Sports Towel: Which Towel for the Gym?

Why do you need a towel at the gym?

In most gyms, you don’t just need a towel to dry off after showering, but also one for your workout itself. For hygiene reasons, you are only allowed to use the equipment if you place a towel underneath you to prevent sweat from being left behind. This makes things more pleasant for the next users and also protects the equipment from being affected by sweat. By the way, you should use a towel even if you’re training in long clothing.

What you shouldn’t use your towel for: reserving equipment. This is already considered impolite on beach loungers, and it’s just as frowned upon in the gym. If you’re taking a break, free up the equipment for others – and if a machine is occupied, simply switch the order of your exercises. This helps avoid long waiting times and ensures everyone gets a chance to use the equipment.

Sports towels with special features

There are now specialised gym towels with loops or magnets so they can be attached to exercise machines. Small pockets for a locker key or membership card are also popular. However, if you already have training trousers with pockets or keep your membership card in your phone case, you can easily do without these extras.

Material and texture: as thin as possible or thicker and more absorbent?

Lightweight yet highly absorbent microfibre towels are often used as sports towels. However, they also have some drawbacks: the thin material and smooth texture are not comfortable for everyone, and they may slip more easily on gym equipment. In addition, synthetic fibres can be problematic for the environment, and these towels should only be washed at lower temperatures – which isn’t ideal after a workout.

More practical are slightly thicker, absorbent terry towels made of cotton or a cotton blend. Collections such as MÖVE PIQUÉE or MÖVE BLISS are ideal for your fitness routine, as their pleasant textures provide grip and help prevent the towel from slipping during exercise.

What size should a gym towel be?

For placing on equipment, you don’t need to bring a full bath or shower towel to your workout, as neither you nor the machine needs to be completely covered. A towel measuring around 50 × 100 cm is perfectly sufficient to cover the seat or bench so that no sweat is left behind. For the post-workout shower, however, a larger towel or bath towel is recommended.

Always remember to take your towel out of your gym bag after your workout and allow it to dry before your next session. If you’ve sweated heavily, it’s best to put it straight into the wash to prevent unpleasant odours from developing.

For sports other than strength or cardio training in the gym, different types of towels may be more suitable. You can read more about soft and practical training companions here: Which towel for which sport?