To a true fitness enthusiast, a workout can be good, or it can be bad, there is no middle ground.
A person living a healthy lifestyle will do whatever it takes to squeeze out more power, more energy, and more adrenaline during their workouts while staying safe, cool, and flexible throughout the movements.
That is where proper training apparel plays a pivotal role. You see, clothes are not just to show off your dedicated fitness freak, they need to serve a functional purpose, and help you become better, faster and stronger than your yesterday self.
Here is why fitness clothing matters, how different sports benefit from different types, and how you can step up your own fitness game by rocking the right set of threads.
Boost your self-esteem in style
Fitness clothes were envisioned, designed and made to fit amazingly on your body and accentuate your flattering features while concealing those “under construction” areas as much as possible until you’re ready to reveal them yourself.
This is an enormous confidence booster (1) in the weight room, on the track or at the park. No matter where you train, whether you’re pumping iron or trying to beat your time, the flexible, fitted fabric does not only elevate your performance but makes you feel good about yourself as well.
Stay cool, stay dry
The problem with summer training is that it’s almost impossible to exercise without soaking your clothes completely in sweat and feeling like you’re about to pass out at any moment. Conversely, the winter months can get extremely cold, preventing you from warming up properly and performing your best.
Fitness clothes are designed to keep you cool and dry during the summer, and warm and dry during the winter. Depending on the clothing range and the season, they can be made of thin, breathable materials for those hot summer days, or thicker, sturdier, yet elastic fabrics to keep you warm and flexible during those cold winter months.
Wear protection
Exercising in just any old piece of clothing is not only impractical, it can also be dangerous for your health. Regular clothes, no matter if they are baggy or fitted, don’t have the capacity to keep you warm or cool depending on the season, and more importantly, they are not compressive enough to provide ample support to your joints and muscle tissue. This can lead to injury down the road.
It is crucial to wear fitness-specific clothing such as compression leggings or shorts, sturdy weightlifting shoes for traction, support, and strength, as well as accessories such as wrist wraps and knee sleeves to lock everything in place. Remember, you should never let your clothes hinder your progress or put you in harm’s way.
Increase performance
Different sports benefit from different types of clothing. If you love cycling, you would greatly benefit from wearing cycling clothes and not just riding in your regular t-shirt and shorts.
Likewise, running requires you to reduce the amount of air resistance against your body, so you’re better off wearing compression clothes paired with running shoes, as opposed to your regular all-stars.
As for the weight room, different types of fitness clothes can serve different purposes, so if you’re training for strength, compression should be your number one priority. If you’re training for aesthetics, then something more open that allows for maximum range of motion is best.
Recover faster
Finally, fitness clothes can significantly speed up your recovery process by supporting blood flow, keeping you safe and healthy, and by keeping your muscles warm and fired up. There’s nothing worse than waking up the next day with muscle soreness so bad that you’re unable to get out of bed, let alone walk down the stairs.
You can greatly influence the severity of muscle soreness by switching your baggy gym clothes for fitness apparel and thus allowing yourself to train longer, harder and with confidence. Pair those benefits with the benefits of proper rest and a healthy diet, and there will be nothing stopping you from reaching your goals.
Breaching plateaus or even sticking to your fitness dreams is not always an easy task. Before you get discouraged, be sure to act upon these valuable insights and you will have no problems building a stronger, healthier, and happier You.
