Beginning your fitness journey can be such an overwhelming task. You’ll find yourself entering a whole new world filled with new language, new equipment, and new people telling you what you do and don’t need. It’s intimidating for sure, but if you’re new to the world of fitness, we’re here to help alleviate that stress!

So let’s start by going over the basics of what you may want to include when shopping for gym or fitness accessories.

Water Bottle

When over half of the entire human body is made up of water, hydration station is the place that you’ll want to be! Workouts can be very strenuous and sweaty, which means you need to replenish your body with water. When you sweat, you’re losing water from your body. The body can lose up to several liters of water during a one-hour period of exercise, so you will need to replenish that water. Water also regulates your body temperature and helps lubricate your joints. It also helps transport nutrients that give you energy and keep you healthy. If you are not fully hydrated your body won’t be able to perform at its highest level. Your muscles are also made up of 75% water. Dehydration can be a dangerous place to be, so you’ll want to keep up your hydration levels.

A good water bottle is something you will absolutely want to include. Be careful to stay away from water bottles that are made from glass or plastic that could easily break if dropped. Gyms have many people running around them, as well as equipment that can be knocked into. The last thing that you want is to have your water bottle to break and have water splatter everywhere! Plus who wants to clean that up afterwards, not you! We would also recommend a water bottle that is reusable. Something that is good for the environment and your body, what more could you want?

Headphones

Another basic gym necessity is headphones. There is truly nothing worse than getting to the gym and realizing you forgot your headphones. No one wants to have to listen to the grunting and heavy breathing of the total gym bro bench pressing next to you. Music, podcasts, or whatever you decide to listen to can also be a motivating factor for you on those last few minutes on the treadmill or that final set of squats. While most gyms do play music over their speaker system, it’s just not the same and not everyone has the same music taste.


One thing to consider is the option of wireless or bluetooth headphones. These can make workouts a lot easier without the restriction of a cord. Being completely hands free and not having to stick your phone or music device in your waistband (or bra, ladies) can help increase your range of movement. This can even allow you to have better form during your workouts which then decreases the chances of injury. It also allows such a level of convenience that once you get wireless headphones, you’ll never want to go back!

Gym bag

Just like you have your work bag, you’ll want to have a gym bag as well. This bag is ill be the convenient and ensures that you have everything you need when hitting the gym. How much you’re wanting to bring with you to the gym will determine the size of the bag you should get. If you’re just starting out, something that's on the small-medium size range would probably be best. However, if you’re coming straight from work and need more room to pack clothes, shoes, and potential toiletries, you may want to opt for something bigger. Your bag will be your go-to for all your gym needs, so you’ll want to pick out something that will keep you organized! Bags with internal and external pockets are often very popular since they make it easy for you to grab certain things without having to fumble around the main section of your bag.

Having a gym bag will allow you to easily know you have everything you need and just toss the bag in the car or wherever you're headed!  

Resistance Bands

If you’re looking to take your workouts to the next level, investing in some resistance bands could be the best thing for you. Resistance bands are great for both at home workouts and gym workouts. They can be used by themselves or with weights and other machines. They’re incredibly versatile.

You may be asking yourself, what do resistance bands even do? Resistance bands work your muscles just like weights do. They help your muscles contract and generate an extra level of force for you to work with. Resistance bands can also provide an extra level of resistance and increase the difficulty of that exercise. They can be used for both lower and upper body workouts. They’re also extremely cost effective. Resistance bands can be purchased for as low as 10$ for a pack of three. Of course, higher quality bands may be a bit more expensive, but in comparison to buying free weight dumbbells, they’re much cheaper. They’re also a lot easier to store and are great for traveling. Throwing a band in your suitcase can help you not only continue your health and fitness goals while on the road, but they can also be the source of a full body workout in your hotel room.

Resistance bands are incredibly simple but are very effective at working your muscles. These bands can also be used to boost your stamina, flexibility, range of motion, and more.

Fitness Trackers

While these are not mandatory, fitness trackers can be insanely helpful, especially if you are just starting out on your fitness journey. Fitness trackers allow you to easily see the amount of calories being burned, your heart rate, and the time/duration of the workout. It can also help you set goals. These can all range from daily move goals, stand goals, and steps per day. Having that visual reminder of how much or how little you’re doing everyday can help you figure out what you should be focusing on. This can lead to improving your overall health and productivity that you might not even know your missing.


Some popular fitness trackers include: Apple Watches, Fitbits, Garmin Vivosport, and Samsung Gear Fit Pros. There are a multitude of other fitness tracker brands and they all range from various price options, guaranteeing that something will fit your wants and needs!


Once again, we understand all this can be really intimidating and overwhelming. If you have any questions about fitness accessories, feel free to reach out and contact us. We would be happy to help you in this and any other fitness equipment needs! We’re conveniently located in both Lubbock and Odessa, TX!