Your outfit goes with you to all your training sessions, and you must feel fully at ease when wearing it. Choose your clothes with care, whether it be leggings, a sports bra, t-shirts and even shoes. What features should you take into consideration? Let's cover each step, one by one.
THE DIFFERENT MATERIALS AND CUTS
Men's and women's fitness wear is made with synthetic fibres such as polyester, polyamide and elastane. These materials are well-suited to high-intensity sports such as circuit training, HIIT and fitness. Subsequently, make these fabrics your first choice, for all your outfits that include leggings, shorts, tank tops or even T-shirts.
Do you prefer wellness activities such as Pilates, yoga or gentle gym? Look no further than a sports outfit made up of cotton garments for more comfort.
In terms of fit, you can choose between an oversized (loose-fitting) or close-fitting model. To avoid chafing and feel the most at ease, we recommend going with the second option.
THE FEATURES TO CHECK FOR
Now that you have determined what material and cut to go with, take a quick look at the technical features of your men's or women's sports outfit:
- Breathable: do you tend to sweat a lot? Ideally, wear sports clothes that quickly absorbs and wicks moisture away. You, subsequently, keep dry and avoid feeling uncomfortable and cold. It's worth thinking about leggings and tank tops with well-ventilated inlays if you do a highly intensive activity.
- Stretchy: this really guarantees your comfort. The fabric has to perfectly follow-through with your movements and be sufficiently flexible. Leaving you to freely flex, extend yourself and do all forms of jumps!
- Opaque: choose a leggings with a thick knit, reducing a see-through effect when doing the squats. Please note, do not systematically rely on the garment's colour!
THE WEATHER: DRESS ACCORDINGLY
It is very important to take into account the weather and the place where you going to train when choosing your sports outfit.
If you do cardio fitness in a studio: opt for an outfit made up of a pair of leggings and a t-shirt, and possibly a jacket.
For sports outdoors fanatics, just use your common sense:
- If it's warm, go with a fitness outfit with light coverage: a tank top (or simply a sports bra) and a pair of shorts will do the job.
- Is the weather cooler? You can put on a pair of sports tights under your shorts and wear a long-sleeve t-shirt.
- Is it windy? Well then, adopt the "3-layer" system: a long-sleeve base layer made with synthetic fibres, a jacket for keeping warm and a windproof, so you don't get blown away!
In any event, avoid wearing cotton sportswear to do fitness, cardio or cross training circuits. This material tends to wick moisture away less effectively than synthetic fibres.
Advice: are you afraid of catching cold after your training session in winter? Opt for a very comfy cotton and fleece sweatshirt!
In a nutshell, the sports bra is a must-have in a woman's sports outfit. It supports your bust and minimises bounce, keeping everything in place during your training session. With regards to what to look for, here are a few tips, so you don't get it wrong:
- Opt for a cut that frees up your shoulder blades and lets you move with freedom: the racerback (Y-shaped) or the cross back (X-shaped) are two well-suited models.
- The cardio, fitness and cross-training circuits are impact sports: select a sports bra with medium-impact or high-impact support.
- Larger busts require much greater support: look for specific sports bras.
At Decathlon, we are conscious of the fact that all busts must get the right type of support. We offer a range of sports bras ranging from XS to XL for standard cups, and from S to 3XL for deep cup sizes.
We can't stress this enough: there is a shoe for each sport! You can't use fitness trainers for jogging or for rock climbing (well, you can, but it's not at all advisable!).
The second mistake consists in buying sports shoes when only thinking in terms of style. There again, you are misguided, because that is not the priority.
You must choose your sports shoes in line with your activity and the type of impact. It is preferable to choose shoes with good cushioning that shock absorb jumps, bounce and bounce back when doing cardio fitness. It must properly support your forefoot to stabilise footing when changing direction. And lastly, choose lightweight sports shoes, so you don't feel as if you are dragging a ball and chain around…
Advice: don't wait until the sole's of your shoe are completely worn out before changing your sports shoes. You risk putting your ankles under strain and injuring yourself. If you regularly do sport, it is advisable to buy a new pair of shoes approximately once every 2 years.