Branded clothing and fancy water bottles have been named in a list of workout accessories you don’t actually need to achieve your fitness goals.
Exercise experts from Vivotion.com have urged fitness fans to focus on the quality and quantity of their workouts rather than their designer image and tech fads.
The specialists have reminded gym-goers that splashing cash on items such as silly shoes or sweatbands could be a waste of money that should be invested more wisely elsewhere.
A spokesperson for Vivotion.com said: “It’s no good having all the fitness gear but no idea about the purpose for exercising, which should be to constantly strive for peak performance.
“Despite marketing to the contrary, image conscious clothing and appealing accessories won’t make you fitter, faster or stronger.
“Health improvements gained from going to the gym are almost entirely down to the effort you put in, rather than the kit you take with you.”
Here is the Vivotion.com list of items that gym-goers can probably do without:
1. Branded clothing
Is pulling on the sharpest designer sports fashion and taking a big hit in the wallet before heading to the gym or exercising really going to make you go the extra mile and burn a few more calories?
Whilst parading the latest logo up to the weights or treadmill might make you feel more at home, the truth is clothing brands will have no impact upon performance.
As long as your apparel is appropriate for exercising in, the rest of the changing room will be fairly unlikely to notice if you’re wearing last year’s supermarket shorts anyway.
2. Sweatbands
Wearing a sweatband or two at least shows the positive intent to get a sweat on, but sliding tight elastic around your wrists or forehead could actually make you feel uncomfortable while you’re working out.
Fitness fans putting some serious effort in should instead consider simply taking an old towel with them for brow mopping duties, avoiding the cost, potential impediment and ostentatious look of sweatbands.
3. Fancy water bottles
Refilling an old plastic water bottle is a perfectly practical, cheap and environmentally friendly way to make sure you have vital hydration on the go.
Specially made sports water bottles are an unnecessary and expensive way to carry your water around, whilst some technological additions are completely pointless.
British tap water is safe to drink without a filtration device, whilst a bottle that claims to tell you when you’re thirsty seems a little unnecessary.
4. Silly shoes
Trainers that offer sufficient support are all that fitness fans need to make the most of their time spent exercising.
As long as you don’t open your locker to find two left feet, a substantial sole, cushioned in-sole and flexible lacing – in the correct size and width – will have you well on your way to a productive workout session.
Shoes with digits and footwear like plimsoles and sandals probably won’t offer feet enough support for pounding on treadmills or playing sports, whilst there’s almost no protection if you were to step on something sharp or drop a heavy weight.
5. Wearable technology
Is tracking your steps or tracing your heartbeat actually going to make your workout any more productive?
Fitness fans should consider their objectives and the impact wearable tech can have upon them in reality before investing in gadgets or apps.
It’s only worth counting your steps if the running tally encourages you to do significantly more, or tracking your pulse if it’ll make you put more effort in.
6. Gym albums
It’s hardly worth investing in new audio material to accompany your gym session, even if fast and loud music is claimed to be more motivational.
Wise fitness fans should instead save their money and stick to their favourite playlists or podcasts to keep them entertained while exercising.
Most modern gyms will have the radio on anyway and TVs dotted around the building – some machines even have screens built in nowadays, to catch up on your favourite shows while working out.
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