You’re hopefully still committed and excited about pushing yourself towards new fitness goals this year. While most people start breaking their New Year’s resolutions at this time, you can soldier on and keep up with your new gym routine.
One of the ways to make the experience better is wearing the right gear. Not only can correct clothing, make the gym experience more pleasant and comfortable, shopping for new items can add that extra motivation you might be looking for. Since we don’t all do the same things at the gym, how can you ensure your clothing is on par with your exercise routine? Here are a few tips to different gym occasions and the kind of clothing you should wear.
HIIT
High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is a popular gym routine. For your HIIT, you want comfort and support from your sports gear. The right kinds of shoes also make a big difference, so look for aerobic shoes or basic sneakers. Nike has a great selection of sneakers. You can opt for a loose t-shirt and tight leggings or sweatpants. Women should pay attention to finding the right sports bra, as HIIT requires plenty of support to your frame.
Weight Lifting
You might also be heading out to the gym to lift some weights. If this is the case, you need something airy and comfortable. Loose-fitting items are the best, since you don’t want everything glued to your skin during lifts. Sweatpants are a great pick, with Under Armour offering a great variety of clothing. Furthermore, opt either for a t-shirt or a sports top, but don’t pick long-sleeved versions. You can also find supportive gear to help maintain your composure. A weight lifting belt to keep those back muscles in check is a great accessory to get and you definitely want to shop for lifting gloves to ensure your hands don’t get blisters.
Yoga
Yoga styles come in a number of different methods from Ashtanga to hot yoga. Luckily, the clothing is rather similar for all. The key is to opt for tight-fitting, but flexible clothing. You can find special yoga pants from brands or you can opt for basic sports leggings. If you are going to a class with a higher temperature, then pick a tight fitting sports top or vest. If the yoga session is not as steamy, you can find yoga T-shirts and long-sleeved shirts from quality brands. Even if you take structured yoga classes, you might want to consider getting your own yoga mat to ensure you can do yoga at home as well and rely on a personalised experience at the class with your own mat.
Dancing
If your gym routine is more about moving, such as dancing or doing aerobics, you need something funky, yet functional. Shorts are a great option for dancing. You can pair that with a basic t-shirt and great aerobic shoes. You can keep the bottom loose, but add support for the upper body, especially if you are a woman.
The basic rule
The above should hopefully provide you with some insights as to what kind of clothing works for what exercise. Nevertheless, the golden rule of buying gym clothing is ensuring you feel comfortable as soon as you put the clothes on – they shouldn’t be a distraction. You can also test the clothing out at home by doing the moves you would during your routine. If you don’t notice any issues with the clothing, then you are good to go. If you are constantly tweaking them or you feel like they are about to break or fall off, you need to keep shopping.
Where to buy
If you don’t want to spend a lot of money to shop for your gym clothes, be smart with your shopping choices, look for quality products. A store- houseoffraser.co.uk regularly has campaigns to cut off prices on online purchases and still have a large collection of sports brands and clothing. Furthermore, if you can, don’t be afraid of bulk offers – gym wear doesn’t last forever and if you encounter a good sale, you can ensure you buy a year worth of goods at once; saving money in the long run.
The above represents some of the basic essentials you need to add to your gym wardrobe to make exercising more fun. Focus on comfort and don’t be afraid to add a bit of personality with the designs and colours – just ensure functionality is your main concern, not how the clothes look!