Accessories · Floor kit
Headphones, belts, straps and grips: the lifting kit that helps and the kit that is theatre
The accessories on a premium gym floor, from £30 lifting straps to £300 earbuds. What each does, when it is warranted, what to spend and the small pile that covers 95 percent of members.
Updated September 2026 · Prices are UK RRP and need verification · Some links are affiliate links
The floor kit, rated
| Item | Price | What it does | Who needs it | Our pick | Skip if |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Headphones (earbuds) | £150 to £300 | Music; secure fit under sweat | Everyone who trains alone | Beats Fit Pro, Powerbeats Pro 2, Jabra Elite 8 Active, AirPods Pro 2 with foam tips | You do classes only |
| Lifting belt (4in leather or lever) | £60 to £150 | Bracing support for heavy squats and deadlifts | Anyone lifting above ~80% of max | Pioneer, Inzer, SBD, Rogue | You are not yet lifting near your max |
| Lifting straps | £10 to £25 | Grip assistance on heavy pulls | Rows, RDLs, heavy deadlifts | Rogue, Gymreapers, Ironmind | Grip is what you are training |
| Wrist wraps | £15 to £40 | Wrist stability under press | Heavy bench and overhead | SBD, Gymreapers | Anything under bodyweight press |
| Knee sleeves | £40 to £90 | Warmth and mild support | Heavy squats; knees that ache cold | SBD 7mm, Rehband 5mm | You squat light |
| Liquid chalk | £6 to £10 | Grip | Deadlifts, pull-ups | Any | Club bans it (many do; ask) |
| Grips / gloves | £15 to £40 | Palm protection | High-volume pull-ups, kettlebells | Versa Gripps (grips); skip gloves | You lift with a normal grip |
| Lifting shoes | £100 to £220 | Raised heel for squats | Olympic lifting, deep squats | Nike Romaleos, adidas Adipower, TYR L-1 | Flat trainers already work |
| Resistance bands | £15 to £35 | Warm-up, assistance | Everyone | Any set | Never |
| Foam roller / massage gun | £20 / £150 to £400 | Soreness | People who enjoy it | Roller; Theragun only if you will use it | Budget matters; the roller does 80% |
UK RRPs September 2026; verify. Many premium clubs supply belts, bands and rollers on the floor; check before buying.
The pile that covers most people
Earbuds that survive sweat, a pair of straps, a set of bands and a £20 roller. Under £250 with good earbuds, under £80 without. Everything else is for a specific stage of lifting or a specific problem.
Belts, honestly
A belt increases intra-abdominal pressure so you can brace harder; it lets you lift a little more and protects the back a little on heavy sets. It does nothing for sets you could do without it and it is not a substitute for learning to brace. Buy one when your working squat or deadlift passes roughly 1.25 times bodyweight and you have the technique to use it. Leather prong or lever, 10cm wide, 10 to 13mm thick; £60 to £150 buys a decade.
Headphones on a gym floor
Fit matters more than sound: an earbud that slides out under sweat is useless. Hook or fin designs (Powerbeats, Beats Fit Pro, Jabra Active) stay in; AirPods Pro do with foam tips. Transparency mode is worth having so you can hear someone asking to work in. Over-ears are fine for lifting, hopeless for anything else.
What the club already has
Premium clubs stock belts, bands, rollers, mats and often straps on the floor. Check the equipment list before buying; owning your own is about hygiene and habit, not access.
FAQs
Common questions
Do I need a lifting belt?
Not until you are lifting heavy, roughly 1.25 times bodyweight or above 80 percent of your max, and can brace properly without one.
Are gloves good for lifting?
They reduce grip feel and callus formation is fine. Straps or grips solve the actual problem, which is grip fatigue on heavy pulls.
Which earbuds stay in when you sweat?
Designs with ear hooks or fins: Powerbeats Pro 2, Beats Fit Pro, Jabra Elite 8 Active. AirPods Pro 2 hold with third-party foam tips.