When heading to your next weight training session at The Athleticus, what should you be wearing?
“What to wear?” Regardless if it’s the first day of school, packing for a vacation, or picking out your clothes for the day, it’s a question we ask ourselves daily. Sometimes, what we should wear is in our employee or program handbook or even listed on a website page. We know yoga pants go with yoga or pilates, gymnasts and ballerinas wear leotards, and powerlifters and wrestlers wear singlets. But when heading to your next weight training session at The Athleticus, what should you be wearing? Outside of aesthetics, the importance of what we wear determines our function, performance, as well as our ability to recover.
Underclothing
One of the most important articles of clothing for women exercising is the sports bra. To protect the integrity of the breast tissue, the right sports bra is a must. Sports bras provide stability, support, and mitigate the impact of gravitational forces. Sports bras should fit snug; so knowing how to size yourself is critical. With a tape measure, measure the circumference of your chest, above the bust, to get your band size. For the cup, measure around the fullest part of the bust and subtract this number from the band size. A 1” difference indicates an A cup, 2” a B cup, 3” a C cup, and this continues up to 6” which is a F cup. Sports bras come in levels of support, low, medium and high. Low impact is suited for yoga, barre, walking, or stretching, while high impact is better for sprinting, kickboxing, dance, or HIIT.
Attire
When selecting your clothing, aim for items that are moisture-wicking and breathable. Cotton based clothing is lightweight and allows air to flow freely around your skin, aiding in temperature regulation. The downside to cotton is that it absorbs moisture quickly, so it’s not ideal if you will be excessively sweating or you get easily overheated. It’s best to wear a moisture-wicking cotton for regular or lighter intensity workouts, daily wear, and cooler temperatures. Polyester, a common fitness clothing material, moisture-wicking, lightweight, and breathable. It’s ideal for everyday wear, moderate intensity workouts. Poly-dri is a preferred fabric choice for its durability and moisture wicking, no matter the temperatures or workouts. Nylon, notably used in pantyhose, is a great workout fabric because of its flexibility, durability, mold & mildew resistance, quick-dry ability, and low moisture absorption. It’s ideal to be worn in any weather or workout conditions. At the end of the day, you should feel comfortable in what you are wearing and it should be durable and long-lasting.
Accessories
Next come the little things? Should I wear jewelry? How should I wear my hair? Shoes or no shoes? Socks or no socks? Can I wear my acrylic nails? There is a gray area for all of this and it’s all about personal preference.
Ideally, hair should be pulled back and out of your face. You wouldn’t want your hair getting caught under you or equipment, such as a barbell. Jewelry varies; rings for the fingers or toes, necklaces, anklets or bracelets, and earrings all come with varying risks. In the event of an injury, you don’t want to run the risk of having your circulation impaired, such as an injury to the fingers or toes while wearing rings. Necklaces and longer earrings run the risk of getting caught in equipment or even breaking. When it comes to nail length, the shorter the better. Remember you are gripping and using your hands often, which means the risk of breaking a nail is high or even causing an injury. You also want to consider any dirt or debris that you would need to clean from under your nails, especially after training.
Socks and shoes have varied opinions in recent decades. From a safety standpoint, closed toed shoes decrease the risk of ankle instability and protect the toes should there be an accident. However, training without shoes improves the proprioception and improves muscle recruitment. Socks absorb moisture and provide a sanitary environment for the skin, while going sockless allows improvements in sensory activation and motor recruitment. Socks and shoes also provide foot and ankle support depending on the amount of compression, height of the heel, and even thickness of the sole. If you are someone who has weak ankles, previous or current injuries, you may require the support to prevent further injury or you may train without them to get the rehabilitative benefits of motor recruitment.
Straps and bracing are preventative modalities to provide support and stability. Wrist straps are beneficial for those who have a weaker grip or history of wrist pathologies. They’re also beneficial when your aim is to lift heavy objects and obtain your personal records (PR). Straps vary from olympic straps, hook straps, to loop straps. Next is the ever popular waist belt, which helps improve performance by giving your core a proprioceptive stability cue. Belts are not considered injury prevention but they do provide the tactile cues to help lifters under tension increasing spinal stability and force production. Compression sleeves and braces, especially for the knees, ankles, or elbows are also commonly used. These items, like the other accessories, are meant for stability and comfort while training. Some can be bulky, while others are more form fitting. Whatever accessory you choose, make sure you investigate the pros and cons and also discuss their use with a personal trainer.
Lastly, wearable technology is another common accessory seen today and it’s easy to see why. The most common benefit is your ability to monitor your intensity through your heart rate or oxygen saturation. Even the simplicity of a watch allows you to track your recovery and working periods. Some wearables can even track your workouts, allowing you to log your sets, reps, and weights. Another benefit to wearable devices is that you can share that real time data with a coach or personal trainer who can help guide you in understanding and setting your training metrics.
Whatever your style is, make sure it’s functional. At the end of the day, what you’re wearing should improve your performance, not hinder it. What are your favorite or must-have gym items? Let us know the next time you’re training at The Athleticus in Gulfport, Florida.
References
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Association, N.-N. S. & C. (2015). Essentials of strength training and conditioning association, NSCA -National Strength & Conditioning. Human Kinetics, Inc.
Boly, J. (2024, May 17). To sock or not to sock: The great sock debate for exercise. That Fit Friend. https://thatfitfriend.com/socks-for-exercise/
Bonvechio, T. (2021, June 2). How, why, and when to use wrist straps. Bodybuilding.com. https://www.bodybuilding.com/content/how-why-and-when-to-use-wrist-straps.html
Brett. (2021, June 7). Outfitted & equipped: Brett’s weightlifting workout. The Art of Manliness. https://www.artofmanliness.com/health-fitness/fitness/what-to-wear-lifting-weights/
Choosing a fitness fabric: Which are good and which are worst? – my power life. (n.d.-b). https://mypowerlife.com/fitness-fabric-good-worst/
Dewar, M., & Dickson, J. (2024, July 2). The ultimate guide to weightlifting belts (and how to use them properly). BarBend. https://barbend.com/how-to-wear-weightlifting-belt/
Johnson, J. (2023, July 10). What to wear when weightlifting: A definitive guide for gym-goers. Lift Til Ya Die. https://lifttilyadie.com/what-to-wear-when-weightlifting/#:~:text=When%20weightlifting%2C%20wearing%20comfortable%20and%20breathable%20clothing%20allows,the%20importance%20of%20a%20good%20pair%20of%20socks
Sherrer, K. (2014, August 22). 9 gym workout wear do’s and don’ts. USA Today. https://www.usatoday.com/story/college/2014/08/22/9-gym-workout-wear-dos-and-donts/37395627/
Sinrich, J. (2023, July 24). How to choose the right sports bra, according to experts. Verywell Fit. https://www.verywellfit.com/how-to-choose-the-right-sports-bra-7550319
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