Where to start when choosing sportswear?

There has been a literal fitness explosion over the last decade. Many have realized that taking care of their body and health is very important and profitable. Individual and group training takes place in parks, on embankments, outdoor sports grounds and indoor gyms. Among those actively visiting are people of different ages, including young people +14 and the 60+ generation. Winter sports - skiing and snowboarding - have become especially popular.

But instructors do not always focus on what clothes to wear for training. Therefore, many people follow the principle - the main thing is to be comfortable. Of course, comfort is an important criterion for choosing sportswear, but far from the main one. After all, home clothes are also very convenient. But jogging in slippers or skiing in regular sweatpants and a jacket is uncomfortable and dangerous to your health.

In this article, we will consider two important questions, the answers to which will tell you where to start your choice in sportswear (or how to choose clothes for sports and active recreation on your own). The information will be useful for both beginners and those who have been in sports for a long time.

1. What types of sportswear are there?
2. What are the criteria for choosing sportswear?

1. WHAT TYPES OF SPORTSWEAR ARE THERE?

Sportswear and active leisure wear are items with special functionality. When talking about types of sportswear, we mean its classification:

1. 1 By season - this is winter and demi-season (spring/autumn);
2. 2 By sports: for fitness, cycling, snowboarding, etc.;
3. 3 By purpose: training clothes and sports-style clothes;

1.1 Classification of sportswear by season.

Summer sportswear includes T-shirts, shorts, pants, tops, leggings, tights. The main requirements for clothing are: breathability, vapor permeability, hypoallergenicity, and UV protection.

Winter sportswear - sports and ski suits, vests, thermal underwear. Main requirements: clothes should be light and warm, protect from precipitation, not interfere with body thermoregulation and not restrict movement.

Demi-season sportswear (spring/fall) - thermal underwear, tracksuits, vests, windbreakers. The requirements for clothing are the same as for winter, but given the instability of the autumn-spring weather, it is better to dress according to the 3-layer rule.

1. Basic (thermal) underwear should wick moisture away from the body and prevent hypothermia.


2. Middle (fleece clothing) - warms the body and transfers moisture from the base to the outer layer of clothing.


3. Upper (membrane jacket) - protects from precipitation and wind, removes excess heat and moisture to the outside.

1.2 Classification of sportswear by type of sport.

There are a huge number of sports in the world. In Ukraine alone, 53 Olympic and 97 non-Olympic sports are officially recognized. And each discipline has its own equipment, which has special requirements dictated by both the characteristics of the sport and the sports rules.

Let's skip the sports rules and look at the requirements for sportswear using some examples.

Sports uniform for yoga.

Preference is given to cotton products with the addition of synthetics. Here you need to focus on the ratio of ~ 90% to 10%. Such clothes have positive energy (from the point of view of yoga philosophy), breathe well, are elastic, wear-resistant, soft to the touch, and hold their shape perfectly. It is not recommended to buy products made of pure cotton. The fabric does not stretch well, so things can ride up and slide down. In addition, cotton absorbs sweat well, becoming wet and heavy. And with frequent wearing and washing: it shrinks, deforms and takes on an untidy appearance.

Sportswear for cycling (running).

Cycling is one of the most energy-consuming sports. The body sweats actively, so clothing should:

• drain sweat well and dry quickly, without overcooling the body on the descent with a good headwind;
• "breathe" well, preventing the body from overheating on the ascent with intensive pedaling.

You should choose a cycling jersey (T-shirt) and cycling shorts (shorts or sweatpants, if we are talking about running) from polyester, polyamide, lycra, elastane, spandex, and a windbreaker from membrane, breathable materials. They are able to keep the body dry for a long time, providing effective moisture removal and excellent ventilation.

Ski clothing for snowboarding and skiers.

Skiers choose tight-fitting clothes, and snowboarders choose loose, ergonomic cuts so that nothing restricts movement when performing tricks. In both cases, the requirements for the suit are almost the same and come down to the following:

• The outer fabric of the clothing should be made of a waterproof and windproof, breathable membrane.
• The warm lining can be made of synthetic filler, such as Thinsulat or Hollofiber.
• All seams are taped, external zippers have a waterproof rubberized coating.
• Clothing should have a huge number of external and internal pockets with zippers.
• The jacket and trousers must have ventilation valves.
• A snow/wind skirt.
• A comfortable, removable hood with drawstrings for maximum adaptation to the size of the head.
• Collar with fleece trim in the neck and chin area.
• Adjustable cuffs on the trousers and double adjustable cuffs on the sleeves of the fleece jacket - they protect well from wind and snow and dry quickly when wet.

Compression sportswear.

High-quality compression clothing is created on the basis of synthetic fibers of polyurethane and spandex. They are intertwined diagonally, providing reinforcing action and muscle support. Such clothing fits the body well, has a pronounced compressive effect (compression). This enhances every movement of the athlete, preserving and returning energy during muscle stretching and contraction. As a result:

• reduced load on the heart,
• reduced injury rate,
• increased endurance,
• minimized fatigue,
• quick recovery of strength,
• increased athletic performance.

The compression of sportswear is higher than that of recovery clothing. The market offers a good selection of products: these are compression pants, sweatshirts, shorts, leggings, socks, sleeves. This type of equipment is suitable for any kind of sport and activity that involves high-intensity and strength training.

Sportswear for fitness.

Fitness includes several areas: strength programs, aerobic training, dance, Body (yoga, aero yoga, stretching), health fitness (body weight exercises: Pilates, shaping, gymnastics, fitball), water sports.

For high-intensity fitness (e.g. bodybuilding, powerlifting, aerobics, step, etc.) use clothes made of synthetic or mixed fabrics. For less intense fitness (stretching, yoga, pilates, etc.) - natural fabrics with a small percentage of synthetics (90-95% cotton 5-10% synthetics) or mixed fabrics (50/50 or in another proportion).

Synthetic fibers make sportswear comfortable, elastic and breathable. Below you can briefly familiarize yourself with the most popular fabrics from which fitness clothing is sewn: T-shirts, tank tops, shorts, leggings, tights, sweatpants and sweatshirts.

• LUX footer and stretch cotton (cotton + elastane) - soft fabric with a durable base, is not afraid of active use, does not shrink, does not wrinkle or roll. It has excellent breathability and elasticity.
• Stretch cooler (elastane + lycra) - thin, durable, elastic knitwear that holds its shape perfectly, does not shrink, does not fade, does not fade and does not cause allergic reactions.

• Biflex (lycra + nylon + microfiber and lurex) is a synthetic knitted fabric that perfectly wicks moisture to the surface of the product. The main feature is elasticity, the ability to effectively hug the body without restricting movement. The material is very thin and light, durable and wear-resistant, dries quickly, does not wrinkle or show through.

1.3 Classification of sportswear by purpose: training and sports-style.

As you already understood, training clothes are always: technological materials, anatomical cut, special seams, minimal weight and volume, various compression, ventilation and reflective inserts. And unlike everyday clothes, it does not necessarily have to be fashionable, but it must be functional and comfortable.

But, given the growing popularity of the sporty style in fashion, famous designers thought: "Why look for a compromise between beauty and functionality?" This is how sports-style clothing appeared - aesthetically beautiful, fashionable, comfortable and universal: for home, city, active recreation and sports. Let's say right away that it is not very suitable for professional training, but for comfortable physical exercise - quite. A bright representative of such clothing is a tracksuit.

• A classic sports-style suit is a set of a windbreaker and loose-fitting trousers. Sometimes a tight top is added to it.


• When it's cold outside, a good choice for winter and the off-season would be a three-piece set - a set of raglan, sweatpants and a sweater.


• The best home sets are made of velour and soft knitwear. Such models stretch well, are very practical and comfortable in everyday life.

2. WHAT CRITERIA SHOULD YOU USE TO CHOOSE SPORTS CLOTHES?

You should choose sportswear based on four factors:

1. 1 type of sportswear,
2. 2 material of sportswear,
3. 3 size of sportswear,
4. 4 color of sportswear.

Now, in order.

2.1 Types of sportswear.

Sports top (bra or bra).

A universal friend of girls. The clothes dampen the vibrations of the chest in different directions, and provide a sufficient level of support.

Models with wide T- and V-shaped straps also relieve tension from the neck and shoulders. Torp is made of dense, elastic, breathable synthetic material. There are models of classic cut (for small breasts) and with cups (for large breasts). There are 3 design options: compression tops, encapsulated and combined. Read more about what types of tops there are and how to choose a sports bra for fitness here.

T-shirt or tank top.

This is a more masculine version of sports equipment.

Everyday wear items are made of cotton and jersey, and for training - of polyester, neoprene and other modern synthetic and semi-synthetic fabrics. Clothing should have good hygroscopicity, be pleasant to the body, not restrict movement and not impede air circulation.

Tracksuit.

Universal clothing for sports and everyday life that everyone loves. In short, the suit should wick away heat and moisture well, without causing hypothermia or overheating of the body.

The cut should provide freedom of movement, but at the same time the clothes should not hang. It would seem simple, but "the devil is in the details." And there are many of them. Read more about how to choose a tracksuit here.

Sports leggings, tights, shorts, running tights.

Clothing with a tight cut provides comfort during fitness, running, cycling and allows you to demonstrate a beautiful figure. The equipment is made of elastic synthetic fabrics, and due to this, does not hinder movement at all, allowing you to perform any amplitude exercises.

Shorts can be either tight or loose. For running, choose the latter, preferably with slits and mesh inside. The main condition of such clothing is good breathability and moisture removal. This is indicated by the inscription Dri-FIT. Read more about how to choose tights for fitness and how they differ from leggings here .

Ski clothing.

Ski jacket and pants, one-piece overalls, semi-overalls - these are three options of special clothing for active winter sports (cross-country and alpine skiing, freeride, snowboarding, sledding, etc.).

Lightweight, functional and warm clothing provides reliable protection and comfort on the ski slope. Read more about how to choose a ski suit here.

Windstopper clothing.

Trousers, jackets, gloves made of Windstopper membrane fabric with minimal weight and volume reliably protect from wind, rain, cold and snow. Such clothes are ideal for any activities associated with high aerobic loads: running, cycling, hunting and fishing, skiing and snowboarding, mountaineering and hiking. We tell you more about what Windstopper is here.

2.2 Sportswear Material.

The main question that all beginning athletes ask themselves: "Cotton or synthetics?".

So, both options are suitable for sports. The only question is in which cases to use one or another material. For low-intensity training, choose "cotton" or a mixed fabric composition (cotton + synthetics). For high-intensity training - definitely only "synthetics", for example: elastane, polyester, meril, supplex. They are breathable and perfectly remove moisture, keeping the skin dry and protecting from hypothermia. Cotton, on the contrary, quickly gets wet and retains moisture on the surface of the fibers, which affects comfort. In addition, natural fabric is afraid of frequent washing, quickly loses shape and elasticity.

2.3 Sportswear Size.

The rule here is simple - sportswear should not press, rub, hang or fall off. The options "to grow into" or "lose weight and fit" result in severe discomfort, up to the point of unwillingness to train.

Do not buy no name items (i.e. without a name, unknown manufacturers), such clothes do not guarantee the declared functionality. Pay attention to the composition of the fabric and the size chart - each brand has its own. Read customer reviews - you can often find answers to your questions in them.

2.4 Color of sportswear.

Everyone knows about the benefits of sports, but not everyone has enough willpower for regular exercise. One of the motivations to go to the gym or go for a morning jog can be beautiful sportswear.

Manufacturers offer many bright, "light" colors and prints. Don't be shy about experimenting with color. Just keep in mind that it visually changes the shape of the body: light and warm tones add a little volume, while dark and cold ones make you look noticeably slimmer. Color also affects mood, behavior, and even character.

• Gray is the color of calm and balance.
• White - always attracts attention.
• Yellow - lifts the mood, brings joy.
• Black - stimulates self-confidence.
• Blue - inspires confidence, creates an impression of reliability.
• Red - the color of beauty, love. Suitable for the most active.
• Green - relieves fatigue, increases tone, ideal for recovery.

We hope that your sports debut will be successful! And be sure to check out the catalog of clothes for sports and active recreation freever.ua - there are many cool sports items from a popular Ukrainian brand!