The fabric of exercise clothes has been evolved over time to give comfort, durability, and style to fitness fanatics. However, today we have vast range of options of fabrics for workout clothes that cater the needs of different people depending upon their choice. There are different fabrics that are suggested according to the different types of workouts.Here are some of the fabrics that are best to choose for exercise clothing.
Important Factors
While planning to buy workout clothes, the first thing is to determine the type of exercise you are interested in. Different workout clothes are designed while keeping the different types of movements in mind that each type of exercise requires. It is done with the purpose to keep the wearer comfortable during the workout that will enhance his/her workout productivity. As yoga requires a lot of stretching movements, spandex and polyester are ideal for yoga workout. For running, wicking fabrics are ideal and therefore good quality track suits are made from wicking fabrics as they help to keep the wearer dry during the intense cardio exercise.
Wicking Fabrics
The most commonly used fabric for workout clothes in the past was cotton. Cotton was liked by many people as it was smooth and cheap in price. Cotton is a good absorber of moisture and therefore all the sweat gets absorbed in the workout clothes making it heavier, hence it makes the wearer uncomfortable. For this reason, there was a need of such a fabric that can get rid of this problem. Wicking fabrics were then introduced to deal with this problem. Nowadays, there are multiple fabrics available in the market that keep the athletes dry during the workout while making them comfortable. High-tech polyester is considered as the best wicking fabric for workout clothes as it only absorbs 0.4% of the moisture. Wicking fabrics are often called breathable as they can breathe in the air and let the sweat out. These fabrics have small pores that allow moisture to come out of the clothes and evaporate without making the inner surface wet.
Compression Fabrics
The highly elastic fabrics have always been used to make workout clothes primarily for exercises that include bending and stretching. Spandex is one example of most commonly used fabric in workout clothes which is a synthetic fiber that brings elasticity in clothes and brings comfort to the wearer. However, the latest trend of compression clothing has surpassed all the previous technologies that were being used to make stretchable clothes for workout. Compression clothes are made from a special fabric that undergoes special knitting process. Such clothes have multiple benefits during and after the workout such as they improve circulation of blood in the body and they help to recover sore muscles. Furthermore, the compression cloth has compression sleeves as well that reduces lactic acid in the body by increasing blood flow and hence prevents muscle soaring. Read more about compression fabrics here.
Temperature Specific Fabrics
Temperature in which workout is being done holds great importance especially for outdoor workouts like jogging and cycling. It is a great challenge to stay warm when the temperature is too low and to stay cool when the temperature is high. Moisture-wicking fabrics are best for dealing with such a challenge as they draw sweat away from the body which results in maximizing wearer’s performance in the workout.Such fabrics are ideal for summer as they are light in weight and are breathable. However, in winter, they do not allow sweat to stay with the skin which otherwise makes the body even cooler during the outdoor workout. In winter,synthetic fibers are best for outdoor workout clothes as they trap air in order to retain body temperature by making air pockets. It helps to keep the wearer warm even in winter without wearing heavy clothes during the workout. Moreover, such thermal garments have a layer of water repellent that protects the wearer from rain by not allowing raindrops to enter the garment.
These are the three kinds of fabrics that are best for exercise clothing. So, you must choose your workout clothes that are made from these fabrics so that you can maximize the productivity during and after the workout. These fabrics make you feel comfortable during the workout and are also excellent for your skin.