Bag Inventory
Use bags by equipment type and environment, not one bag per discipline. The default setup is five bags, with only three active most weeks.
Recommended setup
| Bag | Use for | Kind of bag |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Karate / martial arts | Medium duffel |
| 2 | Dance / acro / yoga / ballet | Lightweight dance tote or backpack |
| 3 | Swimming | Waterproof swim bag |
| 4 | Gymnastics / cheer tumbling / acro safety extras | Compact gear duffel |
| 5 | Everyday movement notebook kit | Small backpack or sling |
This gives enough separation without creating ten half-empty bags.
1. Karate / martial arts bag
Bag type: medium duffel bag, ideally with a shoe or wet compartment.
For:
1Shotokan Karate
2Kickboxing side practice
3General martial arts classesKeep inside:
| Item | Notes |
|---|---|
| Karate gi | Main uniform |
| Belt | Keep it in the bag or in a dedicated pouch |
| Towel | Small training towel |
| Water bottle | Refill before class |
| Mouthguard | If kumite/kickboxing needs it |
| Hand wraps | For kickboxing or bag work |
| Light gloves | If relevant |
| Flip-flops/slides | For changing rooms |
| Small first-aid pouch | Plasters, tape, blister care |
| Notebook card | One small card for post-class notes |
Why separate: karate gear is bulky and can get sweaty. A duffel keeps the gi, belt, towel, and protective gear together.
2. Dance / acro / yoga / ballet bag
Bag type: lightweight dance tote or slim backpack.
Avoid a huge duffel unless acro rock’n’roll classes require lots of costume or shoe changes.
For:
1Ballet
2Yoga
3Acro rock'n'roll
4General dance/mobility classesKeep inside:
| Item | Notes |
|---|---|
| Ballet shoes | In a small shoe pouch |
| Dance socks / grip socks | Useful across dance/yoga |
| Yoga strap | Small and versatile |
| Small towel | For sweat or floor work |
| Water bottle | Light bottle preferred |
| Hair ties / clips | If relevant |
| Light warm layer | Dance warm-up top/hoodie |
| Deodorant | Small travel size |
| Notebook card | Dance/acrobatic corrections |
Optional:
| Item | When needed |
|---|---|
| Knee pads | Acro or floorwork |
| Resistance band | If the teacher uses one |
| Theraband | Ballet foot/ankle prep |
| Toe tape / blister pads | Ballet/dance shoes |
Why separate: dance, yoga, and ballet gear is lighter, cleaner, and more delicate than martial arts gear. It should not live with gloves, wraps, or wet swimming items.
3. Swimming bag
Bag type: waterproof swim backpack or mesh swim bag inside a waterproof tote.
Best setup:
1Waterproof outer bag
2+ mesh pouch for wet items
3+ dry pouch for phone/walletFor:
1Swimming
2Pool sessions
3Recovery swimmingKeep inside:
| Item | Notes |
|---|---|
| Swimsuit | Ideally always packed |
| Goggles | Consider keeping a spare pair |
| Swim cap | If needed |
| Towel | Microfiber towel saves space |
| Flip-flops/slides | Pool deck |
| Shampoo/body wash | Travel size |
| Wet bag | Essential |
| Plastic/mesh pouch | For cap/goggles |
| Lock/coin | Depending on pool lockers |
| Earplugs/nose clip | Optional |
Why separate: swimming gear is wet and chemically exposed. It should never share a bag with the gi, notebooks, ballet shoes, or electronics.
4. Gymnastics / cheer tumbling / acro gear bag
Bag type: small gear duffel or structured tote.
This is not necessarily for every session. It is for classes where extra support items are useful.
For:
1Gymnastics concepts
2Cheer tumbling
3Acrobatics
4Acro rock'n'roll extrasKeep inside:
| Item | Notes |
|---|---|
| Wrist supports | If needed and approved by coach |
| Athletic tape | For fingers/wrists/ankles |
| Knee pads | If floorwork or acro needs them |
| Ankle brace | Only if already used |
| Chalk bag | Only if used in that environment |
| Spare socks | Useful |
| Small towel | Training towel |
| Compression layer | Optional |
| First-aid mini kit | Tape, plasters, blister care |
Why separate: acrobatics and tumbling gear often includes braces, tape, chalk, knee pads, and support items. These can make the dance bag messy.
5. Everyday notebook / movement study bag
Bag type: small backpack, sling, or tech pouch.
This is the brain of the Personal Movement Atlas.
For:
1Notebook study
2Reading
3Class notes
4Library/cafe study
5General planningKeep inside:
| Item | Notes |
|---|---|
| Main notebook or tablet | Personal Movement Atlas |
| Pen / pencil | Always packed |
| Small index cards | For corrections after class |
| Headphones | For watching technique videos |
| Charger / power bank | If using tablet |
| Book of the month | One book only |
| Folder | For printed syllabi/resources |
Why separate: study materials should stay dry, clean, and portable. Do not put the main notebook in a sweaty duffel or swim bag.
Final recommendation
Use five bags:
11. Medium duffel - Karate / martial arts
22. Lightweight tote/backpack - Dance, ballet, yoga, acro rock'n'roll
33. Waterproof swim bag - Swimming
44. Small gear duffel - Gymnastics, cheer tumbling, acro safety extras
55. Small study backpack/sling - Personal Movement Atlas notebookOptional simplification
Use four bags:
11. Martial arts duffel
22. Dance/yoga/acro backpack
33. Swimming bag
44. Notebook backpackThen keep gymnastics and cheer tumbling extras in a packing cube inside the dance/yoga/acro backpack.
Preferred operating pattern
Five bags, but only three active most weeks:
1Karate duffel
2Dance/yoga/acro bag
3Swimming bagThe tumbling gear bag is occasional. The notebook bag is the everyday study kit.