How your Workout Clothing Affects Your Performance?
Proper workout clothing, footwear, and accessories help improve your performance; a wrong choice can prove detrimental to your performance regardless of whether you are on the court, field, track, or in the gym. Manufactures spend millions of dollars researching human biomechanics to come up with apparel and footwear that works to enhance performance. According to researchers, athletic workout clothingshould change depending on the time of year. This means that workout clothing that is good during summer may not be appropriate during winter. Here are some of the factors that impact performance.
Heat
Cotton clothes (especially 100% cotton) for workouts during the hot summer are not ideal. Sunny weather will raise your body temperature, causing you to overheat and will also limit your ability to move at a high level. When you sweat, cotton cloth will tend to stick to your body, which makes it difficult to dissipate heat through pores. Any fabric for that matter, if it sticks to your body, will inhibit its natural cooling process. Check the label to see if the material has been treated to “wick” sweat away from your skin.
Cold
If you are participating in outdoor sports or working-out early in the morning, especially during cold seasons, wear multiple layers of clothing that will help you trap heat between each layer and keep you warm. You can also choose to wear a hat to prevent important body heat from escaping and a scarf to prevent cold air from chafing your throat.
Comfort
Workout clothing that is too tight will naturally restrict your movements and make it difficult for you to make swings, dunks, spikes,or other movements. If you feel your clothing is tight, it is going to affect your shots. Also make sure the shorts, pants, or warm-ups that you wear are neither too tight that they ride-up nor they are too loose that they slip down when you jump. Similarly if you are wearing a cap, make sure it is not too tight, but also not too loose that it falls off easily. Sports bras, jocks, or cups should be comfortable and help prevent short or long term injuries.
Footwear
Many sports require you to move only in one direction while there are other sports that require aggressive forward, lateral or backward movements. Aerobic or running shoes will not provide you lateral stability, traction, or agility that you need for other sports. You need the right shoes and fit that will prevent you from slipping, cramping, or getting blisters.
