Being particular about the quality of your gym clothes is not just about looking good. It's more about ensuring your comfort with active wear that can regulate body temperature and support your movements to prevent injury.

Personal trainers like us at Alchemy know that gym clothes can significantly influence your training performance. We've listed down 5 essential reasons to help you figure out what to wear to the gym.

5 Reasons Why the Kind of Gym Clothes You Wear Matters

1. Motivates You To Workout

We've all heard the phrase “dress for success” and it remains to be true when you're thinking about what to wear to the gym. Your active wear can motivate you to work out especially on days when you don't feel like it. Think of it this way, if you're already wearing gym clothes, you're more inclined to push through than change back to ordinary clothes. Therefore, gym clothes helps us keep showing up.

In psychology, there's also a concept referred to as “enclothed cognition which is the positive shift in mentality brought about by what we're wearing. Gym clothes are part of self expression. As personal trainers, we advise you to look for active wear that makes you look and feel good about yourself. That good feeling from a fresh fit could translate to an improvement in your focus and confidence in your abilities.

2. Enhances Performance

Adding to the powerful shift in mindset, your gym clothes enhances your performance by supporting freedom of movement. Personal trainers like us at Alchemy would always recommend that you wear the appropriate gym clothes for the exercise you're doing.

If you're doing an intense and sweaty cardio exercises like HIIT, opt for moisture-wicking and lightweight active wear. For strength training, go for properly fitted tops that offer support and flexibility. For pilates and yoga, wear stretchable materials that can give you adequate coverage for poses that involve bending, twisting, and lifting.

3. Provides Protection

It's the job of personal trainers to keep you safe while working out. To prevent injuries, we urge you to wear the proper gym kit. Aside from the right gym clothes, you should also invest in the right footwear for exercise. After all, there's a reason why certain shoes are intended for training, running, or specific sports.

The right footwear will help support your landing when jumping and protect your joints in the process. Personal trainers would suggest you put on running shoes for high-impact exercises because they offer ample shock absorption. As for weight-training, shoes with sturdy bases like Converse are alright but your cross trainers are your best bet.

4. Regulates Body Temperature

Wearing gym clothes according to the weather conditions or season is important to help regulate your body temperature. You don't want to feel overheated and drenched in sweat, or too cold and exposed. Regardless of your exercise and intensity, you'd want to be wearing gym clothes that allow you to feel light and dry.

The great thing about gyms like Alchemy Personal Training is being able to provide climate control inside. Personal trainers would still advise you to wear gym clothes appropriate to your workout environment. Choose breathable clothing for hot summer months and remember to layer when it's cold, windy, or raining.

5. Affects Skin

The brand of your gym clothes hardly matters for as long as they are designed to be antimicrobial. More often than not, you'll be sweating in your gym clothes and sweat could attract bacteria that could irritate the skin. Also avoid ill-fitting gym clothes that could be too tight to the point that it restricts movement, blood flow, and clogs sweat glands.

Personal trainers would encourage you to invest in active wear that offer compression support without compromise to breathability. For instance, women could look for sports bra and leggings that's a tight but stretchable for compression, and has a mesh back and outer lining along the thighs for breathability. Basically, your gym clothes should feel comfortable like second skin.

Takeaways on What to Wear to the Gym

Gym clothes fuels our consistency and commitment to our training plan which is why personal trainers encourage clients to dress for success. When thinking of what to wear to the gym, you must always think of your comfort as you move through different exercises. Also, remember that the proper gym kit includes the right footwear to protect your joints and prevent injury.

Your gym wear must also be adaptable to the weather or season. You'll never go wrong with a moisture-wicking base layer that allows your skin to feel dry and comfortable. When it's a bit chilly, you can add insulation with a breathable and lightweight mid-layer. As for the outer layer, always make sure your body is protected from the elements. Be sure to factor in the fabric quality, you want compression without feeling restricted and moisture-wicking materials are always a good choice.

If you're looking for a personal trainer, don't hesitate to reach out to us at Alchemy. Every personal trainer here will be more than happy to help you achieve your body transformation goals.