We’ll be going through our top picks for all of the CrossFit necessities we use and love on the regular. Keep reading to find out why we think these products are absolutely essential in your gym bag!
- First things first, you need a gym bag. Sooner or later, you’ll be toting enough things in and out of the gym that you’ll want a functional place in which to store them. We absolutely LOVE the Waxed Canvas Backpack from NoBull. The main compartment is spacious enough to fit shoes, a lifting belt, and all of the basics. There are smaller, zippered compartments throughout for your smaller accessories. This backpack can also double as a laptop bag, which makes it a great day bag, too. Not only is this bag functional, it’s fashionable, so you’ll want to carry it both in the gym and out.
2. Now that you have a bag, you’ll need to fill it! One of the staples of a good CrossFit workout are your shoes. Gym shoes are certainly not a one-size-fits-all in terms of what they can do for you. There are three types of shoes you’ll want to eventually add into your bag:
- training shoes
- running shoes
- lifting shoes
Don’t panic. You don’t need all three of these right away, but as you get accustomed to the sport, you’ll start to understand why each play a vital role during the week. We suggest starting with a good pair of trainers, then grab a pair of runners, then add in a pair of lifters.
Trainers will do the job for almost all of your CrossFit WODs. Training shoes have a flatter sole than a runner (think a 4mm heel to toe drop as opposed to a running shoe with a 7mm heel to toe drop). The flatter training shoe allows for a wider range of movement. Whether you’re doing box jumps, rope climbs, or barbell movements, they’re a great fit.
There are several brands of training shoes that work well, but most of our members love the Nobull Trainer+ and the Nike Metcon.
Trainers are an all around great choice for most workouts, but, there are days when running is the dominant movement. For those days, we highly recommend a great pair of running shoes. Stick with what you love, but if you’re in the market for a great running shoe, we highly recommend the NoBull Runner. The best part? They come in a ton of great colors and designs.
Lifters aren’t a necessity, but they’re definitely a bonus for heavy squats, power cleans, and snatches. If you’re weightlifting, you’ll love a pair of lifters. Why should you consider wearing weightlifting shoes? When it comes to more compound or Olympic movements, posture and form can become a limiting factor. Lifters have an elevated heel that better allows you to get into the proper position. Lifters can also help you feel more comfortable in the bottom of a squat while maintaining a more upright posture. Lifters are definitely an investment, but they’ll last you a long time. We love the Reebok Legacy Lifters because you get a lot of bang for your buck (watch for sales!), but if you’re looking to splurge, the Nobull Lifter is a great choice.
3. Now that you’ve got your gym bag and shoes, let’s move on to some of the accessories! When it comes to barbell movements, a good pair of clips makes all the difference. While we supply clips at CrossFit Artifact, several of our members bring their own. They’ve raved about the Rogue OSO CM-1 Metal Collars. Not only do they keep your weight plates secure regardless of what you’re doing, they come in a bunch of fun colors, so you’ll never have trouble locating which ones are yours.
4. Since we’re on the topic of weightlifting and barbell movements, we might as well discuss adding a lifting belt to your gym bag. Lifting belts act as a reminder to maintain the correct spine position during heavy lifts. They also help maintain your abdominal pressure, which helps to stabilize your spine. CrossFit Artifact stocks lifting belts in all sizes, so you don’t have to bring your own, but, if you’re in the market, we love the Bear KompleX Belts.
5. Another great Bear KompleX must-have is sports tape. When it comes to pull-ups, toes-to-bar, barbell cycling, and the like, you’ll want to tape up. Tape saves your thumbs and fingers from rips, and if you ask some of our members, might even make you run faster and bike harder 😉. We love the Bear KompleX Sports Tape. In addition to sports tape, you’ll also want to add a pair of grips for all of your gymnastics movements. Grips help save your hands from rips and give you a better grip on the bar. Makes sense, right? We love the Bear KompleX Black Diamond 3 Hole Grips, and the best part? You can grab both of them at the front desk!
6. After all of those pull-ups, ring rows, and toes-to-bar, you’ll want to take care of those calluses. There is nothing worse than an untreated callus that turns into a tear. Get ahead of the game and grab a Callus Care Performance Tool. This small-but-mighty tool is the size of a tube of chapstick, but packs a punch when it comes to dealing with stubborn calluses. It has a stainless steel blade on one end and a callus smoother on the other. It’s great for those hard to reach spots at the base of your fingers, and it takes up very little real estate in your gym bag.
7. Rope climbs are programmed and you’ve forgotten a high sock to save your shins. How many of us have been there? There’s an easy solution! The RXSmart Gear Shin Guards are not only great for rope climbs, but also save your shins during box jumps and deadlifts. We highly recommend them!
8. Last, but certainly not least, let’s talk knee sleeves. Knee sleeves do not need to be worn for all weightlifting, however, they do provide additional support for squats, snatches, clean and jerks, and the like. Knee sleeves provide proprioception, which aids your ability to sense the position of your knees during these movements. We use the Rehband RX 7mm Original V Knee Sleeve.
These are our top picks for your gym bag. What would you add to the list?
We’d love to know what products you love as you add them to your collection! Let us know how they work out in class!
