Fitness clothing is meticulously designed to tailor your workout and activity, but is there real benefits? Aside from the obvious comparisons between wearing a pantsuit in comparison to running pants there are other benefits.
As we all know a lot of our attitude towards exercise is based on our own body image and confidence, especially when working out in public. Many women swear that when they put on a workout outfit that they believe to be flattering, appropriate and fashionable, they feel much more motivated to exercise. Especially for women taking an exercise class. Standing in from of a room of mirrors with nothing to look at but yourself and others around you can play havoc with your confidence and looking good can be the difference between getting fit and staying in bed with some pizza!
Other benefits of workout clothes are less psychological and more scientific. As mentioned before, you wouldn't work out in a pantsuit and blazer. Sportswear is designed to fit the contours of the body in a way that minimizes bulk and allows flexibility. Take an exercise like yoga. This is an activity that requires a lot of flexible movement from the body and therefore a form-fitting stretchy fabric is essential not only to allow the body to move without restriction but to make sure the pose or movement is performed correctly.
Another instance where workout clothing can really affect your workout is within the realm of sports bras. Women can experience pain and discomfort when vigorously exercising without any support for their chest and a sports bra can be the answer to this. Women with larger chests have often complained that they cannot exercise like a man for example but once they have found the appropriate sports bra they feel much more supported and able to move freely. Sports bras are made in a variety of intensities also making each one appropriate for different exercise and sports.
Arguably most important is footwear in exercise. The body takes on a lot of strain when exercising especially when running or playing sports. The knees and joints are very important to keep healthy and therefore the right shoe is essential. Sports shoes are also tailor made to enhance specific activities. Running shoes are very supportive and can come with a lot of cushioning whereas hiking shoes will have a lot more grip and ankle support.
Different fabrics also enhance our workout to help reduce and disperse sweat. This keeps the body more free of toxins and keeps us cool as we exercise.
Workout clothing can really make a difference to a workout both mentally and physically, when we look good we feel good and when we feel good we look good. With a little help from our sportswear, we can achieve both.
