It’s 5AM, you glance over at your sneakers on the floor. Though the thought of climbing out of your warm down comforter makes you cringe, the dirt encrusted Asics are beckoning you. A morning sweat session on the trail awaits. But, what to wear? Chafe inducing sweats or shorts that notoriously ride up in all the wrong places are enough to make you give up those marathon dreams. Active wear that doesn’t impede your progress and actually aides you in performance would be ideal. Enter compression garments…
Last month at the Australian Dance Festival I stumbled across a compression garment booth. Though I had researched and fancied the thought of buying some compression wear someday I was surprised to see it at a dance convention. It’s literally popping up everywhere. Professional athletes and Olympians alike swear by the tight fitting “skins” for training and performance. Here is the DL on compression and what it can do for you…
Compression garments are basically tight-fitting clothing that conform to the bodies shape. A concept utilized in the medical community for hundreds of years, compression has blossomed into a performance enhancing technology. Study after study has shown that donning compression apparel increases blood circulation by a whopping 30%. Known primarily as the brand Under Armor, these garments are built specifically to optimize muscle power and stamina, reduce fatigue, enhance proprioception and speed up recovery. Not only do these wonder threads act as a second set of muscles, but they are engineered to transport moisture and effectively regulate body temperature!
I know you ladies out there have heard of Spanx leg and shapewear� a perfect example of how compression has filtered into everyday undergarments. And remember those Fastskin swimsuits worn by the infamous Micheal Phelps in Bejing? Though not the most practical for us gym goers, like yoga adoring Anna from Only In A Woman’s World, that�s compression at it�s finest. Fantastic!
What to look for: Keep your eyes peeled for form-fitting and anatomically shaped garments. For example, legging or tights should have the shape of a leg and not just be a tube like pantyhose. Check the label for the level of pressure measured in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). Anything over 12 mm Hg will give the leg more energy. Anything under 10 won�t make a difference.
Pricing: Sports bra’s and tanks start around $30, with performance tights ranging between $40-100 depending on the brand. Men’s top skins start around $60 with leggings hovering around $100.
Though I haven’t splurged yet, (I usually wear my gear until it literally falls apart at the seams) compression tights are in my future. I can picture it now…rocking up to ballet in compression tights and a leotard. Classic!
This post was brought to you by Only In A Woman’s World.
Have you tried compression wear before?
