If it's been a while since your last visit to the gym, you may be wondering how to dress. Is the only option to march into a sports shop and update all your workout clothes? What should you get if you're heading to the gym for the first time? And what kind of workout clothes?
Find workout clothes that work for you
Dare you show up at the gym in old sweatpants and a worn t-shirt? The answer is: absolutely!
You should come to the gym in clothes that make you feel good. The most important thing is comfort and how well the clothes work. So when you come to the gym, it's a good idea to wear flexible, lightweight, breathable clothes that feel comfortable on you, so you don't have to focus on what you're wearing during your workout. Thick sweatpants or a breathable fabric may not be the best option for a hard sweat workout. Non-stretch clothing also doesn't work, as it restricts mobility.
Pay attention to your underwear too. Thin, skin-tight panties are the best for movement. Women should invest in a good training bra with the right amount of support. Light support for bodywork and yoga, medium support for the gym, while for HIIT and treadmill workouts you should get a very supportive version.
Does the brand matter?
The price tag for workout clothes is also irrelevant. Expensive tracksuit bottoms can be good-looking, comfortable and functional at the same time, but you can also do just as well in brand-name gym shorts. There are many different brands of workout clothes and many exercisers have their own favourite brand of workout clothes. However, it takes a lot of trial and error to find the perfect fit for you.
Your own wardrobe to help
When you're about to start a gym or group exercise class, the first thing you should do is look in your wardrobe. If you already have clothes there that are suitable for exercising, don't be the first to buy them.
Shoes
In the beginning, a more important purchase than clothes is shoes suitable for moving around indoors. For a versatile gym workout, almost any indoor sports shoe will do. If you are planning to do weightlifting or group exercise in particular, you can choose your shoes in a sports shop with the help of a salesperson according to your needs. Barefoot shoes have become a trend in footwear in recent years, and are particularly useful if you have painful or misaligned feet or toes. However, bare feet in the gym are not recommended and you should always wear training shoes for hygiene and comfort reasons. Some quiet group exercise classes, such as yoga, are sometimes led without shoes.
Procurement with patience
Once you're up to speed, you can start to think more carefully about what kind of clothes you want to wear. Do you get too hot in your current clothes, do you chafe at the seams or do you have to keep rearranging your clothes? Pay attention to these things when buying new workout clothes. When trying on workout clothes, do a few jumps, squats or other workout moves to get a feel for how the clothes work when you exercise.
Current training fashion
At the moment, we are seeing the re-emergence of the 90s and 00s in workout clothing. Sweatpants and wide-legged tracksuits have made a comeback and can be seen not only in the gym but also as everyday wear. One phenomenon that is probably here to stay is the combination of comfort, functionality and aesthetics. It's no longer enough for workout clothes to look good, they also need to be comfortable to wear and work for their intended purpose - working out.
In women's workout clothing, seamless, or seamless workout clothes as many people know them, have been around for a few years now. They combine comfort, functionality and aesthetics. Almost all garments are available in seamless versions: tracksuits, shirts, vests and even underwear can be seamless.
High-waisted track pants have retained their popularity in training pants. In sweatshirts, both chunky crop tops and oversized t-shirts are in vogue. In summer, even biker shorts and vests are back in favour of lighter workouts.
In men's workout clothes, the fashion trends are not as visible. In terms of trousers, both training shorts and sweatpants have held their own. Men prefer to wear a cotton or technical t-shirt to the gym.
What do you need for the gym?
- Training shirt: short or long-sleeved technical shirt or cotton shirt for lighter training.
- Training pants: long or short tracksuit bottoms, shorts or sweatpants for lighter training.
- Shoes: indoor shoes
- Underwear: non-shrinkable underwear and training bras that are supportive enough for women
- Also remember: socks, a water bottle and a gym towel
