Your Guide to Technical Workout Clothing
You can find any excuse not to work out. You don’t have time, you’re too tired or you don’t know where to start. Don’t let the wrong clothing be another excuse.
Having clothes specifically created for when you exercise can make a big difference in your success or failure. You have clothes for business, clothes for the beach and clothes for sleeping. The right clothes for the activity you are doing can help put you in the proper mindset to start and enjoy your next 8fit workout.
You don’t need a lot of technical clothing, an outfit or two will do just fine. Here we will talk about the basics. The benefits of wearing technical clothing, what to look for when choosing clothing to work out in and how it can help you perform better the next time you get sweaty.
The benefits of wearing technical clothing
Prepares you for your workout.
Having clothes specifically for when you workout will help put you in the right frame of mind for getting exercise. No excuses not to workout once you are changed and ready to go.
Regulate body temperature.
Sweat wicking fabrics use microfibers to wick sweat away from your skin and bring it to the surface of the fabric where it can evaporate. This helps you regulate your temperature while working out and keeps you cool. Staying cool will help you work out harder. 8fit workouts push you and make you sweat, so any cooling advantage your clothing can give you will be well worth it.
Prevent itching and rashes.
Once you’ve sufficiently crushed your workout, you don’t want to feel lingering sweat for the next few hours. When you stay in wet, sweat drenched fabrics, like cotton, that don’t wick moisture away from your skin you are more prone to itching and rashes associated with staying in damp workout clothes. Wearing performance fabrics can help prevent breakouts during and after your workout.
Keep stinky sweat at bay.
Did we even mention the smell factor? Polyester tends to hold onto smell. Some performance fabrics such as wool and bamboo are created to reduce or eliminate odors altogether. These are great for wearing to those workouts where you can’t shower afterwards. They also help keep your clothes from stinking even after you wash them.
What to look for in fabrics when buying workout clothes
So what’s the right fabric for you? The type of fabric you work out in is the top thing to look for when choosing exercise clothing. What you choose will either wick sweat, move with you or keep you odor-free. Some fabrics do all of the above.
Wool
This fabric keeps you cool in summer and warm in winter. It’s excellent at preventing blisters. Wool is made of natural fiber with tiny pockets of air that provide insulation and breathability. It’s ideal for year-round workouts. Just get a winter-weight top for colder months and a thinner blend for warmer summers. Perfect for when you take your 8fit workouts outside!
Spandex (also known as lycra)
With 8fit’s HIIT workouts you are always bending, twisting and rotating. You need a fabric that can perform under these conditions. Spandex is strong and elastic. It’s an excellent choice for workout apparel because it moves with you and then retains its shape. It is found in workout tops and pants and for good reason. It molds to the shape of your body and dries quickly.
Polyester blends
Often polyester is found blended with spandex. Polyester is a synthetic material. It’s durable, wrinkle-resistant and nonabsorbent. Moisture will evaporate instead of being absorbed by the fabric. This is found in many different exercise clothing brands.
Bamboo
Naturally wicks away sweat and breathes with you. It allows air to flow through and cool you down. Bamboo is also antifungal and antibacterial, keeping you clear of germs and helping to keep odor at bay. If you have ever tried out clothing made with a bamboo fabric you probably already know how soft it is. It feels great against your skin. Bamboo fabric is often blended with spandex to give it stretch.
100% Cotton.
This fabric dries slowly and gets heavy when working out. Since it can hold many times its weight in water, it is not ideal for workout clothes. When your clothes are heavy and wet, you can’t enjoy your workout and may get a rash or irritation.
You may see a blend of cotton mixed in with other performance fabrics like spandex or polyester. A blend may be ok to wear because the other fabric will wick away the moisture that cotton cannot.
How the right clothing can help you perform better in every workout
How you perform determines how effective your workout is. When you aren’t thinking about what your clothes are doing, you can instead think about your form, reps and the muscles that you are working during your training. The right clothing will:
Prepare you to sweat. Think of workout clothing as your uniform. When you suit up you will be mentally preparing yourself to work out and getting in the right mindset for goal crushing.
Keep chafing at bay. Wear longer pants if your thighs rub together or purchase wool socks to help prevent blisters.
Have reflective elements for safety. When working out outside or running on the road at night it’s important to be visible.
Think of everything. Think bike shorts with padding, cord management systems and key pockets. Some even have pockets to hold your phone.
Keep you safe. Exercise clothing is meant to have a tight fit to keep you from getting caught in machines, your bike spokes or stepping on your own clothing during 8fit’s signature burpees!
Make you feel empowered. A pair of pants or a shirt that makes you look good and performs can help you enjoy your workout without worrying about your looks. It may seem vain, but it isn’t. When you look good your mood is boosted and this helps you enjoy your workout – even if it is at home! Plus – your post-workout selfie will look amazing #KillingItWith8fit
How new gear can help you work out harder and motivate you
When you feel good about yourself and how you look, you will be more confident to try new things in your workout. Take squats for example. You can now squat lower because your gear is made of stretchy Lycra and you no longer have to worry about a seam ripping. Even with home workouts you want to be able to workout without ruining your everyday clothes.
Or perhaps a new pair of workout pants is your reward for pushing hard the last few weeks, levelling up with 8fit and reaching your goal of losing 5 pounds. Use new gear as an incentive to set and reach new goals.
Where to find technical clothing
You can get technical clothing almost anywhere. Online shopping is an easy way to find the right items. Brands like Icebreaker, Smartwool, Nike, Lululemon, Tasc Performance and Adidas all make excellent items in all fits, styles and fabric blends. You can look for items in store and even save money when you buy items at the end of the season. Winter clearance sales are the perfect time to stock up on wool blends at a fraction of the original cost.
Comfort is what truly matters
In the end, you need to be comfortable in what you work out in. So give a few different fabrics a try and find what works for you. You don’t have to break the bank to get good gear. Find a few key pieces that motivate you, keep you comfortable, wick sweat, allow you to move easily and prevent any discomfort and you’re all set to nail your next 8fit workout.
