All products and services featured here are chosen for their potential to inspire and enable your wellness. Everyday Health may earn an affiliate commission on items you purchase.
After a hard workout, you'll feel exhausted, tired, sore, fantastic — and will probably be covered in sweat. Believe it or not, the clothes you wear for a workout can make a difference in how you feel after exercise. Several factors can affect how comfortable your workout clothes are, including the fabric they're made of and whether they're right for the type of exercise you will be doing.
Workout Clothes: Pick “Workhorse” Fabrics
Some fabrics are designed to pull sweat away from your skin during exercise and others absorb it. When it comes to workout clothes, some choices are better than others.
- Think wicking. There are many breathable synthetic fabrics that “wick” the sweat away from your skin, which can help it to evaporate quickly and keep your body cool. Clothing made out of fabrics containing polypropylene or fabrics such as COOLMAX® and SUPPLEX® are a good choice for exercise and other activities in which you are likely to sweat a lot, as they allow the sweat to be evaporated from the skin but do not soak clothing and leave you feeling sweaty and uncomfortable.
- Consider cotton. Cotton shirts and pants, on the other hand, absorb the sweat, and they don't pull it away from the skin or help it to evaporate quickly. That’s why cotton workout clothes can feel heavy and wet as you exercise.
- Avoid fabrics that don’t breathe. Never wear clothing made out of rubber-based or plastic-based materials, which keep sweat from evaporating and keep your body temperature too high during a workout.
Workout Clothes: Get the Right Fit
To make sure that your workout clothes fit your body and the workout that you have planned, consider these tips:
- You should wear clothes that are loose and comfortable. But if you are running or biking, avoid wide-leg or loose pants that could get tangled up in the pedals or your feet.
- For activities such as yoga or Pilates, stretchy, fitted fabrics that wick away sweat are a good choice.
- In general, keep in mind that you don't want any clothing that gets in the way of the activity.
