Whether you’re a fitness enthusiast, serious lifter or weekend warrior, there are a few essentials you should have with you for every training session.

These tools will help make your exercise experience more effective and enjoyable, whether you’re training inside or outside the gym.

1. Gym gloves

Protect your hands from calluses, blisters and torn skin, especially on those heavier lifts with the right pair of gym gloves. They can also be more hygienic when handling communal weights, but you need to wash them regularly, so opt for breathable, synthetic fibres.

2. Jump rope

Many HIIT workouts, metcons and WODs incorporate skipping because it’s so effective. Having your own jump rope ensures that you always have one on hand whenever it’s needed and that it’s the correct length for your height. It is also the ideal tool for an anywhere, anytime workout, even while travelling or on holiday.

Find out more about the many benefits of metcon training.

3. Resistance bands

Resistance bands are portable, inexpensive and versatile and come in a variety of lengths and strengths. Whether you need to utilise one for a stretch routine, rehabilitation or a full-body workout, this extremely handy piece of equipment makes it the perfect companion for any gym bag.

Resistance bands are also available in variants that have handles, which makes them better suited for more complex workouts.

4. Journal or tracking app

Logging your workout is an essential task if you want to keep making progress. Log your repetitions and sets along with the weight you lifted, or keep track of the distances you did on the treadmill or bike, as well as your pace or speed and cadence. This is essential if you plan on bettering your fitness and physique.

5. Fitness and activity trackers

Activity trackers are also great tools that can be used to monitor and record workout metrics such as pace, distance, calories burnt and heart rate, and most are now able to do so automatically, detecting the type of exercise you’re doing through intuitive algorithms. All you need to do then is sync the device and log on to your account to review your progress!

Read more about fitness trackers and why what gets measured gets achieved.

Some of the latest releases worth checking out include:

Bonus tip: Take two towels

It goes without saying that you’re at the gym to work up a sweat, but so is everyone else! So pack two towels – one to wipe down equipment before and after use and the other to wipe the sweat from your face and body.