Up your game in the gym with a few stylish pieces of kit
As we head into March, you might have been able to sustain that New Year's desire to stick to your resolutions and get a handle on your love handles, but that commitment might be beginning to wain a bit as we get that grand stretch in the evenings.
There are a few ways to stick to your resolutions, and one of them is to reward all that hard work you've done so far by getting yourself some new slick kit to wear to the gym. It can give you a little boost and it also makes you feel good to get out of the XXL t-shirt and down into one that actually fits you...and doesn't smell so bad that the rest of the people in the gym keep a safe distance of 4 metres squared from you at all times.
With that in mind, JOE is looking at giving our workout wardrobe a bit of an overhaul with a few pieces of kit that are both practical and stylish from
our mates at Littlewoods Ireland.
There's plenty to choose from when it comes to exercise gear, but one of our favourite brands at the moment is Under Armour. Their stuff is pretty cool, and it performs well in both hot and cold conditions, depending on what range you get, and this
base layer top (€39) is perfect for wearing if you're jogging outside or going to and from the gym while the weather is still cold.
One of the most important pieces of kit that you'll have is your shoes, and they can make a huge difference not only to comfort but also to injury prevention and making sure that you have the right support throughout your exercises. Asics are a reliable brand when it comes to making good quality runners, whether you're going to be doing plenty of jogging or hitting the weights in the gym, and we think these
GT 1000 trainers (€124) will not only do the job but they don't look half bad either.
Getting to and from the gym in the lovely weather that we can expect here at the end of Winter/beginning of Spring/all of Spring/into Summer means that we should invest in a rain jacket, which will be particularly important if we're doing any outdoors running or training, and this
Adidas number will fit the bill nicely (€40, reduced from €58). Add to that these
shorts from the same lads (€27)and you should be set for anything from five-a-side to a workout.
Finally, you're going to need somewhere to store all of this stuff if you want to hit the gym, so a kit bag is going to be essential. It needs to be big enough to fit everything from your towel to your runners and your protein shake without being so big that you could fit two members of your family inside, and it needs to be comfortable in case you're throwing it on your back on the bike or taking it on the bus. We think this
simple but classic Adidas bag (€59) is fit for purpose, and even has a dry/wet storage compartment to keep your shower gear from getting everything else wet.
That should have you kitted out nicely for the next few months at the gym, and without breaking the bank either.
