A few years ago, when fitness was still just a way to get your body moving and Arnold Schwarzenegger was an actor who had to train because of his movie roles, nobody who visited the gym cared about the clothes they were wearing. You’d just put on your old trackies and shirt your mum (or wife) so desperately wants to get rid of and you’d hit the running track or the iron racks. And you’d sweat like a pig, go home, throw the clothes in the washing machine while she’s not there hoping she won’t throw them away if she sees them one more time. Yup, that was how things went before bodybuilding and healthy lifestyle took over the world and changed everything. Now, you pack those old pieces of clothing in your backpack and use them only, and just only, if you’re going on a training session that includes some serious damage to your equipment. And even then, you’d give it a thought.
There’s nothing strange or bad about it actually – it’s part of the evolving process of the industry, and we should be happy it turned out so. Because as it seems, the fitness wear you choose for your training sessions can have a lot of positive benefits for your confidence, motivation and performance. Also, today’s technology has evolved so much that now you can have leggings or shirts that absorb sweat and don’t let smell out, and even those that burn fat! And not to talk about how good you’d feel wearing a set of fitness wear designed for training. Confidence level – sky high.
So, which pieces would make a training combo that will be stylish and effective at the same time?
The shirt
Cotton, cotton and only cotton! Yes, other sturdy materials can be a good choice for an exercising shirt, but cotton feels just like heaven to your skin. When you sweat, you need a material that will allow your skin to breathe, not clog the pores and cause all kinds of skin discomforts and rashes. And cotton is the best option for this – it allows you to sweat freely. Plus, it’s very easy to maintain.
The trackies
As a man, trackies are the thing you’d choose as the most comfortable and suitable option. They’re wide and they don’t offer that level of discomfort like leggings do for example. These should also be made of cotton, or another material that won’t clog pores and make you feel like you’re drowning in your own sweat.
The hoodie
The hoodie is the piece of clothing you want to own not because it will serve you a purpose during your training, but because it will boost your confidence when you see yourself wearing it. It’s the type of clothing that accentuates your upper body, and the cap simply adds up to the whole vision. However, don’t look at the hoodie as an accessory clothing; you’d rely heavily on it in winter and autumn, so make sure it’s made of comfortable and skin-friendly material. And of course, match it with your trackies.