The Most Important Weight Lifting Gear You should Have

Weight lifting gear can definitely be a great help to many different aspects of your program.  Other weight lifting accessories can be a great way to make your wallet thinner and waste your time by failing to help you achieve the best possible results.  This second one might be right for some people but we're gonna go out on limb and say that we don't think it's for you.

We divide our weight lifting accessories into three basic categories:

1)  Gear that will actually help you with your training.
2)  Gear that will help you track and record your progress and keep you on track.
3)  Gear that will make training more enjoyable making you more likely to stick with it and reach your goals.

Let's start with gear that will actually help you with your training.

First, we recommend that you invest in a decent pair of weight lifting shoes.  Just like there are "right" shoes for playing almost any other sport (football, baseball, tennis, golf, wrestling etc.), there are "right" shoes for weight training too.  The right shoes will help provide the proper support and balance you need to achieve proper form.  Proper form will maximize the benefits you get from the exercises you do.  This will also reduce the risk of injury.  You will tend to get better results if you're not injured.

Here are some basic tips on what to look for in a weight training shoe:

They should lace from just above the ankle to the toes to provide support throughout the entire ankle and foot.

They should have an ankle strap and mid foot strap to provide extra ankle and metatarsal support.

They should have firm soul because a spongy one will compromise your balance.

Lastly the soul should connect you very well to the floor via it's material and tread design.

Another good piece of equipment that will help you with your training is a set of lifting straps.  We recommend caution when using them however.  Hand strength is one of the most functionally beneficial areas to be strong.  You don't want to have strong arms, shoulders and chest but weak hands.

Another beneficial thing might be a pair of weight training gloves.  Sometimes the will provide a better grip on the bar and will help save your skin.

Next, let's talk about some gear that can help you track your progress and help you stay on track.

A journal to help you track your weight, sets and reps as well as meals can help you discover why things maybe aren't working as good as you though they should be or discover what it is your doing that is working so good so you can keep it up.

The plan that you have made for yourself should be with you to ensure that you stay on track with your workout and your meals.  It is easy think of a compromise here and there as no big deal but they can add up.  Several little mistakes make big mistakes.  Big mistakes ruin results.

A good weight lifting chart might be beneficial to you too.  One that shows you the bodies muscles and which ones are affected by different exercises.  This will help you better understand how the body works and how to group exercises into a routine to ensure you are training the whole body.

Finally, lets briefly mention some things that will make you time at the gym more enjoyable.

A water bottle with a scoop of some kind of refreshing tasting isolate protein powder is always good.  It quenches the thirst, provides your body with protein necessary to muscle repair and development and gives you something to look forward to in between sets.

An mp3 player is almost a must.  Obviously it depends on what you like but for me, the right track list can speed me through a workout and give me that extra little push I sometimes need to grind through my last rep.

I know that's a pretty basic list but hey.  Ultimately it's not the gear that is going to achieve the results for you its you that's gonna do that.  There is some gear that will help but there is no such thing as a magical machine that will get you huge and ripped without effort and determination on your part.

Now, go kick some butt in the gym.