What workout gear do I use?

What workout gear do I use?

My work out gear

This will be a short article because overall, I don't think the gear you chose matters that much. There is an erroneous trend I've noticed where someone decides they are going to get in great shape and the first thing they do is go on a shopping spree to get all the 'best' workout gear that they 'need.'  You don't need $120 weight lifting shoes to be serious about fitness. Sure, you can get those advanced level shoes later if you really think that is your limiting factor but your first investment should be time.

Headphones

Currently, I'm using wireless Powerbeats 2 headphones. I'll be honest, I didn't want to spend the money to buy these for myself but my wife bought them for me and now I would pay to replace them if needed.  I was doing the apple standard wired headphones which worked fine for years and still could work for you but not being tethered to my phone is great. My gym can get fairly distracting with people talking or whatever so the headphones are a big help to tune out that kind of thing.

Shoes

Currently just do all my workouts in Nike freestyles.  I have a basic pair of wrestling shoes that I sometimes wear for heavy squat or deadlift days. The biggest advantage to real workout shoes is that they have a raised heel and this makes getting in a deep squat easier because ankle range of motion is often a limiting factor.

Wrist Wraps

I have yet to tried any of the nicer wrist wraps and just picked up a pair from the local sporting goods store. I primarily only use wrist wraps when I'm recovering from a wrist injury.  My problem with wrist wraps is that my wrist always seem to get weaker when I use them.  For example, I used wrist wraps for 3 months on bench press because I felt stronger when I used them. I then tried to go back to bench without wraps and my wrist would hurt terribly from a weight that was previously no problem. I've also seen this happen to other people in the gym.

Lifting Straps

Lifting straps can be very abrasive and rub your wrist raw.  Get some that are all leather or some other material that isn't going to kill you. Feel free to use lifting straps as they can be a big help on lifts like deadlift but just don't use them every set.

Belt

I haven't used one in a few years but previously wore one for every leg day for probably 10 years. Only real recommendation I have here is that you don't want to wear a belt during every lift. I see some guys wearing a belt to curl 10 pounds and it drives me nuts. You need to give your core a chance to get stronger, it is good to put stress on your lower back and abs so they can strengthen.  

Knee Sleeves

I like knee sleeves that don't give much support but help to keep the joint warm. You may see a sleeve listed as a 5mm or 7mm sleeve, that is a measurement of the thickness so a thicker sleeve will be harder to bend so it will give you more support.

Guilt free spending without stress on your marriage

Guilt free spending without stress on your marriage

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