What do you wear when you workout at the gym or at home? Is it a loose shirt, baggy trousers and the same bra you wear around the house all the time? If you answered yes, you are missing out on all of the weight loss benefits that proper sportswear or gym clothes for women can provide.

Why? Well, it’s simple. Well-made sportswear has an active effect on not only on your physical performance, but also on the results you get. Advancements in clothing technology have led to a slew of sportswear that not only makes you look good, but also serves a functional purpose.

Activewear vs. Sportswear

Contrary to popular belief, sportswear is not the same as activewear even if they carry similar implications for most people.

Activewear is a piece of clothing that allows you to transition from a workout routine to casual wear. Some of these include leggings, pants, parkas, hoodies and other pieces that can pass as everyday attire. The clothing is often made from fabric that is comfortable and doesn’t impede daily activities.

Sportswear on the other hand is designed specifically for sports engagement and is designed to enhance performance in the gym and out on the field. These are often made with light fabric and boast distinctive designs that are specific to certain sports. Most sportswear is also water resistant and stretchable to accommodate for extended movements and to make performance comfortable.

The choice between the two relies on the activity you wish to take part in. Women’s activewear is perfect for people who go to the gym regularly, but sportswear is ideal for athletes who take their fitness and weightloss regime extremely seriously and go to the gym every day. 

How Sportswear Improves Athletic Performance

Here are the top ways proper sportswear enhances athletic performance:

Keeps The Wearer Fresh And Comfortable

Working out regularly can help you keep your body fit and trim for any sport you take up. As an athlete, you don’t have a choice especially if you want to play professionally. Sweating is part of the package and as a regular visitor to the gym, you are used to it.

Sweating is our body’s natural way of cooling down and the more we sweat, the more satisfying our workout is. However, that doesn’t mean you have to suffer and suffocate in silence as the sweat builds up. This is where the moisture wicking capabilities of sportswear prove invaluable.

The material is made of a special blend of synthetic materials that are designed specifically to tackle sweating issues. They do that by drawing sweat to the surface of the material thus allowing it to evaporate. Otherwise, the sweat just accumulates on the skin which traps heat since it is not exposed to the air. Plus, sweat can also cause skin conditions.

The material of sportswear is usually breathable, light and dries fast so it doesn’t retain moisture which can otherwise make it damp and uncomfortable during and post workout.

Chest Support Reduces Breast Pain And Discomfort

As a female athlete, you know that picking the right sports bra is tantamount to a good workout and to improve performance. That’s why gym clothes for women has to be more than just good looking, it has to offer real time  benefits that can translate well in the field and in the gym. 

If you wear a standard bra when you workout, you will feel immense pressure on your breast tissue especially during high impact exercises. This can cause breast pain and sagging which can worsen with time.

The thing is when you exercise, so do your breasts. They move in a figure eight pattern when you jog or run rather than just bouncing up and down irrespective of the size of your breasts. The consistent and aggressive movement can cause irreparable damage. It can stretch the skin, ligaments and tissue of the breasts which can affect their elasticity thus losing shape with time.

A good sports bra will restrict the movement of your breasts by compressing or encapsulating them or both. The snug fit reduces strain on the breasts by providing completely support thus reducing sagging. The right sports bra will also restrict their movement which will protect your breasts from high impact sports.

Allows Full Range Of Motion

Well designed gym clothes for women or sportswear gives the wearer full range of motion that they need to maximize workouts and perform at their absolute best on the field. The material also allows them to improve their technique and feel more comfortable. So when you are trying out sportswear,

Protects You From The Elements

Appropriate sportswear can not only improve your performance, it can also prevent you from getting sick. Compression wear for instance can regulate your body’s temperature and prevent you from catching a cold when your internal temperature changes rapidly as you work out.

Similarly, gloves can protect your hand while you are cycling and a long sleeved sports shirt can protect your skin from the harmful rays of the sun. By choosing sportswear that can protect you from the weather, you can maintain your body temperature which will prevent illnesses.

Reduces Risk Of Injuries and Enhances Recovery

As an active athlete, you have already contended with your fair share of injuries. However, small ones can be avoided with appropriate sportswear that is designed to reduce risks of injuries. Most fit snugly on the body for a very good reason – so they don’t get caught in say a treadmill when you are running at top speed. The right sportswear can also prevent your muscles from cramping up by stimulating blood flow.

Sportswear applies pressure to the body which reduces muscle vibration when you are working out. Think of it like the shock your legs and feet get when you are running. Overtime, these vibrations add up and result in muscle fatigue which can make your legs feel wobbly and weak. Naturally, this will affect your performance negatively which can also lead to serious injuries if say your legs give out in the middle of a workout.

The compression affect of sportswear can also get rid of lactic acid faster which can otherwise cause pain and make you stop before you reach your performance goals for the day. All of these benefits add up resulting in faster recovery time once you are done working out.

Boosts Confidence

Gym clothes for women that look and feel good can do more than increase performance, they can also boost confidence. If you look the part, performance comes naturally. On the other hand if you feel self conscious in the clothes you wear to the gym (such as a stained shirt and a pair of baggy pants), you won’t even look at yourself in the mirror.

What is great about sportswear is that there is a range of styles and colors you can choose from. So if you want to customize your gym outfit, you will have several options to choose from. Choose from a variety of fabrics, colors, styles and fits to boost your confidence in the gym tenfold.

How To Choose Appropriate and Performance Enhancing Sportswear

The aforementioned benefits of sportswear may not be apparent from the first impression you get of an outfit. Here are some features you should look for that can ensure you get those benefits and more:

Choose the Right Material

Not all sportswear is made equal. The materials you choose will have a significant impact on your performance. Some of the materials you should go for include:

Polyester

Polyester gym clothes for women are incredibly durable and can wick moisture fast. It is also quite lightweight and breathable which means that sweat evaporates quite quickly. However, despite its lightness, the material is a good insulator which means it will prevent spikes in temperature as your body undergoes rigorous training.

Just make sure that you wash the material thoroughly after each use. The material can become a breeding ground for bacteria and mold otherwise. Polyester sportswear is suitable for all kinds of workouts and can be worn in any kind of weather.

Polypropylene

Like polyester, polypropylene is also quite durable and will keep you dry whether you are working out in misty or humid conditions. The material is almost completely water proof so it makes an ideal base or outer layer.

Polypropylene is ideal for you if you workout outdoors irrespective of the weather outside. It can keep you dry in sleet, rain and in highly humid conditions.

Nylon

Nylon is not only known for its moisture wicking properties, it is also known for the stretch it offers. It flexes as you move and returns to its pre-stretched state and size when you relax. That is why most sports bras, shirts, leggings and cold weather sportswear is made from it. Like polyester, it can also be worn in all weather conditions and works for all kinds of workouts.

Spandex

Spandex or Lycra is known for being extremely stretchable and moisture wicking making it ideal for people who do workouts that involve a large range of motion. This includes yoga and weight lifting. The synthetic fiber is quite common in skin tight gym clothes for women such as sports bras and leggings but the materials is also used to make boxer briefs and socks. That’s because it can stretch eight times its usual size which allows unrestricted and comfortable motion.

However, spandex can lose its stretch with prolonged use and if you toss it in the dryer after washing it. It should always be air dried to ensure it lasts for years.

Choose The Right Sports Bra

As mentioned, gym clothes for women are incomplete without inner support that an authentic sports bra can only offer. Many women wear the wrong size and unsuitable models for the type of breasts they have. That is why you should always try them out before buying them. Here are some things you should keep in mind:

• The material should be breathable. Boob sweat can accumulate quite fast and can cause you to heat up prematurely during a workout.
• Make sure it is not too snug. You should be able to slide two fingers under the tape around the cups and the back.
• Make sure your breasts remain in place when you are wearing it. Jump and run to test whether the bra keeps your breasts steady to allows them too much movement.
• Make sure the fabric doesn’t twist up on you. This can happen during a run or rigorous workout session. A kink in the fabric can impede blood flow which can prove dangerous.
• Make sure you can breathe when you are wearing the bra. If you have trouble inhaling and exhaling, it means the bra is too tight.

Also keep in mind that compression bras are for small breasts i.e. a size A or B cup. If you have a larger cup size (such as a size C or D), make sure that the bra you choose does not tighten too much around your breasts. However, it shouldn’t be loose enough to allow them free movement either. It should keep both separately in place as your work out.

In Conclusion

The right sportswear can improve your workout and performance out in the field which can prove invaluable to you as an athlete. Whether you choose women’s active wear or sportswear, just make sure that you choose wisely. The consequences of making the bad choice can be dire.