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When exercising or working out, you need to ensure that you achieve maximum comfort. One way to do that is by wearing proper work-out clothes. Wearing a regular clothing piece like a plain, printed t-shirt is not always viable for working out. In some cases, people have gotten into accidents when working out simply because their clothes snagged on the machine or constricted their movements.
Before you purchase work-out or bodybuilding clothing, you have to know the different fabrics used. Knowing about these fabrics lets you figure out which ones to buy for your specific needs. When you choose the right material, you can enjoy several benefits that will better perform your work-out routines. Here are five different fabrics used in work-out wears:
1. Polypropylene
This type of fabric is beneficial when you want to prevent sweat from building up on your clothes. It’s not a good feeling when your work-out clothes are drenched in sweat as it can be uncomfortable and, at the same time, decrease overall performance. You can say that polypropylene is almost waterproof because of its sweat-wicking properties. This fabric is commonly used in sports undergarments, jackets, and skin-tight base layers. Also, it doesn’t wrinkle too much and provides warmth whenever you’re working out on a cold day.
2. Polyester
You can find polyester fabric in almost every kind of fitness clothing. It’s just as durable as propylene since it’s sweat-wicking and resistant to wrinkles. What’s beneficial about polyester is its lightweight and breathable characteristic, making it suitable to continue working out even if you’ve sweat a significant amount. Another similarity between polyester and polypropylene is its efficient insulation properties.
3. Spandex
Do you favour working out with clothes that hug your skin tightly? Wearing Spandex lets you achieve that, and it’s the most well-known bodybuilding clothing piece. It’s extremely stretchy and flexible, making it suitable for work-out routines with a wide range of movements and motions. Bodybuilders prefer to wear Spandex because it accentuates their muscles while providing cover. No matter how big the muscles are, this fabric can stretch up to eight times more than its usual size. A helpful tip for preserving the fabric’s stretchiness is by not washing it in a dryer or ironing it for too long. Instead, use cold water and air dry it to prevent it from getting damaged.
4. Merino Wool
You might be surprised that wool is included as a work-out fabric. However, there’s a specific type of wool suitable for working out, and that is Merino wool. This type of fabric can grant the person both cold and heat insulation. During cold weather, the crimps in the fibre enclose the warm air emanating from your body. And when you start to sweat and generate heat, the fibre can wick sweat efficiently.
5. Mesh
If you want to prepare yourself during the summer, you need a fabric to keep your body as cool as possible. This is where mesh fabric comes into play. It can add elements of coolness and breathability to summer wears. There are work-out clothes that have mesh cut-outs to aid in evaporating moisture from the skin.
These fabrics benefit you in different ways. You need to be careful when choosing the right fabric for your work-out clothes if you want to retain or improve your performance when working out.