What's in your bag?

What’s in your gym bag? Your good old friend that makes the trek with you daily to the gym, never failing you because it contains contents that will help you get through your workout.  It’s essential you have the right tools in your bag to assure there are no excuses to not getting an awesome workout in. Other than an extra pair of clothes, showering/bathing essentials (soap, flipflops, etc), here are the contents of what I keep in my gym bag: First: Chalk. (and maaaaaybe straps. I’ll explain below) Never want grip to be an excuse not to finish your exercise.  It’s also fairly cheap and will last you a long time (just search on the internet for “magnesium carbonate gym chalk”… you can get 8 blocks and I’m only on my 2^nd block after 4-5 months.) I’m lucky to work out at a gym that doesn’t mind this, as long as you clean up after yourself—no one likes a messy guy in the gym that always leaves around chalk residue.  To help this messiness, I keep my chalk in a small tuppaware container. But I digress from the messiness of chalk and I’ll delve into what it’s important for: Deadlifting (or any other lift that your grip gives you trouble with) Pulling big weight for deadlifting can mess with your grip strength.  With chalk,  it helps you hold the bar and helps you maintain a tighter grip.  Plus pulling with just your hands and chalk will help you build that grip strength, better forearms, and a better deadlift, especially if you want to compete. You can’t use straps  in competition and it’s also awkward to use straps in anything that a double overhand grip, but I completely understand you using straps if your gym doesn’t allow chalk—it’s better than nothing!  I do keep a pair of heavy duty cotton lifting straps in my bag, just in case I need to use ‘em. Second: Towel I’m a heavy sweater so this is a no brainer.  I’m into hard core lifting and everything, but I also realize that it isn’t my personal gym and that I share it with other people that lift here.  I don’t like to walk up to a bench covered in sweat, so I don’t want anyone to have to deal with mine either. Plus post workout cardio on the stair master is no joke—it’s like a waterfall of sweat pouring out my body, so a towel is nice to mop up the hardwork-juices. Third: My iPod It’s tragic if my iPod is left at home or is about to die.  Music is not a necessity, but as useful as a pre-workout to me.  I listen to rap and heavier alt/screamo rock, and dub step when I lift.  It just gets me in the mind set—the bass pounding, the beat dropping…just gets me ready to smash some weights when I step into the gym.  Also, having music is important during my cardio sessions… I do have to admit I’m that guy that’s singing on the stair stepper or treadmill, but it takes my mind off of the fact that I’m doing cardio! Some of my favorite artists include, but not limited to: Young Money (Weezy, Nicki Minaj, Tyga), Gucci, A Day To Remember, A Static Lullaby, Skrillex, Jay Z, Kanye, Underoath, Bassnectar and a little bit of Fall Out boy. Oh, and I listen to pop-country when I do cardio… Blake Shelton, Luke Bryan, Zac Brown, etc. Fourth: My BEAST Supplements They stay with me throughout the day.  Sometimes class gets out early, or I have to work later for work, so I never know when I’m gonna get a chance to work out.  I have to stay on my toes, so having Beast supplements in my bag make everything much easier.  Pre-workout and postworkout recovery all in there keeps me happy and assured that I will have a pump-tastic workout. My staple stack is as followed: -BeastMode Preworkout -Creature Powder and Pills -Predator Preworkout -BCAA pills -100% Beast Whey (Chocolate, put in a little zip lock bag, or in the bottom compartment of my Beast shaker) So there’s a look into my gym bag… what’s in yours?   Danny Quach is a senior at the University of Georgia and he’s studying Health Promotion and Behavior.  He’s a powerlifter at heart and has done it for over six years.  He just competed in his first bodybuilding show in Summer of 2011.  For powerlifting, he holds some Georgia records.  In his first bodybuilding competition, he placed 2^nd in Novice in INBF Southern States.  On his spare time he’s a part of the University of Georgia’s cheerleading co-ed squads; his favorite past-time? Throwing girls around and catching them.