip out.

  1. Price 5/5 ~£5

  2. Usability 5/5 Incredible at improving cable exercises

  3. Adaptability 5/5 Can be used for so many muscles/exercises

  4. Regularity 5/5 You’ll be using these a decent amount

  5. Homemade 3/5 Some gyms have these

  6. Overall 22/25 A must get tool for the gym bag.

In my eyes chalk is one of those things that you bring out when you’re trying to have fun with friends. It’s not useless, but straps do what chalk does but better.

Consider adding this to your gym bag.

  1. Price 5/5 ~£8

  2. Usability 5/5 Great at drying out the hands to help with grip

  3. Adaptability 1/5 Only really helps with grip.

  4. Regularity 1/5 Might not be used at all, but only has one use

  5. Homemade 4/5 Some gyms have these, but it’s rare

  6. Overall 16/25 I really wouldn’t get this.

Going to the gym without one of these is actually stupid, I’d even bring a spare just in case something happens.

  1. Price 5/5 ~£7

  2. Usability 5/5 Great at storing fluid

  3. Adaptability 5/5 Can be used for water, protein shakes, pre workout, etc.

  4. Regularity 5/5 You’ll use this every single workout

  5. Homemade 5/5 You’re not going to be getting a homemade variant.

  6. Overall 25/25 Get this asap.

You’ve got two options here Flats (probably vans) and swimming shoes.

If you get swimming shoes this is a complete 25/25. Nothing comes close (okay maybe toe shoes comes close).

You use these shoes for the hinges. These require you to have a straight, stable foot, not the type of thing you’ll get from a squishy shoe or one with a heel.

The less elevated you are on these movements, the better.

  1. Price 5/5 ~£30

  2. Usability 5/5 Great at hinges

  3. Adaptability 4/5 Could be used for other exercises like squats if it’s the only option, but I’d prefer weightlifting shoes.

  4. Regularity 5/5 Will become the the go to gym shoe

  5. Homemade 5/5 You can’t make shoes i think

  6. Overall 24/25 A must buy.

Wraps/Sleeves Wrist W; Knee W/S; Elbow W/S

This is a bit of a complex one because I’ve grouped it all together to save space.

TL;DR

Wrists shouldn’t need anything unless you’ve got super weak wrists.

Knees can have sleeves or wraps if you have knee pain you’re fixing, or if it’s an exercise that’s not biasing the knee joint (think hinges).

Elbows can have sleeves or wraps if you have elbow pain you’re fixing, or if it’s an exercise that isn’t biasing the elbow joint (think presses).

If you’re doing an isolation exercise on a joint, you shouldn’t be using sleeves/wraps, even if there’s pain.

Sleeves are going to be more for helping blood flow and giving warmth to a joint (injury focus).

Wraps are going to be more for providing stability and assistance (cheating kinda).

  1. Price 5/5 ~£8

  2. Usability 5/5 Great at protecting joints, and assisting.

  3. Adaptability 5/5 I don’t think adaptability matters on this one.

  4. Regularity 5/5 If used they’ll be used a LOT.

  5. Homemade 5/5 Yeah good luck making this buddy

  6. Overall 25/25 This is only perfect if you need it.

This is an piece of old school bodybuilding kit, it’s incredible at training the chest and can be something you add to your gym bag.

The only problem with this is that it’s just for training the chest in one way, not very useful past that point.

  1. Price 5/5 ~£35

  2. Usability 5/5 Great at training the chest

  3. Adaptability 1/5 Can’t do anything else

  4. Regularity 1/5 Might not be used at all

  5. Homemade 5/5 You can’t make this yourself, and there aren’t many similar exercises

  6. Overall 17/25 Over kill.

Some guys want a huge neck and this does it.

There’s one thing I want you to take away when it comes to buying neck equipment, don’t cheap out.

A cheap neck tool is a tool that’s going to snap and rubber band your neck and cause some injury or something, not worth it.

Neck flex is a good brand.

  1. Price 3/5 ~£60

  2. Usability 5/5 Great at training the neck

  3. Adaptability 5/5 Is really just for the neck but very adaptable on neck training

  4. Regularity 2/5 You’ll probably use this at least once a week for the neck

  5. Homemade 5/5 You can’t make this.

  6. Overall 20/25 A decent way to get a big neck.

This piece of kit is incredible at providing shortened bias resistance.

It’s good at training many muscles, but not necessary. It’s one of those “if you like it get it tools”.

You can fit this in your gym bag, but you don’t need it.

  1. Price 3/5 ~£20

  2. Usability 5/5 Great at training the rear delts and rhomboids

  3. Adaptability 3/5 Could be used for other muscles, like bicep/tricep work.

  4. Regularity 4/5 Could be used very very often

  5. Homemade 2/5 You can’t make this yourself but you can train the muscle very easily with other exercises

  6. Overall 16/25 This might seem over kill, but it’s a pretty great piece of kit.

Resistance bands have a lot of purposes, I wrote all about them here.

I’d say this is something that’s on a must buy list, even though you can do without it. It’s just too powerful to not grab.

  1. Price 5/5 ~£10

  2. Usability 5/5 Great at modifying/providing resistance

  3. Adaptability 5/5 Can be applied to almost anything.

  4. Regularity 1/5 Might not be used at all

  5. Homemade 5/5 Gyms don’t really have these often.

  6. Overall 21/25 Must buy.

A workout where headphones die and you have no music to listen to is a trash workout.

Get a backup pair or you’ll regret it.

  1. Price 5/5 ~£20

  2. Usability 5/5 100% need

  3. Adaptability 5/5 Don’t care 100% need

  4. Regularity 5/5 Might not be used at all, but idc 100% need

  5. Homemade 5/5 Need

  6. Overall 25/25 NEED.

Sometimes it rains, if you don’t like rain getting on you then get this.

  1. Price 5/5 ~£11

  2. Usability 5/5 Great at protecting from rain

  3. Adaptability 1/5 Doesn’t do anything other than defend from rain

  4. Regularity 1/5 Might not be used at all

  5. Homemade 5/5 No gyms have these

  6. Overall 17/25 Might be overkill…

Extra Clothing

You’re going to need these at least once, when that happens you’ll regret not having it.

Split shorts/joggers.

Poo your pants doing a heavy squat/hinge.

Something is bound to happen.

  1. Price 5/5 You already have clothes

  2. Usability 5/5 They’re clothes.

  3. Adaptability 1/5 Only for one purpose, but the purpose is 100% needed.

  4. Regularity 1/5 Might not be used at all

  5. Homemade 5/5 No gyms have spare clothes

  6. Overall 17/25 Get this or regret this.

You’re going to have sessions where you barely ate that day, or feel like you need some extra energy.

Have some high carb snacks in your gym bag and instantly the workout will become better.

  1. Price 5/5 ~£2

  2. Usability 5/5 Fuel

  3. Adaptability 5/5 Can be for before, post, during, it’s perfect

  4. Regularity 3/5 You’ll use these more than you expect

  5. Homemade 3/5 If you want you can make homemade snacks instead

  6. Overall 21/25 This is perfect..

If you ever shower at the gym, or want to wipe down sweat patches, you need a Towel at your disposal. (Also get a plastic bag to store the towel).

  1. Price 5/5 ~£13

  2. Usability 5/5 Great at drying

  3. Adaptability 5/5 Good for showering, and wiping down surfaces

  4. Regularity 3/5 Might not be used often, might be used often

  5. Homemade 5/5 No gyms have these (if you broke)

  6. Overall 22/25 Towel.

Your phone dying means no workout program to follow, no knowledge of weights to load, no music.

Don’t let that happen.

  1. Price 5/5 ~£25

  2. Usability 5/5 Great at charging the phone

  3. Adaptability 3/5 Only really just for charging

  4. Regularity 3/5 You’ll use more than you think

  5. Homemade 5/5 No gyms have these

  6. Overall 22/25 Grab this for emergencies.

Notebook/Pen

Some people work better when they log their workout off of their phone, if that’s you, get this for your gym bag.

  1. Price 5/5 Pretty free

  2. Usability 5/5 Good at logging

  3. Adaptability 5/5 Can also be used to note down thoughts to decrease cognitive load (bad) or to doodle

  4. Regularity 5/5 If you’re that type of guy you’ll use this daily

  5. Homemade 5/5 No gyms have these

  6. Overall 25/25 If you’re that type of guy, it’s perfect.

Hairbrush

If you want your hair to look good post shower/workout, bring a hairbrush

  1. Price 5/5 ~£5

  2. Usability 5/5 Brushes hair

  3. Adaptability 1/5 Just for hair

  4. Regularity 1/5 Might not be used at all

  5. Homemade 5/5 No gyms have these

  6. Overall 17/25 Overkill (unless you have hair).

Deodorant

Keep a spare stick in your gym bag in case you get a bit smelly, it’s just polite to bring.

  1. Price 5/5 ~£6

  2. Usability 5/5 Keeps you smelling fresh

  3. Adaptability 5/5 Can be used in emergencies on leg days if there’s chafing/smelly balls

  4. Regularity 5/5 You’ll use more than you expect

  5. Homemade 5/5 No gyms have these

  6. Overall 25/25 A must bring to the gym.

Body Wipes Link

Sometimes you get way too sweaty and need a better tool to wipe your face clean than a towel. just don’t flush down gym toilets

  1. Price 5/5 ~£8

  2. Usability 5/5 Great if you have a sweaty face, etc

  3. Adaptability 4/5 Kinda just for sweat, but important.

  4. Regularity 3/5 You’ll use more than you expect

  5. Homemade 5/5 No gyms have these

  6. Overall 22/25 Sure you could use a towel, but this is better.

If you have a home gym, your gym bag doesn’t need this.

If you go to any other gym, your gym bag needs this.

  1. Price 5/5 ~£6

  2. Usability 5/5 Great at protecting your stuff

  3. Adaptability 5/5 You can use this to close off a machine if you wanted

  4. Regularity 5/5 You’ll use this daily

  5. Homemade 5/5 No gym supplies locks

  6. Overall 25/25 Very important for safety (also keep a spare lock)

This is one of my favourite pieces of kits (and on my Wishlist).

A lot of machines have a low ceiling, this lets you keep loading the movement.

It’s a must buy for when you’re strong.

  1. Price 5/5 ~£50

  2. Usability 5/5 This lets you keep progressing on cable machines and also microload.

  3. Adaptability 5/5 Can be added to almost all machines.

  4. Regularity 5/5 You’ll use this all the time

  5. Homemade 4/5 I’d give this a 5, but you can also use a screwdriver 🙄 

  6. Overall 24/25 Incredible tool to buy.

If you’re tired of not being able to get the attachments you like, or if you don’t even have them in the gym, just buy and bring your own.

Become your own gym.

The gym bag = gym + bag.

  1. Price 5/5 ~£60

  2. Usability 5/5 Great at cables

  3. Adaptability 5/5 Couldn’t be any more adaptable

  4. Regularity 5/5 Will use almost daily

  5. Homemade 2/5 Most gyms have these

  6. Overall 22/25 Over kill, but good.

You might be very very confused on why I threw a tripod on here.

It’s obvious.

Buy one.

  1. Price 5/5 ~£11

  2. Usability 5/5 Great at setting up your phone

  3. Adaptability 1/5 Only really for filming (but super important)

  4. Regularity 5/5 You should use this as many times as possible.

  5. Homemade 2/5 Water bottle tripod.

  6. Overall 15/25 I’d buy it, but it’s not necessary.

This might sound weird but trust me.

Heavy leg extensions, heavy dips, heavy leg press.

Sometimes you need a seatbelt to keep you in place.

  1. Price 5/5 ~£10

  2. Usability 5/5 Great at keeping you stable

  3. Adaptability 5/5 Can keep you stable on a lot of exercises.

  4. Regularity 5/5 You’ll start throwing this on everything

  5. Homemade 5/5 No gym has this

  6. Overall 25/25 Sounds weird, but it’s incredible.

Honourable Mentions

The Tib Bar is a piece of kit I actually own (haven’t used it in years).

It’s a great tool for working out the Tibialis, and being able to load this very very heavy. Sure a kettlebell will do the same thing… (but eventually that’s going to be too light).

End of the day, this is for a very niche purpose and is likely not for the average gym goer.

  1. Price 1/5 ~£40 (~$35)

  2. Usability 5/5 Very good at one specific thing

  3. Adaptability 1/5 Not very adaptable

  4. Regularity 1/5 Once/twice a week for one muscle

  5. Homemade 1/5 This can be replicated with a resistance band or kettlebell

  6. Overall 9/25 I wouldn’t get this.

#Dishonourable Mentions

Useless overpriced junk, don’t buy.

  1. Price 0/5 ~£30

  2. Usability 0/5 Doesn’t do what people think it does

  3. Adaptability 0/5 Can’t even do what it’s supposed to

  4. Regularity 0/5 Doesn’t matter if it does nothing

  5. Homemade 0/5 No gym has it, and it does nothing

  6. Overall 0/25 Why buy this.

Arguably better than a massage gun as even if it’s useless (just makes you lose water) losing water can be good if you’re trying to make weight for something.

Either way don’t buy, dangerous, stupid.

  1. Price 1/5 ~£20

  2. Usability 1/5 Makes you lose water (unhealthy)

  3. Adaptability 0/5 Dumb.

  4. Regularity 0/5 Should never use

  5. Homemade 0/5 Cling film

  6. Overall 2/25 Please don’t buy.

Smelling Salts Link/c

For most people entering into fight or flight in this way isn’t going to be healthy.

Should only be used in weightlifting comps, with a few practices the month before hand.

Don’t buy though.

  1. Price 5/5 ~£10

  2. Usability 5/5 Great at throwing you into fight or flight

  3. Adaptability 1/5 Can be used for all exercises, but shouldn’t be.

  4. Regularity 1/5 Shouldn’t use regularly

  5. Homemade 1/5 Protein shake cup

  6. Overall 13/25 Surprisingly high points.

That’s everything, I hope you found something you really liked the look of.

Write to Santa quickly and you might get something from this that’s actually useful.

I’ll be writing a little bit about Christmas over the next few days (i kinda have to)

Your Hypertrophy Hero,
Fletcher

P.S. I want some of these things too, if you’re feeling Christmasy, here’s my wishlist 🙄 https://www.amazon.co.uk/registries/gl/guest-view/1A1UD0EPM10K1

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