Compression Clothing 101
Whether they’re going for a morning jog through the neighborhood or gearing up to compete in a triathlon, you have probably noticed that many athletes wear compression garments. These tight-fitting leggings, shorts, socks, tees, tanks, and other apparel are a popular choice among people of a range of activity levels because they offer a variety of benefits.
Although we may be familiar with compression garments, many of us still don’t know exactly how they work, what they do, and what the advantages of wearing them are. In this post, I’ll cover everything you may have wondered about compression garments.
What Are Compression Garments?
Simply put, compression garments are pieces of apparel, underwear and accessories that fit tightly against the skin. Socks, tees, tanks, sleeves, undergarments, shorts, leggings, and other pieces of clothing with compression are available for both men and women.
How Do Compression Garments Work?
Much like spandex clothing, compression garments are made using stretchy materials and fabrics that form to the body and apply compression, or pressure, to the parts of the body on which they’re worn. Compression garments come in varying degrees of compression, depending on the wearer’s needs and preferences.
Compression garments are commonly worn for a variety of reasons, including to help improve circulation, provide extra support, and help athletes both during and after exercise.
Should I Wear Compression Clothing When I Work out?
It’s a personal choice. If you’re engaging in daily training and you want to use compression garments to aid your performance and your recovery time, we recommend that you give it a try. Although some more mild and occasional athletes choose not to wear compression, the advantages can be great.
Why Do Athletes Wear Compression Garments?
Compression garments are very popular among athletes, because they can help both during exercise and during recovery. Here’s how:
Performance: During Exercise
Compression increases blood flow and oxygen delivery to the tissue, making exercise more efficient and less tiring.
The snugness of compression clothing increases proprioception (awareness of the body in space), which improves posture and movement.
Recovery: After Exercise
After exercise, compression acts as a type of low-level massage by putting pressure on the muscles to minimize delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS).
Compression helps raise the skin and muscle tissue temperature to increase blood flow and promote healing.
When worn after a workout, compression garments can provide significant relief from muscle swelling and fatigue.
What Are the Main Benefits of Compression Garments?
Reduced Muscle Fatigue and Soreness
When worn during physical activity, compression helps improve your performance by reducing muscle fatigue and soreness. These benefits can be enjoyed both during exercise and during recovery afterwards.
Reduced Feeling of Exertion and Increased Endurance
Compression garments like tights, shorts and socks have been found to help increase the endurance and perceived ease of a workout in athletes. They can also help improve jumping and other physical performance in athletes after endurance exercises like long-distance running – making them great for track and field, circuit training, CrossFit, and more.
Improved Muscle Oxygenation
Compression garments help increase the amount of oxygen that the muscles receive during workouts, which is required for them to function properly. Compression also helps promote blood flow, which can enhance performance during quick bursts of exercise.
Strain Prevention
The boost of support and pressure provided by compression garments can help some strain-prone athletes by reducing their risk for sports-related strains.
Increased Comfort
While compression does apply extra pressure to the body, it is very comfortable and breathable. Compression reduces chafing and stays in place without riding up or needing readjustment during extended movement.
Temperature Control
Compression garments have moisture-wicking properties, which helps control moisture levels during activity that causes excessive perspiration.
The close-fitting nature of compression garments also help regulate your core temperature.
Improved Muscle Recovery
Because the recovery process after strenuous exercise can be somewhat lengthy, muscle pain and soreness can hit you hard over time after your workout. Compression garments can help aid muscle recovery and reduce the risk of severe and lasting muscle and joint soreness.
At HerRoom and HisRoom, there is a variety of compression garments from some of the most trusted brands on the market. So, if you’re ready to add compression clothing to your wardrobe, you’ll find everything you need when you shop with us!
Find a better fit,
Tomima
