Along with the New Year, a lot of New Year's resolutions are coming up. If you've viewed this article, you've probably thought it would be a good idea to start going to the gym.
Well, just for you, we've created the following series of articles that we dedicate to beginners only. Let's take a look at 7 things to take to the gym in the next few paragraphs.
1. Clothes
Probably no one completely expects not to bring clothes for sports to the gym. From our own experience, we can recommend rather high-quality sweatpants, which keep the joints warm and thus better prevent injuries. But if shorts are more comfortable for you, it's no big deal.
Add to that a good quality, ideally cotton t-shirt or tank top and you've got everything you need. If you're looking for quality gym clothes, we can recommend the Total Store and D-sport online stores from our own experience.
2. Good shoes
Good quality gym shoes are more important than most people think. The most ideal shoes are "lifters" which are designed for the gym. If you don't want to buy special shoes, any flat-soled shoe will do (for example, the very popular Converse). In this type of shoes, you put an even load on the so-called three-point foot support (heel, toe and little toe) and thus prevent injuries.
If you were to exercise in shoes with a higher heel, there would be more pressure on your knees during squats, for example. For beginner exercisers this is not a threat, but more advanced exercisers should reach for flat-soled shoes.
How to choose the right gym shoes? The best shoes for exercise, crossfit and weightlifting.
3. Drink bottle
Drinking is very important in any sporting activity. However, it should not be overdone either. As you know, fluids pass through the kidneys, which filter them.
However, it is important to remember that the kidneys are only able to filter a certain amount of water. And unfortunately, during sports, they can't process as much fluid as they normally do. That's why it's definitely not necessary to carry several-liter barrels of water to the gym. A shaker or any other drinking bottle will suffice.
4. Exercise notebook
An exercise notebook is not entirely necessary for beginners, but it is definitely a good tool. You can write down individual exercises, the number of sets and reps, as well as the total volume and intensity of your workout. This will allow you to modify each workout so that it is not the same as the previous one. Of course, if you stick to a fixed exercise plan, the notebook is useless for you.
TIP: Not sure how often to exercise? We'll advise you.
5. Towel
It's definitely not a good idea to forget your towel. Leather covers in gyms are very susceptible and sweat can damage them. And due to the high concentration of people, using a towel is also very hygienic. See for yourself in the following video :-)
6. Own headphones
If you don't want to listen to music from the radio in the gym, we definitely recommend you to own headphones. They will help you concentrate on your performance and won't distract you from the sounds around you. If you don't know what headphones to choose that fit well on your ears and are resistant to odoursor sweat, visit our ranking of the best sports headphones.
RANKINGS: The best sports headphones for the gym and for running!
7. Timer
A timer (even the one on your phone) is a very handy tool for more advanced exercisers who want to keep precise track of the pauses between sets. If you don't have excessively long pauses between sets, you will achieve a higher secretion of pinkwhich plays an important role in building muscle mass and burning fat.
Controlling the length of the pause is again more suitable for more advanced exercisers, startingBeginners should concentrate more on other things, such as the correct execution of exercises, etc.
If you are wondering how to behave on your first day in the gym, what else to bring, how to startor what to ask, we definitely recommend watching the following video:
Later you can start wearing:
Pre-workout Supplement
When you're still enjoying the workout after a while, you can start looking into supplements, such as a pre-workout. With these supplements, you'll get better blood flow to your muscles, delay fatigue and increase your performance. If you're interested in the best pre-workout supplements, be sure to visit our handy ranking.
Post-workout supplement
Since we're on the subject of supplements, a good quality protein supplement will definitely come in handy. The protein from this supplement is quickly absorbed and the body gets all the nutrients it needs after a hard workout. You can find the best proteins in our comprehensive ranking.
Magnesium (liquid and cube)
Magnesium for the hands is a great help for all those whose dumbbells slip out of their hands, because it dries the skin perfectly. If you go to modern fitness centres, be sure to choose liquid magnesium, which leaves no residue. In old-school hardcore gyms, you can usually use magnesium in a cube without any problems.
Foam roller
This exercise aid helps in an extreme way the recovery of muscles after hard workouts by relaxing and massaging them. Besides, it will also improve blood circulation, restore muscle elasticity and reduce muscle and joint soreness.
That would be all for this article and we hope we have helped you with this.
Of course, you can expect more articles dedicated to beginners, so you have something to look forward to. We'd like to ask for any feedback in the comments below the article - Has this article helped you, or is there something important you're missing here? Thank you in advance for any comments you may have.
Why can you trust us?
Hey! Hey! I'm Mirek and I've been working at World Fitness almost since the beginning, except for a small break. But before that I lived only in the gym for a few years, doing deadlifts and power triathlon, going to competitions and winning a few medals.
Probably the one I value the most is the national record in the WUAP federation. But besides working out, I was also interested in food and supplements, I liked to enjoy my free timeI used to read different researches and professional books in my free time to know as much as possible.