Last updated: November 4, 2023

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases which means if you click a link and purchase the item, I’ll earn some money at no additional cost to you which I’ll use to buy more cool stuff to blog about!

Hi! I wanted to take a moment to share with you some of my favorite gym accessories. So, maybe not ALL of them are essential, but I definitely take these with me each time I go to them gym and I really enjoy them.

Fitness Mat

I just got my first fitness mat to meet all my yoga and floor exercise needs and I couldn’t be more pleased! It all started when I began to heavily get involved with the Les Mills classes that my local gym offered. I immediately disliked using their mats. They were pretty ratty, which I could have overlooked, but they made my workout harder than it already was; they slid around and I was continually straightening it, slipping and focusing way more on the mat than I was on the workout. Plus, every time I did a push-up and had my bare hands on the mat, I couldn’t shake the lurking thought of how many sweaty germs were latching onto me. Since fitness mats are pretty inexpensive, I made the decision on the way home from the gym one day to purchase one and scored one for under $30. It was delivered two days later thanks to Amazon’s fancy, FREE, two-day shipping, and I want you to LOOK AT HOW CUTE IT IS!

The elephants! The colors! The uniqueness! Doesn’t just looking at it make you want to throw yourself down on it and do a thousand sit-ups? Okay, ime neither, but you have to agree it’s adorable, right? It’s super thick at 6mm and I have plenty of room since it’s almost six feet long and three feet wide. The best part? It’s nonslip! Okay, so maybe there’s a better part… there’s even MORE designs to choose from and they’re all super cute. I have heart eyes for sure over this thing and I love using it. No more slipping, no more wondering about germs… The ladies at the gym were dying to know where I got it which I happily told them while they petted it. Do yourself a favor and pop over to take a gander at these awesome fitness mats to see if there’s any that match your personality and style. You won’t regret it!

Fitness Mat Bag

Ok, so you know I can’t just carry the mat around… it needs a proper bag and since I’m always looking for a reason to get a new bag, this was the perfect opportunity. A purse for my fitness mat? Um, yes! If you thought my fitness mat was just the cutest thing, feast your eyes on this!

You should have seen my prancing into the gym this morning with this thing slung over my shoulder. I know, again with the elephants, but I just couldn’t help myself! I love this bag because not only is it absolutely adorable, the material is really nice and feels sturdy. My initial impression is this bag will hold up to my daily gym trips. My favorite part? There’s pockets and they are roomy (keep reading to find out what I store in there!). The shoulder strap is adjustable for a perfect fit and there are THIRTY DESIGNS! I’m warning you; you’ll have a hard time choosing between all the awesome patterns, so be prepared to ohh and ahh over several before making a final decision. It fits the mat perfect without being too tight or too loose and is easy to load the mat thanks to the horizontal zipper. Then little leather tag gives it a posh look that I really like. I honestly couldn’t be happier with this bag, especially since I got it for under $15! These are fantastic if you already have a fitness mat and want to update your gym bag.

Locker Padlock

Whether you’re hitting the gym before work or headed there on your day off, we all have a few things we are throwing in the locker before we hit the treadmill. For me, it’s winter so I’m tossing my sweatshirt and wallet in the locker before heading out to get my workout on. I don’t want to worry about someone swiping my stuff, so I got this locker padlock and I’m really happy with it due to it being SO EASY to use!

I don’t know why, but traditional padlock combination locks always intimidated me. Probably because of all the Saved by the Bell episodes I watched where they struggled opening their lockers. Anyway, these locks couldn’t be easier to use. They are lightweight, cheap and come in five different color options, and you can choose between a one, two, or four pack. It fits perfectly in the pocket of my yoga mat for easy accessibility. It takes about half a second to snap this thing on the locker and you’re good to go. I got the four pack in gray. Kris uses one for the gym, and we use one each as a travel essential on the zippers of our backpacks. Setting your combination is as simple as setting the numbers to 000, turning the screw with the included screwdriver, and choosing your three top secret digits and voila, you’re done! I was so impressed I bought a few more as gifts for family members who have upcoming travel as they are TSA approved! You honestly can’t go wrong with these.

Music

Ok, so this is my splurge item. As a quick backstory, I used the Airpods daily. I wanted something that integrated well with my Apple music on my iPhone that was wireless and these fit the bill. However, with daily use, they hurt my ears and the battery life continually failed me. I know the charge time is pretty short for a few more hours of use, but it was annoying. I’m right in the middle of running and bam, my Airpods die. I skipped updating to the Airpods two because all they did was put the charge light on the outside case and make it wireless charging. I anxiously awaited the release of the Airpods Pro because I was sure the battery life would be extended, however, this was not the case. To say I was disappointed would be an understatement. Enter the Powerbeats Pro!

Apple owns Beats, so they integrate perfectly with my iPhone and Siri. They are super comfortable and the best part, they go for NINE HOURS before needing a recharge. Nine hours people! The over the ear design took me a minute to get used to as far as putting them on, but that was no biggie. These things are perfect! They are sweat and water resistant, sound quality is amazing and they do everything the Aipods do! I have actually grown fond of the over the ear design because I can do burpies, push-ups and anything else and these things aren’t falling out of my ears. The talk quality is great when you need to be on the phone in public but need your hands free (yes, I’m that lady at the grocery store with a cart full of groceries rescheduling her dentist appointment). BONUS: you can share your sound content with other Airpod or Powerbeat users! This means if you have an accountability partner at the gym, you can share your playlist with them and they can listen to the same songs as you at the same time while using their own earbuds! The only tiny thing that would make these better is if they were had the wireless charging feature, but that was a zero factor for me since I just charge them at night and take them with me during the day. I just keep the case plugged up at home. So, I give these a ten out of ten and although they are a bit pricey, they were worth it for me based on daily use and my general unhappiness with my current set up. They come in four yummy colors of black, moss, ivory or navy and sit right under $250. If you’re in the market for an update or are looking for a wireless music solution for the gym, these are the answer.

Wrist Weights

So I know I was being awesome pushing myself to learn to run and going to the gym, but it there was this nagging thought that always bothered me when I was running on the treadmill; my arms were super lazy! My legs, abs and lungs were working overtime and my arms were just kinda hanging out getting nothing accomplished. Who did they think they were? So I fixed all that and got some wrist weights so my arms could be toning while the rest of me was working out.

I mean, I’m already there, right? I might as well get the whole body workout. These are available in 1-3 pounds (I got the 1 pound because I’m a newbie to working out and need my arms to function the next day). They are comfortable and add that extra oomph I was looking for to make my treadmill time efficient. At $25, they are a good investment if you’re looking to tone your arms while using the treadmill.

Running App

Let me tell you something about myself. I have never been a runner. I wasn’t good at it, I didn’t enjoy it. In high school, I was absolutely miserable in PE when I had to run. I was so bad at it and it caused me so much discomfort that I actually thought there could be something in my genes that prevented me from being a runner and that I just wasn’t cut out for running. What a silly thought! As I became older and… well, I’ll just say it; squishier, I started researching the best way to stay in shape and the number one recommended exercise was running. I started researching apps that could help improve running because I knew I’d need some help. I found the 5k Runner app and I would never had believed it, but I can actually run about 30 minutes now without stopping at 5.6 mph. It took me MUCH longer than the app recommended, because I told you; I’m bad at it, but I can do it! The app is supposed to be completed in eight weeks, but it took me more like six months to get there. I recently discovered they make a 10k app and a 5k Pacer app that helps you run a 5k faster once you conquer being able to actually run. This will be my next one starting in January to help me get to the 6mph mark of running which will take my jogging to sprinting. This app is about $10 and for me it’s been worth it increase my running tolerance and become more healthy. I am really happy with the results and encourage you to try it. It’s available in the App Store and Google Play.

So, what’s the gym item you can’t live without? Share in the comments!