How to Choose a Sports T-Shirt: Important Rules

There is a popular expression: "Dress for success!" It turns out that it is true not only in everyday life, but also in sports. Firstly, we are "meeted by our clothes", and secondly, it affects our performance in the gym and on the sports field. And since the topic of today's post is how to choose a sports t-shirt, here are the top 5 reasons why it is important to choose the right sports t-shirt (the key word is "right"):

1. It increases self-confidence and motivates to train.
2. Improves performance and athletic results.
3. Helps to quickly recover strength.
4. Does not limit freedom of movement.
5. Protects against injuries.

When choosing a sports T-shirt, do not be guided solely by fashion trends, do not forget about the main criteria for choosing this equipment. We will talk about them today. There are only three of them - fabric, style and quality of seams. Also from this publication you will learn about the classification and seasonality of clothing, and what points to pay attention to when choosing a sports T-shirt.

Contents:

1. Choosing the material.
2. What is a technical fabric?
3. What is a rashguard?
4. Classification of T-shirts by main parameters.
5. Quality of seams and products.
6. Seasonality of sports T-shirts.
7. What points do we pay attention to?

1. CHOOSING THE MATERIAL OF A SPORTS T-SHIRT

... or why it is not advisable to use cotton T-shirts for training.

What materials are there in general?
T-shirts are made from regular and sports knitwear. They differ in composition, which is what the functions of the future product depend on. The raw materials for knitwear are: cotton, linen, wool, silk and various synthetic materials in the form of additives. According to the composition, knitwear can be:

1. natural,
2. synthetic,
3. combined.

"Natural" cotton-based fabric is rarely used in its pure form; as a rule, it necessarily contains 2 to 5% elastane or other synthetics to improve the consumer properties of the fabric. This knitwear is used to sew ordinary T-shirts that we use in everyday life. Synthetic and combined knitwear is used to sew sportswear. The latter combines the best properties of natural and synthetic materials. It is called sports knitwear. It is characterized by the following important properties:

• Very light, soft and pleasant to the body.
• Breathes perfectly, providing good air circulation to the skin.
• Elastic - even a tight-fitting T-shirt does not restrict movement at all.
• Form-stable - the product easily stretches in different directions at the same time and always restores its original shape.
• Durable and wear-resistant - easily withstands washing and sun tests.
• Has good vapor permeability - does not absorb sweat, but passes it through itself, where it quickly evaporates.
• Hypoallergenic - has low or zero allergenicity, that is, it is not capable of causing allergies.
• It can be used to sew seamless sportswear.

Today there are several types of combined sports knitwear. The most popular are diving and footer. Both contain cotton and synthetics in a certain percentage ratio.

• Diving was created for active physical activity. A type of dense material is called crepe diving. Leggings and sports suits are made from it. Thin and light is called microdiving. Sports T-shirts or bathing suits are usually made from it. Advantages of the material: hand and machine wash (up to 30°C), does not need wringing, dries very quickly, does not wrinkle at all.
• Footer is a dense combined knitwear. It is used to sew winter and demi-season suits, insulated sports T-shirts with long sleeves. There are two-thread footer, three-thread footer with and without fleece. The material is very soft, pleasant, comfortable. Excellent protection from wind and moisture, retains body heat well. Prefers hand washing, requires wringing, does not like to dry in the open sun, requires ironing, but steaming is ideal.

Sports jersey has a beautiful appearance and texture. The shine can be matte or glossy. The colors look rich and do not lose their saturation even after a dozen washes. Sports T-shirts are suitable for amateurs and professional athletes. They are ready for any serious tests. When you train hard and sweat actively, the T-shirt keeps your body dry. You do not experience discomfort and are not distracted from the training process. Good elasticity guarantees the performance of exercises in the maximum possible amplitudes. And the seamless design minimizes the risk of any friction.

We have gone into such detail about the merits of fabric for sports T-shirts to show you why it is not advisable to use cotton T-shirts for training. In its pure form, a cotton T-shirt (without synthetics) is good for everyday life, but in sports it is extremely uncomfortable. It quickly absorbs sweat and dries very slowly; becomes heavy and sticks to the body; overcools, rubs and irritates the skin. Training quickly turns into hell. And there is no need to talk about motivation to achieve high sports results.

2. WHAT IS TECHNOLOGICAL MATERIAL?

It's the same sports jersey, but cooler!

Very often you can come across the term "sports T-shirt made of technological material". What is it? It is the same sports jersey, but with special properties that provide maximum comfort to the athlete in a specific type of training.

Let's consider several technologies using the example of the legendary American company, one of the world's leading manufacturers of sporting goods NIKE.

• DRY-FIT BODY MAPPING technology is the presence of additional ventilation zones to create the effect of complete air exchange. A well-thought-out ventilation system + fast removal of sweat from the skin is the key to the ultimate comfort of the fabric.
• DRY FIT technology - keeps the body dry, removes moisture from the skin surface, transporting it to the outer surface of the fabric for quick evaporation.
• THERMA-FIT technology keeps the body warm for a long time. The synthetic material has a velvet layer that forms an air "cushion" - an ideal heat insulator.
• SPHERE THERMAL technology is a material that provides heat retention and breathability. The three-dimensional structure of the fabric increases the gap between the body and clothing in order to retain maximum warm air.
• SPHERE DRY technology - the three-dimensional structure of the material ensures effective moisture removal and creates a gap between the surface of the skin and the fabric, reducing friction. Products using this technology are lightweight and comfortable.

These and other technologies are available from all leading sportswear manufacturers. And if a sports T-shirt is made of such a technological fabric, you will see information about it on the tag and the product itself in the form of a rubberized logo or screen printing.

3. WHAT IS A COMPRESSION T-SHIRT AND WHERE IS IT USED?

Wearing a compression T-shirt has many benefits.

At the beginning of the publication, we talked about five reasons to buy the right sports T-shirt. In that list, the third item we indicated was "Helps you recover quickly." We are talking about a compression T-shirt (called a rashguard).

What is unique about the product?

• Helps relieve muscle pain.
• Supports and warms muscles.
• Increases endurance and performance.
• Improves the functioning of the circulatory and lymphatic systems.
• Accelerates recovery after grueling workouts.

How does this happen?

A compression T-shirt made of elastic fabric creates a pumping effect (compression) due to its tight fit around the body. Thanks to it, blood flows back to the heart more easily, and then quickly saturates the muscles with a new portion of oxygen. A rashguard allows you to train as hard as you need and, at the same time, still feel energetic and ready to increase the load.

Where is a rashguard used? In any dynamic sports: running, boxing, powerlifting, weightlifting, football, volleyball, basketball, gymnastics, fitness and other disciplines.

4. CLASSIFICATION OF SPORTS T-SHIRTS BY MAIN PARAMETERS.

Sleeve length and product length, neckline and style.

A perfect fit is the cornerstone of good style. True, this is more often said in relation to a suit, trousers or a shirt. But the same rule applies to a sports T-shirt. So, sports T-shirts are classified according to four main parameters:

• Sleeve length: sleeveless, long sleeve, short sleeve, raglan sleeve.
• Neckline: round and V-shaped neckline.
• Product length: short above the waist (women's tops), standard - a palm below the waist and long - to the middle of the buttocks and below.
• Style: straight, tight-fitting (fitted), tight-fitting (tops, compression T-shirts).

You need to choose the model that best suits your outdoor activity or type of training. You may ask: "What are the non-essential parameters?" The answer is - everything that adds aesthetics to the product, for example:

• sports T-shirts with a hood,
• with an asymmetrical hem,
• with deep or shallow armholes,
• with side slits,
• zipped T-shirt.

5. QUALITY OF THE SEAM AND THE PRODUCT.

... or, how to check the quality of the cut of a T-shirt?

Turn the T-shirt inside out and examine:

• quality of seams,
• look at the product against the light,
• make sure the cut is symmetrical.

Seams of different thickness along the entire length, with uneven stitching, with threads sticking out - such things are unacceptable for quality clothing in general, and even more so for sportswear. They should also not be rough - only soft. The highest quality seams are flat: they are not felt by the body, and therefore do not rub. And the most ideal option is seamless sports T-shirts.

Examine the weave of the threads of the material: it should be uniform. Look at the product against the light: high-quality knitwear does not have an uneven (too dark or light) structure. The fabric should be smooth to the touch, without pilling or lint. If the product is declared to have good air permeability, but in fact the material is very dense, then most likely the T-shirt will have low breathability and the body will not "breathe" well.

To check the symmetry of the cut, fold the T-shirt in half, sleeve to sleeve, and see how much they match each other in shape and size. If there is no correspondence between the sleeves, then after the first wash the shoulder seam will be skewed, and the difference in the sleeves will become even more noticeable.

6. SEASONALITY OF CLOTHING

It is known that for outdoor training it is necessary to use sportswear according to the season. This also applies to T-shirts.

• In warm weather, you should choose models that wick away moisture and cool well.
• In cold weather, you should choose equipment that provides good moisture wicking and thermoregulation.

Depending on your activity level and the outside temperature, you can use layers in your gear or a long-sleeved T-shirt made of thick knitwear (we talked about it above when we looked at the material).

7. ADDITIONAL POINTS TO CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING A SPORTS T-SHIRT.

If you have already set your sights on a sports T-shirt (you liked the quality, the color, the style and the price), all that remains is to try on the product and pay attention to some details.

• The size of a sports T-shirt will be considered yours if the product fits you comfortably, but does not restrict you in the chest. This rule is true for straight and fitted T-shirts.
• Stretch sports T-shirts should fit the chest well. When you bring your arms together on your chest, "crow's feet" may appear on your back in the shoulder blade and armpit area. They should not appear when your arms are free.
• When choosing a rashguard for the first time, be prepared for it to be tight and difficult to pull on. This is a feature of all compression clothing. To determine the required rashguard size, it is usually enough to measure the chest circumference. The chest circumference is measured at the most convex part of the chest, under the arms and along the shoulder blades. But in some cases the waist circumference is also required - it is measured 3-4 cm above the hips. We compare the data with the table for the product.
• Synthetic and combined knitwear have one drawback - it accumulates an unpleasant odor faster than cotton. Antibacterial treatment of synthetics solves this problem. When choosing a sports T-shirt, pay attention to this option.

We tried to prepare useful and high-quality information for you. We would be grateful if you share this article with your friends, acquaintances and colleagues. Perhaps it will influence their choice and make their sports life better. By the way, FREEVER offers a large selection of men's and women's sports T-shirts, so finding a comfortable option will be easy. If you are interested - click here!