If you’re a bodybuilder or even just a weight lifting freak who loves to go to the gym and pump some iron…

I’m going to share with you 8 awesome gym accessories that you need to buy and put into your gym bag…

#1 Foam Roller

When you’re constantly lifting weights… muscles get super tight and apart from stretching them out, and having regular sports massages (which can be expensive!) there’s not much you can do. One of the things you can do is pick up a foam roller and roll out those tight areas, typically the front shoulders, pecs, quads and lower back all get very tight.

#2 Lacrosse Ball

Similarly to the foam roller mentioned above, the lacrosse ball helps serious lifters to get rid of tight muscle knots. It’s just a little bit more direct than a foam roller and better at getting in more specific areas (a foam roller is better for covering larger surface areas)

#3 Wrist Straps 

When doing any pulling exercises, things like deadlifts, rows, pull ups, etc… one of the first muscles that tends to fail is the wrists, and the muscles that support your grip strength. Although it’s good to lift without straps to build up your grip, I also recommend using straps, especially if you’re trying to build a thick, and wide, V-Taper gorilla back!

#4 Water Bottle

Kind of obvious right? We need water to hydrate and help us train hard, we also need water to increase the muscle pump when lifting weights. Despite this being obvious it’s amazing how many people don’t hydrate properly in the gym. You need to be drinking at least 2 litres per hour!

#5 Electrolytes 

To complement your weight training i’d recommend having a stash of electrolytes. Mix them in with your water and sip throughout your training session. I can guarantee that you’ll have more energy, be more alert and have a better overall workout. 

#6 Dip Belt

Doing parallel dips is one of the best ways to grow your chest, shoulders and triceps. For most gym junkies…body weight dips just aren’t enough… you need added weight! Alongside being able to add weight to your dips you can also use this type of belt to add resistance to your pull ups.

#7 Lifting Belt

I’m a big fan of lifting belts, especially when you’re really trying to up your lifts each and every session. A lifting belt can protect your back and keep your core stable, it will also allow you to lift with more confidence.

#8 Headphones 

A great pair of headphones and some good music has the power to make you have an awesome workout! I love the BOSE quiet comfort headphones but I also rate the AirPods by Apple. 

What’s your favourite Gym Accessory? comment below…

Thanks for reading,

Nick 🙂