Here's why your activewear matters while working out
What's the story
With innumerable fitness brands offering a huge variety of gym wear, yoga wear, and sportswear, it often confuses us which kind of material we need for what purpose and whether we need different clothes for different activities at all. Why not exercise wearing your regular home clothes? Co-founder of a popular fitness brand, Krishna Chandak, shares his inputs on why the right clothing matter.
Specifications
The right clothes translate to better performance
"Wearing the right fitness gear engineered for durability, range of motion, and support in all the right places translates to better performance," explains Chandak. "A basic training kit includes the correct pair of athletic shoes, apparel, and appropriate innerwear irrespective of your training level." With progress, you gain insight into your body's requirements, you'll want to put more thought into fabric specifications and support.
Different apparel
Your outfit should be directly related to the fitness activity
Each fitness activity comes with its own requirement of apparel. For example, running apparel should have a more snug fit, whereas Crossfit demands a more relaxed style. "Look for quick-drying technical fabrics that will pull sweat away from your body. "Cotton isn't the best sweat-wicking fabric, although newer, advanced cotton blends work well for shorter training sessions and yoga," suggests Chandak.
Purpose
Fabric material and breathability
"For rigorous workouts like HIIT and weight training, opt for activewear crafted with seamless technology with clever contouring for enhanced breathability and chafe protection. "Avoid too much elastane in your fabric blend to prevent over-clinging; even though small amounts are vital for a good four-way stretch to ensure no-holds-barred movement - you don't want to feel like you're wearing a spacesuit," recommends Chandak.
How to choose
What is the purpose of expensive gym wear?
Price does not define quality; but good quality, high-performing fitness apparel commands a premium price. "As a general rule, always prioritize comfort, performance, and durability over any current 'athleisure' trend. "Make sure your gear provides support and a good range of motion to respond to whatever your specific training demands," Chandak suggests on how to choose the right fitness wear for exercising.
Investments pay off
Look at high-performance wear as an investment
Ultimately, your workout apparel is a performance tool that can give you the motivation and confidence to go the extra mile or pack in an extra rep. In the era of smartphones and electronic gadgets, would you dare to downgrade? If you're a beginner, you can always stick to the basics but soon, high-performance wear will start to matter and the investment pays off.