Dress for success is more than just a tagline for business professionals. For fitness enthusiasts, it should be a way of life. What are the key factors to consider when choosing workout clothes?
1. Think Safe Comfort
Comfort and safety are the two things that matter the most in workout clothing. If you are not comfortable, your effort will suffer and your exercise will be less effective.
People sweat whent their heart rates to up, so look for material that wicks moisture to keep you comfortable. Avoid cotton because it absorbs sweat leaving your clothes feeling heavy and damp
Make sure what you put on is loose enough that you can move but fitted enough that you don’t put yourself at risk. Long shirts can get caught in machinery, for example. Loose fitting pants can trip you up as you run.
The Department of Health and Human Services reports there are 8.6 million sports and recreation accidents every year, improper clothing is bound to play a role in some of them.
Exercise is all about movement, but the wrong clothes make moving around stiff and embarrassing. Wear something that allows you to comfortably change positions.
A 2012 study published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology suggests that clothing has a direct impact on how you feel about yourself and your performance. That’s the theory of enclothed cognition. You'll feel more inspired when you wear the right clothes.
One of the hardest parts of choosing workout clothes is dressing for the weather. When going outside in cold temperatures, wear layers. You can pull layer by layer off as your body warms up.
For warmer weather, choose breezy fabrics that are also absorbent.
What is perfect for yoga class might not be the right choice for weight lifting. Cycling shorts are for bike riding and running tights are good for a jog but if you switch them around, you'll notice.
Dressing for fitness success won’t keep get you in shape but it will help you feel good while you work to get there.