Packing for early morning workouts

[zephyr]

Hi All,

Not sure if this should have gone on the packing list forum.

I tried to go to the YMCA tonight. It's January, and they're so busy they're using overflow parking in a neighboring business. I went in and 125+ cardio machines were all being used; the weight room wasn't any better. Anyway, so I'm contemplating working out before work.

Does anyone in these parts do this regularly? If so, do you shower there as well and then head to work, or do you go home beforehand? It's only two miles away from where I live, so it's not necessarily a huge time benefit.

And most importantly, on a TB-note, how do you pack your clean/dirty clothes for the gym? If I were to do this regularly, I'm guessing I'd need a system for bringing clean clothes as well as packing unclean clothes. Maybe a PCSB for dirty clothes? Would it fit a towel as well? Then everything in a DLBP?

Thanks!

[PaulT00]

I don't generally go to a gym these days, but I do practice hot yoga - not as regularly as I used to, alas, nor as regularly as I should.

I have done gym workouts early in the morning in the past, and generally I would wear workout gear or scruff order to the gym while carrying work clothes (casual, in most cases) in a suitable kitbag. For formal workwear at one time I used a separate lightweight suit carrier and simply packed a suit, shirt, tie in that on their hangers, then carried two pieces of luggage into the gym. Then shower and change at the gym before going on to work.

For hot yoga I tend to take clean stuff (mat towel, towel, shorts, clean clothing for later), shower after class and then bring the dirty (and wet!) stuff home in the same bag but contained within a dry sack. The dry sack seals the nasty and wet away and prevents it from besmirching the rest of the contents and the bag (I'm using a Night Flight Travel Duffle and a non-TB 8 litre dry sack, which is just big enough, but obviously whatever works from a content volume point of view for what you need). A suitably sized TB Travel Stuff Sack might do as well, as long as the workout clothes (and/or towel, depending on whether one brings one or hires one at the gym) are not likely to be wet and soak through the container during the day.

The only downside I have found to using a dry sack is that if one happens to forget the dirty (and/or wet) stuff, hazmat gear may be required to deal with the contents when one eventually does remember it...

[sarah_atx]

I take my gym clothes in a Packing Cube Backpack. I keep my shoes in the bottom compartment and clothes in a packing cube in the main section of the bag. It might work pretty well to put your dirty clothes in the bottom compartment of the PCBP. It's separate from the other section so I'd feel okay putting sweaty stuff in there. I don't work out before work because of the shower dilemma.

[investigator]

The only downside I have found to using a dry sack is that if one happens to forget the dirty (and/or wet) stuff, hazmat gear may be required to deal with the contents when one eventually does remember it...

This is totally me, and therefore I never close up wet or gross stuff in a bag of any kind. As much as I love my TB bags, I keep my damp gym stuff in a cheap cotton tote bag in my car. It stays open so it doesn't get even grosser if it sits there all day, and I can toss the whole tote into the wash from time to time if it starts to get funky.

I don't have a great gym system though -- in part b/c I go at different times and from different places depending on the day of the week, so I'm also looking for ideas to streamline the clothes part of things.

[Pokilani]

I regularly workout 4 days a week before work. My gym is about 4 miles away so I just go to the extra early class (5:30 am, leave by 5:15 and home by 6:30) so I can easily go home and get ready, walk my dog, etc. Personally, I find it a hassle to pack up clothes for work, shoes, toiletries, etc. Plus, you might need to fight for a locker, shower, space for getting ready, etc.

Once I week I meet my running group after work, but I just drive home afterward so I only have to deal with worn work clothes, which tend to not be as gross.

If I were going to leave damp clothes for the day, I'd go with an open bag like a shop bag, maybe with a towel on top so it keeps the smell at bay until you can get things in the wash at home.

[kayaking]

I wear my gym clothes to rowing studio (no shower there), shower at work (I work at a university that provides commuter shower), and walk across campus to work. I carry work clothes, small shower kit, and towel in a large shop bag. Wet/dirty go in extra large wet bag (for cloth diapers) before placing in the bag. I can fit everything except my shoes in the shop bag. Since I carry a maker's I toss my sneakers in here, wear my boots to/from gym& showers and keep dress shoes in my office. I mostly commute by bus or walking so the few days I drive I replenish my lunch meals and shoes.

[GrussGott]

Thought I'd bump this thread for few thoughts on using TB bags to work out!

Having tried bringing bands, etc for quick hotel room workouts (I don't like going to gym), i've settled on body weight and using my TB bags Before I get into how, what brought this to mind is a new bag out there getting some press which both works as a normal bag, but also uses refillable water bladders for weight for in-room workouts:


Using refillable bladders is a cool idea, and I've been using my TB bags in a very similar way: I typically buy 1 gallon water jugs when on a trip, so I just buy a few extra, put them in the bag, and then do various exercises in-room (any unopened I leave). Works great! but i'm not happy about the bottles ... so I've also used my scrubba inside of a TB bag but ... well, it's a bit scary even though I've never had a problem ... so I don't always do it.

What would be super cool @Darcy if is TB sourced some secure bladders in various sizes that fit various bags! Maybe they wouldn't be high volume items but would be great for us road warriors that need to stay on a routine.