14

What Men Should Wear At The Gym

When it comes to learning what to wear at the gym, being comfortable should be your main goal and being able to move around freely as you attempt to burn those calories during your workout should be your focus.

But of course we live in the world where style is important and let’s be honest, clothes are a way of expressing who we are and there is no better way to do that then with your gym clothes.

So if you are going to workout, you might as well workout in style. Some people also use the gym as a place to hook up and meet people.

As someone who goes to the gym frequent, I observe daily the types of outfits people wear at the gym. Some are all about style and some couldn’t care less if they just got out of bed.

Regardless if you are either of these types, making sure you are comfortable in your own skin is what is most important when it comes to your fitness goals.

Make Comfort A Priority

There is no worse feeling than trying to workout at the gym and feeling uncomfortable. Whether there are too many people on machines or just having no idea where to start.

Your mood becomes altered and the focus you need to get through a workout stops you from achieving your goals. So here are a few things you will need to make sure you get through your workout as smoothly as possible.

Shoes

 

Through my many years of experience with going to the gym, this is one item you want to make sure you get right.

It is also an item where you can get a little creative and show your personality a bit. So don’t be afraid of a little color when trying to decide what to wear at the gym.

Making sure they are supportive, well cushioned and breathable are things to look for when looking for gym shoes.

Athletic shoes should be your only option so when I say make sure you are comfortable, I don’t mean wearing Sandals, boots, or dress shoes.

You may feel comfortable wearing these type of shoes during the day, but when it comes to the gym, these are a big no no. You are sure to stand out, but certainly not in a good way.

Bottoms

If you are going to go with shorts, make sure they are no longer than a few inches below the knees and no more than about an inch above the knees. You don’t want to be looking like you belong in a throwback nba game and not the gym.

If you are going to go the long pants, then make sure they are long enough to get to the ankles but not too baggy where you might trip over yourself on a treadmill. Make sure to leave the jeans at home also since you are working out at a gym and not a construction site. No disrespect to construction workers out there.

Tops

Your first thought may be to wear as few clothes as possible to stay cool, but there are benefits to covering up to stay warm. Wearing a long sleeve top helps improves circulation and also keeps your muscles, joints and ligaments loose making for a more effective workout and preventing tears, strain or any other injuries.

Just make sure to get something that is dry-fit to help absorb all the sweat you are sure to have drip from your body. If you think long-sleeves will be too much for your body to bear, then either go with a t-shirt or cut-off tee.

I would also advise against those shoe-string shirts that you tend to see bodybuilders wear, because unless you are a bodybuilder, those tops are never a good look.

Head

When it comes to headgear, either a skull cap or beanie should do. Brimmed hats are pretty popular these days as well, but can be hard to clean so you should keep that in mind when deciding how to dress for the gym. 

Gym wear can get pretty funky real quick during the week so wearing something you could just throw in the washer would make cleaning much easier. Also one last thing, NO HEADBANDS please, don’t be that guy.

Gloves

Now some guys may question your toughness when they see you with a pair of gloves while weight lifting, but as any guy who has a girlfriend knows, no girl wants a guy who’s hands feel like the grand canyon. I’m sure your girlfriend would appreciate your callous-free hands.

Also don’t worry about going too expensive on your first pair of gloves. Making sure the gloves are comfortable and have good grip during workouts is what is most important. As you gain more experience and have more of a feel with the weights, then you can decide to upgrade your gloves if necessary.

Get Your Playlist Ready

 

Getting ready for the gym would not be complete without good tunes to go with it. Making sure you have the right set of music equipment to go along with your workout is key to making sure you block all the distractions of the gym and focus on the task at hand.

Depending on if your workouts consist of just weight lifting or some type of circuit style training, having proper music equipment is important.

If you are a person who is into circuit style training, then I would recommend you get a pair of wireless headphone that curl around your ear making it hard to fall off while you are jumping around.

There is nothing more annoying than having your workout interrupted because you have to pick up your headphones every other minute.

If you are a person that just lifts weight, then regular headphones with the wire should do just fine. Also getting an armband that you can put your phone into while you workout is also helpful. Lastly, making sure your playlist is up to par to have you power through that workout is essential.

Making It Work

When it comes to deciding what to wear at the gym, safety comes first, but there is nothing wrong with wanting to look good while working out. Sometimes having new athletic gear to workout with puts you in that mindset of an athlete ready to compete.

Making sure you have proper attire so you can get through your workouts as safely as possible is what is most important. So don’t be afraid to get a little creative when it comes to your gym gear and make sure to always have that focus when working on your fitness goals.

So as always, please don’t be afraid to share below what are your favorite things to wear at the gym and describe how it makes you feel while working out.

22

How To Get In Shape Today

Is it New Years yet?…

The time most people wait to decide to get in shape.  You figure it’s a perfect time to start something new, something fresh and make that commitment to focus on you. 

So you look for ways on how to get in shape now, but then weeks go by and the feeling of something new and exciting slowly fades away until the next New Year comes rolling along. 

As we all know, a new years resolution just isn’t enough anymore to get you started in your fitness journey.  You have to find your WHY!

How to Get in Shape Now!

Before you decide to get in shape today.  You must first decide what your why is.  I say this because, before I decided to get involved in the health and fitness world, I had to find out my reason or passion for wanting to get involved. 

It couldn’t be just about oh I like lifting weights. I needed something that was going to get me through the days when motivation can be tough to find. 

So when I decided that my why would be to help inspire and motivate others, I knew this was something I could stick with for the long haul.

Some of your why’s could be:

1. Having energy to play with your children
2. To Lose weight
3. Get stronger
4. Burn fat and build muscle
5. Fit into a pair of Jeans

Now once you have located your why, I want you to Imagine how it would  feel to accomplish any of the above goals.  Sometimes you need to imagine yourself in the moment to help give you the push you need to get in shape. 

When it comes to trying to get in shape, it’s easy to start and then quickly fade especially when results are not quickly seen.  So it’s important to always remember your why so when you feel like falling off the wagon you say to yourself….NOT TODAY!

Where Do You Start?

Before you decide to get in shape, you first have to find out what type of exerciser you are.  What I mean by this is, how do you like to workout?  Are you a person who likes to workout by themselves, or in a group? 

From my experience with speaking with those trying to get in shape is that most women tend to like working out in a group and men prefer to workout by themselves.  So regardless if that is the case or not, first decide that for yourself.

Once you have figured what kind of exerciser you are, it’s time to decide what kind of exercise you want to get involved in.  As many of you know, there are many different types of exercises to choose from. 

The tough part is choosing the right exercise for you that will not only get you in shape, but is going to provide some excitement and fun for you as you push through this journey of awesomeness.

The reason I bring up finding something you will have fun with is because from speaking with people, getting in shape can be hard for most. 

There will be a lot of sweat and soreness, so you want to make sure that whatever you are doing to get in shape is something you will look forward to for at least 3 hours per week.

What also helps is finding a workout buddy.  Someone where you could hold each other accountable for days when you feel like sleeping in. 

This is can be a crucial part of trying to get in shape because the days where you just don’t feel like doing anything and trust, there will be those days. 

Your accountability partner is there to make sure there is no slacking off.  So find a friend and make it a priority to workout together.

How To Start Exercising

The Few ways to get started in fitness again depends on what kind of exerciser you are.  The few ways are:

• Join a Big box gym
• Person Trainer
• Private Studio group training
• Outdoors
• Working out at Home

Join a Big box gym

Some of the benefits to joining a gym is its affordability.  You pay a monthly membership and you have available to you all the amenities the gym has to offer. 

If you are person that likes to workout by themselves, the gym is a great place get in the zone and do your thing. Some gyms even offer group training classes for those that like to workout in a group.

But with positives comes negatives and one negative that many people have with gyms is the lack of motivation.  Most people join a gym and then months later forget they even have a membership. 

Also, a lack of comfort when it comes to working out due to not knowing exactly what to do.  Lastly, not feeling a sense of want when they check in. 

Front desk workers don’t really know your name and what your goals are so there is no one there to ask you how everything is going.

Hire a Personal Trainer

Although personal trainers can be expensive,  hiring a personal trainer is a great way to help get you motivated and show you exercises that can help you reach your goals. 

Keep in mind that you can hire a personal trainer at either a big box gym or a private studio. 

One concern I have with trainers from big box gyms is that the gym itself is more concerned with selling memberships and products rather than you reaching your fitness goals. 

Which makes it difficult for the trainers to really focus on really helping you get in shape.

Private Studio Group Training

The great thing about private studio is that they are not only focused on getting memberships, but YOU!  Their focus is making sure you are successful in reaching your goals because if you are successful, then so are they. 

What I also like about group training in studios is their per class affordability.  The monthly cost may seem high, but if you break it down per class, you are getting a great deal. 

Unlike 1 on 1 personal training session where the cost can be pretty high, large groups can be more affordable for the individual.

 There are many studios out there that offer all different types of workouts. You have kickboxing studios that focus on fitness and not fighting.  

You also have studios where they focus only on weight training.  So depending on what your goals are, there are many studios out there to fit what you are looking for.

Outdoors

Who doesn’t like working outdoors!  If you love the sun and the fresh air, then this is an awesome way to get in shape. 

Running tends to be a great thing to do when outside, but you can also do some group training sessions outdoors.  

Of course you have to worry about the weather, but working outdoors is an awesome way to start getting in shape.

Working out at Home

If you like being in your own space and not worrying about the hassle of waiting for machines and costly memberships, then working out at home may be for you. 

Depending if you’re into lifting weights, cardio or even a little yoga, working out at home can be a very cost effective method to getting in shape. 

Just keep in mind that if you are a person who struggles with motivation, then working out at home can be quite a task as no one is there to push you.

So there you have it.  Some of the ways to help you get started on your fitness journey and on your way to getting in shape today.

So please leave your comments below and let us know some of the ways you like to get in shape.