The Be More Shonen Beginner Gym Kit

The Be More Shonen beginners gym kit for anime fans and cosplayers

When people start fitness the invest in the wrong things

Worrying about the glucose in your banana when you’re not tracking calories is misplaced energy.

Worrying about your perfect fat and carb intake when you’re not hitting the minimum protein recommendations is misplaced energy.

Worrying about the perfectly periodised weight training split and hitting your abs from all angles when you won’t invest in a belt and some microplates is misplaced energy.

Here’s some things that are legitimately worth investing in when it comes to fitness that will pay off way more than their financial worth.

All these links are affiliate links or links to products that I made myself

Why lifters love Dragonball: the average Naruto fan vs the chad dragonball enjoyer

The Entire DragonBall Manga
DragonBall fans tend to be 200% more jacked than their Naruto counterparts. Get volume 1 here.

Goku wearing squat shoes. Dragonball 59 jacket cosplay

A Decent Pair Of Squat Shoes
Raised heel shoes can be a game changer for squatting. They make it easier to hit depth by reducing the ankle flexibility required to prevent coming off onto your toes and have a strong stable surface, allowing you to drive more power from your feet. I use ADIDAS powerlifts, click here to check them out.

Creepy movie sonic cosplay wearing the puma shoes from the movie (or a close fit)

A Decent Pair Of Running Shoes
If you're going to do cardio of any variety it's a good idea to get a decent set of trainers. Trainers need to be soft enough to prevent your feet from getting battered from the impact, basically the opposite of squat shoes. I use ASICS, check them out here. The shoes in the above photo are custom Nikes made to look like Sonic shoes.

Jotaro converse from Jojos Bizarre Adventure

Alternative To Both: Converse
I accept that a lot of people are not in a rush to run out and buy two pairs of shoes to get started in fitness. Totally fair too, I find a good in-between for this purpose are Converse shoes. Cushioned sole but with a flat shoe. Check them out here. The image above was a special Jojo X Converse collaboration and look very nice 

Wrist wraps are important if you want a body like goku

Wrist Wraps
I've seen people brag about not using wrist wraps before. Saying that they don't count personal bests when they had to use them, this is a mistake. Wrist wraps PREVENT injury, they don't add a considerable amount of weight to the bar. Benching or squatting heavy weight puts a lot of pressure on your wrist, these help provide support. A lot of wrist wraps don't add enough support and are more or less useless, these are the ones I use.

Goku benching pressing with Arnold using chalk

Chalk
Similar to wrist wraps, I've also seen people say chalk is cheating. All it does is dry out your skin so the bar doesn't slip out of your hands, that's it. Your muscles are a lot stronger than your grip, and your grip gives out before your muscles do. Don't let that happen, get some chalk here. I also won't laugh at you if you get gloves, they pretty much do the same thing. Each to their own, but chalk trumps gloves because gloves jack up your grip gains. But if gloves are more your thing, this leather pair are a good choice.

The benefits of using squat sleeves, lift like a Saiyan

Knee Sleeves
Good knee sleeves will add a bit of weight to the bar, but that's not why they're worth having. They help keep your knees warm and stable, preventing injury and providing support. A lot of them are too thin to provide significant support, so these are the pair that I suggest.

Why belts make you stronger when lifting; why strong anime characters wear belts

10mm Weightlifting Belt
Belts allow you to lift more weight by increasing pressure in your abdominal muscles. This is particularly good for squats and deadlifts because by strengthening your core with a belt you're able to lift more weight in the target muscles. It doesn't necessarily prevent injury, but I do think it can contribute by allowing you to brace properly. A lot of belts don't do much of anything, so this is the one I use.

The importance of using microplates if you wanna get as jacked as an anime character

Microplates
I've seen people disrespect microplates too many times. Microplates are AMAZING for making progress. 2.5kg jumps eventually get too huge to make, and by adding 0.5kg instead you can still make linear progress each workout. The only problem is that most gyms don't have microplates, they only go down to 1.25kg which is still a bit big to be making consistent jumps so it's worth getting a set. All of my weight based programs are crafted with microplates in mind. Unfortunately due to the pandemic and artificial increases in price as it comes to weighted gym equipment, they have become annoyingly expensive. This is the cheapest complete set I could find. Alternatively, you could make your own using washers and weighing them out into 0.25kg single pieces attached to the bar with dog chains.

Anime protein powder uk

Protein Powder
I have never come across anybody who's found it easy to get their total protein in when they start training. It's always a major dietary struggle. The simplest solution is to just get a protein powder and use it to hit your numbers. 4 scoops tends to take care of it (which also gives you your daily recommended calcium too). Whey concentrate is affordable and the best option if you ask me, I think all the blends and gainer versions are a total waste of money. For Whey concentrate, I user hover between brands like bulk and myprotein depending on what deals are available.

Anime hydration featuring foo fighters and ndoul from jojos bizarre adventure

A Gallon Hydrator
I recommend drinking a half to a gallon of water every day. The easiest way of doing this is to just fill up a gallon hydrator each morning and make sure it's finished by bedtime. This one here that I currently use actually has times printed on it, which is incredibly useful.

Smelling salts give you the Saiyan strength of an anime character

Smelling Salts
As you may or may not know, my programs tend to always have a 'limit breaker' set. A set where you go all out and not hold anything back. To get myself psyched for those lifts, I use smelling salts to increase alertness. Use sparingly for your first time, you don't need a lot and they will blow your head off. I use Strength Shop brand.

anime gym clothes for bodybuilders and cosplayers

Active Wear
You need active wear that isn't restrictive if you want to take fitness seriously. Shorts/joggers and a vest/tee. If you're here, you probably like anime or video games. I created an anime inspired fitness collection here.

anime gym bags

Gym Bag
You need something to put all your gear in. I have started to design anime inspired gym bags here.

Super Saiyan Six weight training and diet fitness book for anime fans and cosplayers

The Super Saiyan Six
My novice program that can actually carry people to elite lifting numbers if they stick to it and believe in it. Start here, I mean it when I say you won't find a better novice program and it's free for subscribers.

Remember that none of this is strictly necessary. You can get by with no equipment, an awesome diet, whatever clothes are comfortable, and your own effort. But these things do make it a lot easier to make progress and I use every single one of these products. Pick and choose from this list that you feel fits you, or ignore it completely. There should never be a financial barrier to fitness, it can be accessible to all. 

Have a nice day my friends and always remember: Be More Shonen