10 Summer Gym-Bag Essentials Philly Fitness Pros Can’t Live Without
All of a sudden, summer just kind of … happened. And perhaps — juuust perhaps — you’ve found yourself slightly unprepared: deodorant-less when it is MUCH needed, rocking a sweaty bun all-too frequently or just generally at a loss for what you need in your gym bag to make it through your post-workout day — in one fully functioning piece.
In an effort to tackle this issue, we chatted with 10 Philly fitness pros and asked them to dish on the one gym bag essential they simply can’t live without in the summertime. From hair and skin products to on-the-go workout equipment, below you will be able to take a peek into how Philly’s top trainers stay on top of their game during summer. If you’re anything like us, you’ll copy them.
Katie Gould, KG Strong
The gym-bag essential I can’t live without in the summer is: Perform Better Mini Band
“A funny truth is that I put a blue mini Perform Better band in my bag, which is actually a glorified fanny pack (the super cool kind), for when we go down to the shore and I don’t have equipment with me. I first discovered these bands while in physical therapy for my strained IT band. You can get a great glute workout with a mini band, performing band-resisted glute bridges, clam shells, lateral lunges, etc. The best part? You can do them anywhere, including the beach!”
Dana Auriemma, Freehouse Fitness
The gym-bag essential I can’t live without in the summer is: Burt’s Bees Intense Hydration Nourishing Facial Water
“The summertime heat makes our studio workouts even sweatier than usual so I wash my face several times a day, in between all of the classes I teach — which can really take a toll on your skin. This Nourishing Facial Water from Burt’s Bees is now my favorite summertime essential because it softens and restores the pH balance of your skin, so my face can handle hours of sweat every day and lots of washing in between!”
Mark Donohue, Unite Fitness
The gym-bag essential I can’t live without in the summer is: Gymnastic Rings
“Summer, to me, means working out outdoors. But since that usually entails a run, I like to keep it light. Gymnastics rings make it easy to get a solid pump — all you need is a tree or a bar! I like the wood option as they feel better on your hands and aren’t as heavy as plastic/metal.”
Mariel Freeman, Three Queens Yoga
The gym-bag essential I can’t live without in the summer is: Soapwalla Deodorant
“This is literally the BEST deodorant. And, as an added bonus, it’s all natural. It’s seriously a miracle product. We carry it at Three Queens and it’s probably our bestselling item. It’s long-lasting, but for super -ong and sweat-filled days, it’s a gym bag, yoga-bag or any-cute-bag essential.”
Amandah Povilitus, Flywheel Sports and Incline Running
The gym-bag essential I can’t live without in the summer is: An ultra-hydrating drink
“In the summer, we’re constantly in need of hydration. Being a fitness instructor and a beach bum, that goes double! I ensure that I always have a refreshing, hydrating drink in my bag (sometimes two). My favorites are water with lime, fresh basil and/or mint (which grows everywhere in the warmer months!), coconut water, or a smoothie made with hydrating ingredients like watermelon and cucumber. My favorite and simple summer drink is created by blending half a watermelon, one lime, a big handful of mint, and four to five ice-cubes made from coconut water.”
Fabiana Ferrarini, Fit with Fabi
The gym-bag essential I can’t live without in the summer is: Curls Lavish Curls Moisturizer
“As a mom of two, I am always tight on time. I have to make sure that I make it to the gym, then start my run arounds like grocery shopping, paying bills, school picks ups, etc. But after my intense workouts, my curls tend to get frizzy and it’s totally not a cute look. In my gym bag, I’ve managed to squeeze in a few of my all-time favorite products to help me go from a gym-sweaty look to a sporty-errand day. My number one product is of course a hair product — to manage my wild curls and bring them back to life, I use a curl moisturizing spray from Curls. A spritz here and there and —voila! — my curls look hydrated.”
Jayel Lewis, JL Fitness
The gym-bag essential I can’t live without in the summer is: Sunglasses
“Running from place to place can be exhausting, and even more so if the sun is shining bright like a diamond in your face — I do my best to wear sunglasses that have polarized lenses to protect my eyes from UVA and UVB rays. ”
Patrick Rufo, Rufo Optimal Workouts
The gym-bag essential I can’t live without in the summer is: Mobility WOD’s Supernova
“For the summer (and my annual family vacation in Ocean City, New Jersey) my absolute must-have is Mobility WOD’s Supernova. The Supernova allows you to roll, smash, and work out all of those tight muscles from training, work, and life — and it easily fits in any travel back or suitcase. Vacation at the shore is all about ‘recharging’ yourself, and the this helps by mobilizing and resetting your body while you relax.”
Perry OHearn, Philly Phitness
The gym-bag essential I can’t live without in the summer is: Onnit Shroom Tech
“My go-to gym bag essentials are a bit unique. I’m a creature of habit, but also a minimalist, so the few things I bring, I bring every time. Among these items, I always have Onnit Shroom Tech to give me an always-needed energy boost”
Jordan Hankins, The Fit Complex
The gym-bag essential I can’t live without in the summer is: 321 Strong Jumprope
“I like adding one-minute spin intervals at the end of my kettlebell flows and bodyweight workouts to burn more calories before taking recovery. I take this jumprope everywhere with me and often store my liquid chalk and mini bands in the jumprope bag as well.”
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