Some of you probably don’t even carry a gym bag. I admit, it makes me wonder about your seriousness. I have quite a few, myself, and I keep 2 of them fully ready for just about any situation. One stays in the trunk of my car, the other in house but comes with me when I walk out the door for the gym. There’s also a third in the trunk of my car, but that’s a ready bag for the Zombie Apocalypse.

Why everyone should have a gym bag

A gym bag is the equivalent to a carpenters tool belt or a mechanic’s garage toolbox. My gym bag is MY toolbox. What I put in it is of the utmost importance. It has to contain everything that I need to get any job done. If I don’t pack the right tools, well, it may alter my performance. I don’t like that. Case in point: If you use an iPod or other MP3 player when you train, imagine if you forgot the player at home, or even the earbuds or headphones, and you are now stuck hearing the eerie sounds of Justin Beiber (Yeah, you see my point).

What’s In This Suitcase of Swole?

First of all, bags vary in size. Some are gargantuan, some are so small, they may as well be fanny packs. No offense to fanny pack fanatics. I can, actually, understand their funtionality. My main one is large with one main compartment, one end compartment, one inside pocket and one on the outside, with adjustable shoulder strap and handles. Geez, I sound like some of the women I know talking about their favorite purses! I do like pockets, though. In my bag I keep the following:

Supplements

I keep my Athletic Xtreme’s Stacked BCAAs, German Creatine, Supersize, and Athlete’s Joint Restore. All of these are must haves for me. Pre-, Intra-, and post supplementation when and whereever I need them. Also, I keep an extra shaker cup ready with whey protein. I even keep a funnel, some aspirin, and some muscle rub… just in case. Oh… and gum. Supersize is pretty intense.

Shakers

As mentioned, I keep 2 shakers. I use one for pre-training, intra-training and post-training supps. The second one is for whey. Always remember to take your shakers out of the bag and clean them. Nothing like forgetting a shaker anywhere, then opening that lid after a few days and having that stench melt your face off!! I also keep a couple of protein bars in the bag, too.

Lifting gear

I don’t use a lot of wraps and grips, but I keep them in my bag (just in case).That entails the following:

• lifting belt
• knee wraps
• wrist wraps
• grips
• liquid chalk (yes, I keep chalk, always).

I’d rather chalk up than use grips 90% of the time, and will only resort to lifting straps or wrist wraps when the weight gets ridiculous and I want more control. Careful with the chalk, though. Some gyms frown upon the mess it makes. That’s when liquid grip comes in to play.

Water

I admit I don’t ALWAYS carry a gallon jug of water. Don’t get it twisted, though… I’m still ’bout that Jug Life… but for the sake of mobility, as I am a man that’s always on GO!, i have to be aerodynamic. But, definitely keep water on deck! Refill that jug or that liter bottle often while at the gym and refill it before you leave.

Acc-Swole-ries

In one of the pockets, I keep the following:

• glasses case
• wedding band
• phone
• wallet
• other things I can not have get broken or lost.

In the other pocket, is where you will find the following:

• my music
• headphones AND earbuds
• all of my cameras (yes, I carry cameras and a tripod. How else do you think I film all the AX videos?)
• training journal. Yes, I use a training journal. Again, how else do you think the Muscle Book is created?

Spare Clothes & Shoes

Depending on the day’s activities, I may also have a change of clothes and shoes. Sometimes, my wife and I will train together and then change and go out on a date immediately afterward, so I have my AXCite, deodorant, lotion, and other cosmetics handy in a little travel bag. Yeah, no I don’t tend to shower in gyms. It’s a thing. I just don’t.

That’s it. That’s what’s in my tool box aka Gym Bag. I keep it simple, yet I like to stay prepared. Preparation is extremely important. As it’s been said, “Life favors the prepared.”