Successful men say they can't start their mornings without exercise. Their essentials include lots of Nike gear and ChatGPT.

Business Insider

2 days ago

No matter the industries they work in, successful men like to start their days with workouts.
While exercising, many of them opt for Nike clothes and accessories, as they told Business Insider.
Some also use technology like ChatGPT and Whoop wristbands to enhance their regimens.
Mark Wahlberg works out in gym sneakers that he designed. Lenny Kravitz opts for leather pants while lifting.
The rest of us stick with Nike shoes and Lululemon shorts.
That includes successful men across tech, finance, and other industries, who told Business Insider that they can't start their days without exercise.
Here's a look at their gym essentials, from popular clothes to expensive tech.
Antonio White, 38, uses technology to his advantage while exercising.
White is the founder of 480 Advisors, an executive brand development agency. He previously worked as a deputy assistant secretary of community engagement at the US Treasury Department.
Most days, he wakes up around 5 a.m. and makes time for a morning workout. With the help of ChatGPT, he combines strength training, walking, and yoga.
"People may laugh at it, but it gives me an opportunity to track my progress," White told Business Insider. "Instead of using a notebook like most people who go to the gym, I log it right into ChatGPT. I look at it as a virtual personal trainer."
He pays $20 a month for a subscription to the app and said he mainly uses it at the gym. He also uses YouTube for free workout videos.
"I finish my workouts with a core exercise," he said. "I usually find an influencer on YouTube who has a 10-minute video, and I'll put it on my phone and prop it up on a stand in the corner of the gym."
While working out, he wears a mix of Converse and Nike pieces.
White said he typically pairs an old concert T-shirt with $55 mesh Nike shorts to exercise.
"It's so basic, but I love Nike. It's my absolute favorite," he said. "The message of victory really appeals to me."
He also wears various Nike sneakers for some exercises, but swaps them out during strength training. He prefers Converse's $110 Run Star Hike platform sneakers.
"The shoes have made a big difference in my strength development," he said.
White uses Nike's $70 Elite Pro Basketball backpack to carry his sneaker options and other gear.
Bobby Mollins, 35, is loyal to Lululemon.
Mollins, a former Business Insider rising star in equity research, is the director of internet research at Gordon Haskett.
He exercises six days a week with routines that include stretching, cycling, strength training, and running.
No matter the exercise, though, he sports $78 Lululemon Metal Vent Tech T-shirts. He said they're more comfortable than any he's tried from competitors like Adidas and Ten Thousand.
For shorts, he alternates between two Lululemon options: the $78 lined Pace Breaker shorts for the gym and cycling, and the $68 unlined Pace Breaker shorts for running.
"I like the fit and various length options," Mollins said of the bottoms. "The lined shorts have a phone pocket, which keeps my phone from bouncing around, and it's also useful when walking my dog at night."
His exercise accessories include sunglasses, sneakers, and a running vest.
Mollins recently relocated to Miami, which led to some changes in his exercise gear. Namely, he added the $145 Salomon vest.
"I never had to use a hydration vest while living in New York City or Boston," he said. "But with the heat and humidity in Miami, the vest makes marathon training a little bit easier — especially on 20-mile days."
His $210 SR-1x glasses from Roka have become another staple. He said the shades are ideal for running and cycling, as they don't need much adjusting while on the move. He also appreciates the brand's customization options on its website.
Mollins uses a Peloton bike and a Garmin watch to guide and track his exercise.
Mollins often cycles on his $4,499 SuperSix EVO 3 bike. However, he prefers not to use it when it's icy in New York or on sandy roads in Miami.
That's where his $1,445 Peloton bike comes in. The device allows him to cycle indoors, while the companion app provides guided workouts.
"I use it all the time," he said of the latter, noting that he has a 129-week streak. "I frequently take stretching and yoga classes, and have done a lot of the meditations offered."
Additionally, Mollins likes to wear Garmin's $599 Forerunner 965 watch during all exercises. He uses it to track his workouts, heart rate, sleep, and more.
Samuel Garcia, 31, said he hasn't looked back after trying Hoka sneakers.
Samuel Garcia was named a Business Insider rising star of venture capital last year for his work as a partner at Amplo.
The first thing he prioritizes each morning is aerobic exercise, like biking, swimming, using an elliptical, or running. If doing the latter, he always wears a $30 Nike Dri-Fit top.
"I'm typically running five or six miles, and normal cotton shirts feel like they sometimes rub my skin raw," he said. "My Nike shirts have been pretty gentle on the skin, so I've appreciated that."
Another exercise essential he swears by is the $155 Clifton 10 Hoka sneaker. A doctor recommended the shoes to Garcia after he broke a toe, and he's been "extremely loyal" to the brand ever since.
"It was the first time I'd had a doctor recommend me any type of shoe, and I haven't had any issues since," he said. "I tried walking in other shoes and it was decently painful. But when I put the Hokas on, I felt little to no pain. So now I've been wearing them for years, kind of religiously."
Brannon Jones, 31, pairs his Lululemon athletic clothes with wearable tech.
Brannon Jones, another Business Insider rising star of venture capital, works at AlleyCorp. He usually wakes up around 5:15 a.m. and hits the gym by 6:30 a.m.
While there, he opts for high-intensity training that he's modified from his college football days — or he takes a CrossFit class.
"Even though I lift a lot, I like to wear a lot of running gear. I find that it's very light and I feel super mobile," he said, adding that Lululemon makes his favorite shorts and tank tops.
He also brings his Hydro Flask water bottle (with a $13 Wide Mouth Flex Chug Cap) to each workout, and wears his Whoop wristband and Apple Watch.
"The Apple Watch is so functional for workouts," he said. "You can time yourself, see your heart rate, all of that. The Whoop goes a little bit deeper in terms of helping me understand my longer-term strain and recovery."
Chase Dwyer, 28, prefers to keep his gym outfits simple.
Chase Dwyer founded Carbon Ridge, a company that develops carbon capture technology for the maritime shipping industry.
Speaking with Business Insider, he said fitness is a core part of his morning routine. Whether cycling, running, or visiting the gym, he often wears a $58 Tuvalu tee from Vuori with $75 Nike Dri-Fit shorts.
"It's simple," he said of his gym wardrobe. "Generally, when it comes to what I wear these days, I've reverted to things that take as little time as possible to think about, but still match my style and look good."
He also said he's "run through a number" of $220 4T2 weekdays sneakers, and carries any extra supplies — like his black Owala water bottle — in his $219 Db Journey backpack.
Modi Oyewole, 38, swears by Nike.
Modi Oyewole has spent his career working for athletic brands and record labels. Now, though, he's the founder of the golf community Swang.
He works out multiple times each week, spending three days with a trainer and using ClassPass options in between.
He told Business Insider that he wears a lot of Lululemon while exercising, but is an even bigger fan of Nike. He uses an oversize tote from the brand to carry his protein shake, water, and Crocs, and he wears Nike Metcons, which range between $155 and $175 per pair.