Gym Bag Essentials: Pack These For your Best Workout

Let me firstly preface by saying none of these items are absolutely essential for a great workout. However, if you’re reading this chances you’re an aspiring or competitive physique athlete looking to maximise their progress in the gym.

We know our results are built through the fundamentals, being quality training & nutrition applied overtime, however for those wanting to improve their competitive edge, the small one percents can make a huge difference, especially when accumulative over many months & years.

For bodybuilders and powerlifters alike, training accessories are more than just optional extras, as they can improve performance, extend careers, and add precision to the quality of every rep performed.

Below, we explore six key accessories that can meaningfully improve strength and hypertrophy outcomes, supported by the latest research & strong physiological rationale.

1. Knee Sleeves

Knee sleeves, typically made from neoprene, provide compression, warmth, and proprioceptive feedback to the knee joint. Mechanistically, they may increase joint stability by enhancing cutaneous sensory input and reduce discomfort during deep flexion (Machek et al., 2021). Additionally, the compression may offer a minor elastic recoil at the bottom of the squat, potentially improving concentric force production.

Research shows that 7mm neoprene sleeves can improve squat 1RM by approximately 3%, likely due to a combination of mechanical support and increased confidence under load (Machek et al., 2021; Maynart et al., 2024). However, other studies report no significant effect on muscle activation or joint kinematics (Bennett et al., 2021), suggesting the benefits are mostly perceptual and task-specific.

Best for: Movements that encourage deep knee flexion such as squats, lunges & leg presses. Anecdotally I’ve also prefer to wear them on leg extensions for improved knee comfort/support.

2. Wrist Wraps

Wrist wraps offer rigid support for the wrist joint, helping to maintain a neutral alignment during high-load pressing. Biomechanically, they reduce excessive wrist extension, which may decrease strain on the wrist flexors and improve force transmission through the kinetic chain.

While studies show wrist wraps do not significantly enhance 1RM or bar speed (Harris et al., 2024), they do improve perceived wrist stability (Harris et al., 2024). This stabilisation may reduce discomfort and increase focus on pressing mechanics, especially under maximal loads.

Best for: Pressing movements (bench press, overhead press, dips etc.) as well as exercises that force wrist extension such as a BB back squat.

3. Lifting Straps

Lifting straps are used to support grip during heavy pulling exercises, enabling greater muscular fatigue of the target muscle groups. Mechanistically, they reduce reliance on the forearm flexors, thereby eliminating grip as a limiting factor. This allows higher loads, longer time under tension, and more reps to be completed, which can drive hypertrophic adaptation.

Jukic et al. (2021) reported greater bar velocity and reduced RPE during deadlifts with straps, while grip endurance was preserved. Additionally, 1RM deadlift performance improved significantly with strap use (Valério et al., 2019). Though forearm activation decreases, increased recruitment of lats, erectors, and glutes enhances total training volume for those muscle groups.

Best for: Hinges (deadlift variations) & shrugs, alongside pulling exercises such as rows & pulldowns.

4. Cable Cuffs

Cable cuffs allow for muscle isolation without the need for hand grip, making them ideal for lateral raises, flies, and glute-focused cable work. By removing the hand from the equation, cuffs alter the torque curve and reduce synergistic interference from grip or elbow flexors.

Though direct evidence is limited, biomechanical reasoning suggests that cuff use changes the moment arm relative to the shoulder, potentially allowing for more direct loading of the deltoid in exercises like lateral raises (Hodder & Keir, 2012). Anecdotally and in clinical settings, cuffs are also used to reduce stress on the wrist and elbow joints in athletes with injuries.

Best for: Isolation movements such as side raises, cable flies, bicep curls, tricep extensions & glute kickbacks.

5. Weight Lifting Belt

Weightlifting belts work by increasing intra-abdominal pressure (IAP), which stabilises the lumbar spine during heavy axial loading. When combined with a proper bracing technique, belts increase trunk rigidity and reduce spinal shear forces, thereby improving force transmission from the legs and hips (Zink et al., 2001).

Research consistently shows that belts enhance bar speed, reduce RPE, and improve lifting efficiency in squats and deadlifts without diminishing core muscle activation (Zink et al., 2001; Medicine, 2022). They don’t cause hypertrophy directly but enable higher loading and better form during compound lifts, indirectly supporting muscle growth.

Best for: Movements that largely challenge trunk stability such as squat & deadlift, row & overhead press variations.

6. Headphones

Lastly, the most common gym accessory. This one may seem like a no brainer. Though not a physical support tool, music accessed via headphones exerts psychological effects that enhance resistance training performance. Listening to preferred, high-tempo music can stimulate the sympathetic nervous system, elevate arousal levels, and reduce perception of effort by inducing a flow state.

Ballmann et al. (2021) found that preferred music significantly increased rep volume and motivation during bench press training. Additional studies have shown improvements in power output and endurance when music is present, largely via central nervous system modulation and improved focus (Bartolomei et al., 2015).

Best for: Any workout requiring focus and intensity. Drum & Bass is my audio weapon of choice.

In Competitive Sport: The 1%’s Count!

Strength and hypertrophy are built on progressive overload, quality volume, and focused effort. But with the right gym accessories, you can train harder, smarter, and safer. From biomechanical aids like belts and sleeves to psychological enhancers like music, each tool has a role. Equip yourself accordingly, and you might just unlock new levels of performance.

References:

Ballmann, C. G., et al. (2021). The effect of preferred versus nonpreferred music on resistance exercise performance. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 35(6), 1504-1509.
Bartolomei, S., et al. (2015). The influence of music on exercise performance and psychophysiological responses. Research in Sports Medicine, 23(2), 234-243.
Bennett, H., et al. (2021). Effects of knee sleeves on squat performance and lower-limb muscle activation. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 35(12), 3451-3457.
Harris, K., et al. (2024). Wrist wrap tension and bench press performance: a randomized crossover trial. International Journal of Strength Training, 38(1), 56-62.
Hodder, J. N., & Keir, P. J. (2012). The effect of posture and upper arm elevation on shoulder muscle activity. Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology, 22(1), 191-196.
Jukic, I., et al. (2021). The influence of lifting straps on deadlift performance and fatigue. Human Movement, 22(3), 223-229.
Machek, S. B., et al. (2021). Effects of neoprene knee sleeves on back squat performance. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 35(7), 1931-1938.
Maynart, M. F., et al. (2024). Acute effects of compression sleeves on squat mechanics and perception of stability. Sports Biomechanics, 23(1), 49-57.
Valério, T. S., et al. (2019). Lifting straps and upper-body pulling performance: an EMG and kinematic study. Journal of Sports Science and Medicine, 18(3), 470-477.
Zink, A. J., et al. (2001). The effects of a weight belt on trunk and leg muscle activity and joint kinematics during the squat exercise. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 15(2), 235-240.