#workout bag

It’s possible to exercise without using anything at all. Yet it would be unwise to start working out without having some things with you. After all, you need to consider that you’ll exhaust yourself from doing physical activities that may be intense. Also, you need to prevent injuries and consider recovering after exercising. So, as much as possible, you ought to carry supportive items with you during your sessions. That is to keep you going and safe plus improve your performance.

So what are those that are almost always recommended by fitness enthusiasts to beginners and even seasoned gym-goers? Here they are.

Water Bottle

Hydration is important and should even be a top priority. When you’d drink water, you not only quench your thirst but literally put oxygen in your body and replace your lost fluids. Yet water isn’t your only option. That’s because there are also sports beverages that you could drink to support yourself. After all, these drinks are packed with electrolytes like sodium and potassium. More often than not, they also have something for energy which is sugar. So, before you hit the gym, you ought to have a water bottle that has water or a sports drink of your choice. As for which is better, that depends on what exercises you’re planning on doing. Aside from that, you mustn’t use sports beverages as substitute for water. That is because electrolyte drinks have plenty of sugar more often than not. Likewise, you need only enough electrolytes in your system.

Extra Garments and Towels

For lactic acid build-up that causes exhaustion, you ought to put on dry garments after the ones that you’ve worn during exercising has become soaked. Have some towels with you too. That is so you could wipe the sweat off of your skin. Although perspiration is there to cool you off, it also has lactic acid that can cause fatigue. So bring extra clothes and some light-colored towels.

Protective Gear

Gloves and sleeves are the way to go for this one. You don’t have to always have them on you. But, if you’re going to lift something heavy or pull hard on what you’d grip on, you should try to use either or both. That is to keep the integrity of your skin protected and also help you stabilize your limbs or at least your joints. These are for injury prevention and not only comfort and that’s why a lot of gym-goers put them on during their workout sessions.

Stopwatch or Fitness Tracker

Having a handheld device that can let you set and track the time is great. So it’s worth it to have a stopwatch. For your convenience and more tracking, though, you could also go for a fitness band. It’s something that typically has the features of a usual watch but comes with other features for tracking. With it, you could see your heart rate, oxygen saturation, step count, and calorie burn.

DUFFLE BAG WITH SHOE COMPARTMENT | FIT MECCA

Workout bags are an essential part of your routine, and you must have a bag that does all the things you need it to do. The purpose of the workout bag is to give you a place to keep everything, and you must find a bag that meets all the criteria listed below. If you can get a bag that does everything, you only need to make that purchase once.

1. What's Kind Of Bag Do You Need

Drawstring bags are a good place to start, but they are not your only option when you are trying to get ready for the gym. You could get a much larger bag that has multiple compartments, or you could choose a backpack that was made in a similar style. The bag that you purchase must be the right size so that you do not have a hard time carrying it around, and you must choose the bag that you actually think will carry all the things you use at the gym.

2. Waterproof Compartments

A top of the line gym bag has a waterproof compartment or two that you can put wet clothes into. You do not want these clothes to make everything else in the bag smell bad before you leave the gym, and you might need to keep that bag in the car for a while before you take it home. The only way to solve this problem is to be sure that you have a compartment where the plastic sheen keeps all wet items away from everything else.

3. The Strap

You need a bag that has a strap large enough to make it easy to carry. Some people would like to have a bag with a strap that is easy to adjust, or they might want to have a strap that is wide enough to avoid shoulder pain. There are many people who might want to use the strap to tighten up the bag and keep it close if they are walking long distances, and you might want a bag with padding because you are not wearing much clothing when you go to the gym.

4. The Tag

You need a bag with an easy tag to use, and you will find that you can put your business card on the inside to prove that this particular bag is yours. You need that when you are using generic lockers at the gym, and you need that tag in case you travel with this bag when you go out of town. The gym bag has to be marked as yours because you are leaving many precious items inside.

5. The Flat Bottom

A large gym bag should have a flat bottom that is good for an organization. The majority of people who get a bag with a flat bottom can lay out all their clothes without crumpling, and this could be a very good bag for them to take on vacation because clothes do not wrinkle as they would otherwise. The flat bottom makes it possible for you to put all the weights inside the bag, or you could put in all the other accessories that you need. The two side pockets will hold your shoes, and you will still have room for the toiletry kit.

6. The Material

You need a bag that is made from a material that will hold up to bad weather and excessive wear. You can purchase a bag that is made from canvas because it will remain in good condition even after you have beaten it up. However, you need to look at waterproof bags because some of them will help you protect your bag from water from the pool or rain when you are out in inclement weather.

Conclusion

If there’s one person who knows how to pack a sports bag in style, it’s exercise aficionado and founder of chic sportswear brand The Upside, Jodhi Meares. Our recent interview with her inspired us to put together a Beauticate edit of the ultimate essentials for three of our favourite workouts. So whether it’s yoga, paddle boarding or running that you’re into, it’s time to get packing.

 What to pack for Bikram Yoga

Soothing feminine tones of pink and purple add a refreshing vibe to an intense bikram practice. Add to that some wipes to take off the day, a stylish deodorant, a refreshing facial mist and Orchard St’s delectable Cashew Chai smoothie to nourish post-vinyasa. With Ayurvedic chai spices, dates and a pinch of sea salt, this alkalising, nutrient and protein rich nut and coconut-based smoothie promotes a calming, restful sleep.

Malin & Goetz eucalyptus deodorant from Mecca Cosmetica

Milk & Co. beauty wipes

Orchard Street Cashew Chai smoothie

Evian water spray

Lorna Jane hot yoga towel

The Upside Hyrdrangea T bar crop top

Lululemon yoga mat

 What to pack for Paddle Boarding

Channel your inner gidget with neoprene accents, a faux glow and an action-girl bikini. A missoni towel adds a dash of unabashed colour while ModelCo’s bronzing sunscreen perfects and protects at the same time. Protect your lips from harsh UV rays with Chantecaille’s new lip sunscreen with SPF 15 the rose and honey blend will leave lips supple and hydrated until it’s time to paddle home.

Lululemon pure focus glass water bottle

Bumble and Bumble surf spray from Mecca Cosmetica

Chantecaille lip sunscreen from Mecca Cosmetica

Model Co Body Bronze dry touch SPF 50+ sunscreen

Missoni ‘lara’ beach towel

Lisa Marie Fernandez ‘Genevieve’ bikini

Lancôme flash bronzer for face

The Upside neoprene bag (coming soon)

 What to pack for Running

Cool and crisp, hit the ground running in a wardrobe of ice blue and navy. You can work up a sweat with confidence thanks to Kiehl’s Superbly Efficient Anti-Perspirant deodorant which is super gentle yet industrial-strength, and protect your hard-earned hair colour with Kerastase Soleil Leave-In Sun Protectant. Now you see me, now you don’t. 

Lululemon the ultimate padded run sock

Lululemon sweat once a day bag

Kiehl’s superbly efficient antiperspirant deodorant

Nike feather light hat from Stylerunner

Nike Free 3.0 V5 trainers from Stylerunner

The Upside shorts (coming soon)

Kerastase Soleil leave in sun protectant

 Words and styling by Madeleine Boyd; Photography by Jake Terrey.