The Best Way to Pack Your Gym Bag

Your gym bag is your suitcase for your home away from home. And nothing can throw a kink in your workout (or threaten to cancel it completely) like forgetting even the smallest item. Fail to plan and you plan to fail, so always be prepared by properly packing your gym bag - and keeping it packed.Gym Bag Must-Haves:Your Second Favorite Pair of KicksShoes really are the one piece of equipment that you cant make do without. Leave your favorite shoes safely at home and keep a pair of tried and true sneakers in your bag: you wont worry about them getting smashed in your bag, plus you know theyre comfy, you know how they perform and you know they look great so youll have a great workout no matter what comes up. Keep a pair of socks stuffed in there too.A Piece of GearYou never know when the urge to work out will strike, so never waste an opportunity for a workout. A jumprope, a resistance band or floor gliders take up hardly any space but are all you need for a full body workout as tough as anything you could pay a trainer to do with you. No more excuses -- for days you can’t get to the gym, take the gym with you. Find a spot at the park with a bench for dips, a chin-up bar if you’re lucky, a clean area for burpees and pushups, and a tree to wrap a resistance band around. Always have at least one versatile piece of equipment at the ready.Heart Rate MonitorCounting lub-dubs can keep you from phoning in your workout. Intensity is key and requires keeping an eye on how hard youre working at all times.Heart-Pumping TunesIn the gym or on the road, music is a must to tune in to your body and tune out the world. Music is a powerful motivator--dont get caught without your biggest supporter. Use your phone, and ipod, whatever works, just dont forget those earbuds.Water bottleIf youre thirsty, youre already dehydrated, so bring water with you everywhere.Towel Unless your gym supplies you, keep a clean one on hand. Great for impromptu park workouts!FoodFood is fuel, so dont let yourself get sidelined because your tanks running on empty. Always have an emergency stash that can survive in your bag: a protein bar, or other non-perishable, nutrient-dense foods like nuts, dried fruit or vacuum sealed tuna pouches.Supplements, shakers, and funnelsPre and post supplementation is key, so never miss your window to get those gains by forgetting any of your supps, especially BCAAs for during the workout!. And keep those shakers clean- you don’t want to open a few-days-old shaker with protein mold.The non-essential essentialsAlways keep an extra of the most irritating-when-missing but most-commonly-forgotten workout items: girls, don’t forget the hair ties, toothbrush, sports bra, lip balm, gum, and deodorant. Have ones for your gym bag specifically so you dont have to pack and unpack.Keep it cleanSpilled shakers, sweaty garments… gym bags can get pretty funky, pretty quick. Dryer sheets do wonders to soak up moisture and stink so stick a few in your bag and stuff some in your shoes. There are post-workout shower wipes you can stock up on to freshen up after your workout if you dont have a full blown shower, but wet wipes work just as well, so always keep a few of those on hand, too. Stay motivated!Need inspiration? Pull up SHREDZ Fit Club vids on your phone or tablet so you always have kick-butt workouts ready. Fit Club gives you permanent free and full access to high-quality, professionally developed workout videos designed to get you the results you want.