5 Benefits of Wearing the Right Workout Clothes
Working out is hard.
When you’re pushing yourself to the limit of what your body can take, you need every little advantage you can get in order to push through. That’s why, the last thing you want is having to deal with clothes that are uncomfortable, draped in sweat, or unsuitable for the activity that you’re doing.
Luckily, today’s sportswear technology has improved by leaps and bounds compared to what was available just a decade or two ago – the comfort and benefits that modern sports attire available for everyday sports enthusiasts can offer is something that even the best athletes could only have dreamed of.
But how exactly can the right workout clothes help you get the most out of your sessions?
Well, read on below and we’ll explore five of the biggest benefits that something as seemingly simple as wearing good workout clothes can offer.
Moisture-Wicking
Some people think that specialized sports attire is unjustly priced and doesn’t make a real difference, but those that have tried workout clothes with moisture-wicking technology would beg to differ.
When you try it for the first time, the difference can be shocking – instead of being bogged down by the weight of your clothes that quickly become draped in sweat, you feel light during the entire workout, no matter how difficult, as all of your sweat evaporates, leaving your clothes dry and comfortable.
The technology also helps to keep your body cool, so you’re getting multiple benefits that allow you to maximize your performance and stay just as ready for challenges at the end of the workout as you were at the beginning.
But how does moisture-wicking work?
Well, basically, the process uses specially-designed hydrophobic fabrics that rely on two fundamental principles – they push out the moisture to the outer layers of the fabric, and then they quickly dry and evaporate it, keeping the clothes, and you, dry.
The opposite of moisture-wicking sportswear would be cotton, which may seem light when you put it on before your workout, but quickly becomes soggy and heavy because it soaks up all of your sweat.
Even something as seemingly inconsequential as choosing the right soccer socks can have a huge difference because you want your feet to be able to breathe throughout the entire game.
Protection from Harsh Weather
Another essential aspect of quality sportswear is its ability to protect your body from weather elements such as heat, cold, rain, wind, or humidity.
Without proper clothing, you’ll have a hard time surviving hot temperatures or cold weather, as your body won’t be properly insulated and will have to not only withstand your rigorous workout regime but also exert energy trying to keep your body’s temperature stable against the influence of your surroundings.
Specialized clothing can warm you from the cold weather during winter while simultaneously wicking sweat and ensuring that your body remains dry and primed for the best performance.
At the same time, when you’re exercising outdoor under a scorching sun, your only protection is sunscreen and UV-protective clothing that will not only protect you from harmful sun rays but will ensure that your body can effectively cool itself.
The best and most dedicated athletes can’t allow their workout routine to be disrupted by even the most extreme weather, and luckily, with the right clothing, you should be able to handle almost anything that the hottest summer days or chilliest winter mornings could throw at you.
Comfort and Range of Motion
The primary purpose of sportswear has always been to provide an exercising experience that’s comfortable and without restrictions to the range of motion.
And if you’re running a marathon or spend hours on a bike, you probably already know too well how serious the consequences can be if you choose the wrong attire – the bruising and chafing from wet and sweaty clothes rubbing on your skin for hours can prevent you for exercising the next time, so you need to take all the necessary steps to ensure that doesn’t happen.
You need sports clothes that offer an ideal, tight fit while also offering the maximum range of motion for all the movements that your sport requires. Often, materials like Lycra or spandex can be a good option for maximizing flexibility, although you should figure out which fabrics work best for your sport.
The important thing is to choose clothes that work for you, your workouts, and your body type – always try out workout clothes before buying them because you don’t want to have to deal with issues once you’re out training.
Durability
If you exercise regularly, you probably already know how quickly sports can leave their mark on the clothes you wear, and that’s especially true for regular clothes like t-shirts, which can become loose and permanently stained even after just a few weeks of intense training.
The damage to the fabrics from sweat alone is something that most regular clothes aren’t designed to handle, so those that try and get by with their old t-shirts often find that they not only hinder their performance but become unusable very quickly as well.
Workout clothes are designed to withstand sweat and wear from active usage, as well as various weather elements and countless washes, so even though they may seem pricier initially, once you consider that they will last you much longer, the investment becomes a sound decision.
In the end, you get what you pay for, so when you buy that brand-name sports gear, you can at least trust that it won’t tear after the first few workouts.
Faster Post-Workout Recovery
Today’s sports clothes are designed to not only help you perform at your best but also to help you recover from even the most grueling workouts as quickly as possible.
When you’re burning calories and pushing your body, your muscles receive a huge influx of oxygen trying to keep up, and as a side-effect, lactic-acid can build up, which can cause pain and fatigue for days after the workout has finished.
But with the help of cutting-edge compression clothing, you can improve blood flow to your muscles and reduce the buildup of lactic acid, helping you recover much quicker and be fully ready for the next workout.
Even if you don’t use specialized compression clothing, you can still reap the benefits by simply wearing sports clothing that isn’t loose and has a tight fit without constricting your movements, as that will still help reap some of the same benefits that can help you get the most out of your muscles during every single workout.