How to choose tights - purpose, size, material

In order for sports to bring pleasure and real results, special equipment is needed. Today we are talking about tights - a special kind of tight sports pants. Literally translated from English, "tights" means "pantyhose". In essence, they are the same as, for example, leggings or tights, only they differ from the latter in their pronounced compression effect and purpose - for sports in the gym and on the street.

Tights provide high performance for an athlete during active and long training sessions and quick recovery afterwards. They demonstrate the ideal combination of low weight, effective ventilation, muscle fixation, freedom of movement and comfort. We wrote about them in more detail here. The topic of this publication is how to choose tights?

1. Why do athletes love tights?
2. Features of compression pants.
3. How to choose tights:
   • by length,
   • by size,
   • by material,
   • by compression level.
4. What else should you pay attention to when choosing tights?

1. WHY DO ATHLETES CHOOSE TIGHTS?

Do tights have to be compression tights? Yes, they do, because tights without compression are not tights, but regular leggings or tights. Both are good for everyday life, can be used for active recreation, but are not suitable for intense training.

Only the compression effect allows you to actively train and improve your athletic performance. Constant compression of the muscles increases their blood supply, which in turn allows your heart to more easily tolerate increased loads. And this is the main idea of ​​compression pants.

In regular sportswear you get tired much faster because your muscles quickly "get clogged up". During active exercise, oxidative processes occur in muscle tissue. Muscles lose their elasticity and ability to contract. They swell, you feel pain and fatigue. The vessels are dilated, and the heart has to push the blood renewed with oxygen with greater force. It starts working at the limit, and this is dangerous. Regular pants do not help you at all, but compression pants create a pumping effect that literally drives the oxidized blood back to the heart. It is renewed and saturates the muscles with a new portion of oxygen. At the same time, the veins do not bulge, and accordingly, the blood flow does not decrease and there are no consequences in the form of varicose veins of the extremities. Tights give you the opportunity to train as hard as you need and, at the same time, still feel energetic and ready to increase the load. For this reason, they are loved by amateurs and professionals of various sports.

Compression pants create several advantages at once:

• Keeps muscles warm, which reduces the risk of injury.
• Due to the tight fit, effectively removes moisture and dries quickly.
• Improves blood circulation even in small vessels.
• Muscles are constantly in good shape, get tired less, and recover faster.
• Reduce swelling and the likelihood of getting a sprain.
• Ensure good body thermoregulation.

2. FEATURES OF COMPRESSION PANTS

• They have aerodynamic properties and always fit tightly to the body, exactly repeating the relief of the legs.


• Tights repeat all body movements without restrictions, and stretch well in four directions at once.


• They are distinguished by the correct compression: in simple models, its intensity decreases from bottom to top, while specialized models provide a point effect on certain muscle groups, as if kinesio tapes were applied to them.


• Very durable and wear-resistant - you have to try very hard to tear the tights or wear them to holes.


• They have good vapor permeability, which, together with ventilation zones, keeps the body dry throughout the entire workout, regardless of its intensity and duration.


• They do not rub in the bends and do not squeeze the blood vessels in the legs.


• They have excellent thermoregulation - they are neither cold nor hot. The constancy of body temperature is maintained due to the balance of heat generation and heat transfer processes.

3. HOW TO CHOOSE TIGHTS?

The market offers men's, women's and unisex tights. The latter are universal, and the first two are distinguished by their cut, which is determined by the anatomical features of the male and female body. In accordance with these features, ventilation zones are located. Tights should be selected taking into account the size, length, material and compression. And now more about this.

3.1. How to choose tights by size?

Compression pants are different from regular shapewear. Tights are much tighter. They are more difficult to pull on because they should fit like a second skin. Even if the size is correct, trying on compression pants can be problematic, especially for those who choose tights for the first time. But the size you are trying to "squeeze" into is the right size, and a tight fit is necessary to achieve the required level of compression.

In this regard, it is very important to buy equipment that fits your size exactly. Even if you are now a + size, and your plans for the near future are a small size, choose tights that fit your current figure. The option "one size smaller", as well as the option "too tight - I'll take a size larger" - is a waste of money. In the first case, the compression pants will greatly restrict your movements (may even harm your health), and in the second, the compression will be lower and moisture removal will be worse. In both situations, the effectiveness of training will decrease.

Choose tights based on waist and hip measurements, taking into account your weight and height. Each model is accompanied by a size chart, allowing you to navigate the parameters. Take your body measurements and compare your data with the table data. You need to take the size in which your measurements most closely match the table parameters under this size.

Some recommendations:

• The waist and hips are measured at the widest point.
• If you are in the transition between sizes, then choose the one that is larger.
• Responsible manufacturers publish the inseam - the size from the inside of the leg from the groin to the edge of the tights. This parameter determines the length of the compression pants and is very useful when choosing products "blindly". By taking this measurement and comparing it with the table, you will find out how short or long the selected model will be.

3.2. How to choose tights by length?

The main differences between tights and sports leggings are length, material and compression. We will talk about material and compression below, and in this part we will analyze the length. It can vary from the ankle to the middle of the calf and reach above the knee, representing shorts.

In other words, tights are: long, medium length and short. Make your choice taking into account the season, weather, training features and personal preferences.

• Long tights are the most popular format. The length of compression pants reaches the ankle, but there are models that completely cover the foot. Very variable in terms of sports: suitable for any type of running, martial arts and strength training. Allow you to train both indoors and outdoors, in any weather. The main ventilation zones are located under the knees and in the lumbar region. For autumn, spring and summer, manufacturers produce thin tights, and for winter running - thicker compression pants, usually insulated with merino wool.
• Mid-length tights are pants that are just below the knee, to the middle of the calf. The main ventilation zones are located under the knees and in the lumbar region. This model is for training in the gym and outdoors in the summer, warm spring and autumn. They can be complemented with compression socks and used in the cool off-season. They are also suitable for different types of sports.
• Short tights or compression shorts are a product just above the knee. Popular among fitness enthusiasts and professionals, cyclists, short and long distance runners. The main ventilation zone is located in the lumbar region. Shorts are used for training indoors and outdoors in warm weather.

3.3. How to choose tights by material?

Tights, like other compression clothing, are made from high-tech sports knitwear with good elasticity and compression. This can be a blend of natural and synthetic fibers or only synthetic ones.

• Knitwear with a predominance of natural fibers provides better vapor permeability, that is, it breathes better and lets sweat through. And this is its main advantage. The main disadvantage is that it absorbs moisture well, but slowly removes it to the outside. On the street, wet clothes can lead to hypothermia, and in the gym, they cause discomfort. Therefore, tights made of cotton or wool knitwear are used for recovery or medium-intensity sports training, with an emphasis on stretching and statics.
• Synthetic-based knitwear usually includes synthetic and artificial fibers, including spandex, lycra, polyester, nylon, polyamide, elastane, nylon. Polyester and nylon are the most widely used in the production of compression pants. Both are thin, light, elastic, stretch well in several directions at once and quickly restore shape, allow moisture to pass through and dry quickly. But nylon has better strength and higher wear resistance. In addition, it copes with sweat odor better than polyester.

Compression pants made from synthetic materials, as well as tights made from knitwear with a predominance of synthetic materials, are perfect for intense and long-term activities, including those with high physical loads. They come in warm and cold weather versions. In the first case, these are thin pants for summer, warm spring and autumn, and in the second case, double-density products with a warming fleece layer for outdoor training in the cold off-season.

3.4. By compression level.

Those who have already had the opportunity to compare tights from different manufacturers will confirm that the level of compression of the clothes is very different from each other. Some produce truly professional compression clothing for sports and recovery. Other manufacturers simply satisfy the demand for such products, perceiving them as another fashion trend. As a rule, these are unisex tights, and their quality is quite mediocre. In addition, it is quite difficult to choose such clothes, because the proposed universal size grid does not take into account the anatomical features of the body structure.

Leading manufacturers of clothing for sports and active recreation have a different approach.

• Firstly, there is a clear gender division: men's tights and women's tights.
• Secondly: the consumer is offered collections within which there are series of items with different degrees of compression.
• Thirdly, the clothing size chart takes into account various parameters, including: the ratio of height to weight, the exact circumference of those areas that are subject to compression, the inner and outer seam.

In addition, some professional manufacturers offer only tights with intensive compression over the entire surface of the lower limbs. Such clothing effectively protects muscles from vibrations and is aimed at endurance athletes. And others specialize in producing clothing with varying degrees of compression, for example:

• tights with moderate directional compression;
• tights with strong directional compression with point muscle support;
• tights with moderate compression for long journeys on transport;

Be sure to pay attention to this when choosing tights for sports by compression level.

WHAT ELSE SHOULD YOU PAY ATTENTION TO WHEN CHOOSING TIGHTS?

Professional athletes know that the right tights help them move correctly, putting minimal strain on their muscles and increasing their freedom of movement during aerobic or strength training. They stabilize their posture and movement due to the elastic inserts at the waist, hips and around the shins.

But to ensure maximum comfort during training, some details are important. Therefore, when choosing tights, pay attention to the following.

• Flat seams to prevent chafing.
• Reflective logos to keep you visible in the dark.
• The presence of a moisture-stopping border at the bottom of the tights, preventing sweat from flowing down.
• A special insert in the groin area (for men's models) increases comfort.
• The presence of ultraviolet protection - an option especially relevant for frequent outdoor training on sunny days.
• Anatomical cut for optimal fit and support of the main muscles. Be sure to try on the tights to feel that they fit like a glove - tightly, without the effect of twisting.
• The presence of a wide and high waistband - it relieves tension and, as a result, abdominal fatigue, plus provides stability to the lower back.
• The presence of a drawstring on the waist for additional fixation of tights.
• The presence of a pocket, or better yet, several pockets, along the waist line for storing keys, a phone, napkins and other small items.
• The presence of a zipper.

Conclusion.

Tights are the perfect piece of sports equipment for almost any sport. And if you want to reach new athletic heights, increase your endurance, improve your blood circulation and ensure good thermoregulation, you need compression pants.

• They effectively wick away sweat and dry quickly.
• They breathe well and regulate temperature balance, retaining or releasing excess heat when needed.
• Supports muscles during active aerobic and strength exercises, improves blood flow, reduces symptoms of overtraining, accelerates recovery, reduces the risk of cramps, muscle strains and ligaments.
• Their compression effect is best demonstrated during long and difficult workouts that require a lot of effort.
• They are universal - the most popular long model can be used in any season.

For those who exercise 3-5 times a week, all year round, it is advisable to have tights of different lengths in their arsenal. And then in any weather you will train with even greater comfort. You will find a large selection of compression pants here. Only a correctly selected model will significantly increase comfort and improve your athletic performance. And in this matter, you can fully count on our help!