No, it isn’t just a matter of being trendy, hip and fashionable in the eyes of the personal trainer, the fitness instructor, and your fellow gym-goers at Equinox. Instead, it’s a matter of comfort, safety and hygiene for yourself, first and foremost, and respect for others.
Your workout gear will affect your comfort while in motion, such as when you’re wearing yoga-appropriate clothes to your Pilates and yoga classes. Your safety will also be stake especially when you’re using exercise equipment – think about the danger of getting the hem of your loose pants stuck in the treadmill’s belt. You should also respect the right of others to enjoying public spaces without nuisances, such as tattered and smelly gym clothes still being worn during group fitness sessions.
With that said, here are our recommended workout gear for many types of fitness classes.
Kickboxing
With kickboxing being a high-intensity workout, your best workout attire consists of pants and tank tops made of sweat-wicking materials. You don’t want sweat to get in the way of your movements, after all.
For pants, we recommend a pair made of four-way stretch material, too, since you will be kicking and splitting your way to fitness. For the top, we suggest tank tops with a high neck for maximum coverage – ducking and jabbing movements can leave your cleavage to view, if you’re not fully covered up top.
Spin Class
Indoor cycling may look safe at first until the hem of your loose parts get in the way of your leg movements. Be sure to wear fitted, preferably cropped, pants that won’t become a safety hazard and a non-aerodynamic (i.e., creates resistance) item when you’re on a stationary bike.
High-rise training cropped pants and cycling shorts are ideal workout gear. As for your top, you can wear whatever’s comfortable but avoid loose clothes for comfort and safety reasons. You can use running shoes for a spin class, too, since these will likely fit into a bike’s caged-in pedals.
Yoga and Pilates
With the poses required in a yoga class, you will want to wear extra-fitted clothes, especially for your top. Better yet, you should consider a fitted bra tank with a built-in, medium-level support; you don’t have to wear a bra so it’s one less layer to wear.
For your pants, you can wear leggings with a sweat-wicking quality. You don’t need to wear shoes for yoga classes.
As for Pilates, semi-fitted clothes are best. You don’t want your clothes riding up or bunching up while you’re performing the moves.
When in doubt, look around and see what your fellow gym-goers are wearing and take your cue from there.