By Judy Torel
?Most people spend time, money and energy insuring that they are doing the right exercises at the proper intensity for the appropriate length of time for their particular body goals. Fitness clothing manufacturers have put the same focused energy into the manufacturing of high tech clothing designed for the specific needs of the fitness exerciser. Do you know what clothes to wear to enhance the enjoyment and effectiveness of your workouts?
Sneaker technology
Sneakers are the primary piece of equipment associated with fitness workouts. And like in all sports, inadequate or faulty equipment is one of the top two factors at the cause of 95% of all injuries. In the past several decades sneaker companies have done their homework and have produced progressively superior products.
When it comes to sneaker technology, shoes are composed of several components, the last and outsole being two of the most important. Depending on the materials used, one sneaker can vary greatly from another. Knowing the basics can enable you to make an informed decision as to which sneaker is best for your type of foot.
The last is the shape of the sole and the footprint that the shoe is built around—it can be curved, semi-curved or straight. The arch of your foot determines which last is going to provide you with the most comfortable and injury-averting sneaker. If you have a high arch, you need to purchase a sneaker with a curved last. If you have a flat arch, then a straight last is the proper design for you. If you have an average arch then semi-curved is the way to go. You can ask the customer service representative in a sneaker store or catalog company to show you the sneaker makes and models with the proper last for your foot.
The outsole is the most outer portion of the sole that comes in contact with the ground and provides proper durability and cushioning for the shoe. Most outsoles are made from five basic materials: carbon rubber, solid rubber, durable rubber compound, Duralon and gum rubber. The patterns on the bottom of the sneaker tread vary according to the needs of your sport or exercise activity.
Different companies have added technology to increase the cushioning effects of the outsole. Nike invented its air technology in 1979 when they released their first sneakers with gas-filled plastic membranes that were inserted into the sole of their running shoes. Has anyone heard of the Nike Air Max sneakers? In 1987, they introduced the Air Max shoe where, for the first time, you can see the air cushions in the outsole.
Asics took the Nike air concept and designed a gel technology in the outsole of their shoes and introduced their Asics Gel sneaker line. Saucony has invented its Grid technology which is a patented combination of rubber and polymer to not only cushion the foot, but also provide stability. Saucony has different Grid designs for the specific purpose of the shoe and the biomechanics of the athlete wearing it.
With the information above, you can make an informed decision as to which sneaker will be best for your foot type and fitness activity and no longer judge just by look and momentary feel when trying on sneakers in the retail stores.
Fabric technology
The days of plain cotton and lycra workout wear have been replaced with the era of advanced fabric technology. Gone are the days of being embarrassed by sweat soaked clothes and soggy, heavy, sweat drenched t-shirts that bog you down in your workouts. There is now a growing selection in cooling, wicking, wind resistance workout fabrics.
Nike has a fabric that is my personal favorite called Dri-Fit Sphere. I have run my last four marathons wearing this fabric, and although I am an extreme sweater, I crossed the finish line feeling dry and comfortable. Dri-Fit Sphere is a fabric composed of an inner layer that grabs moisture and pulls it away from your skin while an outer layer pushes the moisture to the surface where it is able to evaporate. The entire fabric is covered with textured mini-spheres, which are little domes with only the tips touching the surface of your skin so you don’t get that clingy sensation. The spheres also add a little space so that the air can circulate, which improves the breath-ability of the fabric. This makes the clothes designed from this fabric extremely comfortable and enables you to focus on your workout and not on uncomfortable clothing!
GORE-TEX fabric is designed to be an impenetrable barrier against wind and water while maximizing breath-ability. It is designed from a revolutionary, ultra light membrane technology that prohibits all outer moisture from penetrating your skin. Due to its breath-ability, inner moisture from your sweat is able to escape to the outside leaving you dry and cool while helping to avoid the chill from wearing sweat soaked clothes in the cold weather while working out. The membrane technology also helps avoid the wind chill effect that robs your body of vital heat in cold weather due to its windproof characteristics. GORE-TEX fabric is also guaranteed for the life of the clothing unlike some other fabrics that lose their effectiveness through hard use and frequent washings.
Windstopper is an outerwear line that combines durable wind protection and high breath-ability in clothes in order to keep you warm and comfortable with little bulk and less need for layers. It will keep you 300 percent warmer then bulky layers during outdoor workouts. Other windproof clothing uses coatings to make them windproof, but this limits the breath-ability of the clothing and can create overheating and excessive sweat that can lead to chill in outdoor workouts. Windstopper uses the same revolutionary ultra light membrane technology of GORE-TEX, so the fabric is durable and breathable.
Odorless technology
Everyone who has established a regular exercise habit knows the unpleasantness of punky clothes! This happens when the sweat and body oils of multiple workouts has infected the clothes and bacteria and fungus that feed off these fluids infested in the fabric. These bacterias and fungus create an odor, and once it is in the fiber it can’t be removed and will become prevalent when they get wet again—like in the middle of a workout!
Enter the new stink-control clothes! Brooks has recently introduced a line of fitness clothing called HVAC (heating, ventilation and air-conditioning). They even put it in one of their sneakers, the Trance. The technology behind this revolutionary fabric is the inclusion of silver fibers, which are a natural conductor. These silver fibers are infused into fabrics like polyester and nylon and function to move heat away from the hot spots like the underarm and backs of knees where sweat production is highest. The silver infusion has anti-microbial properties; silver ions actually stab the cell wall of the bacteria and fungus causing a natural “electrocution”. No micro-organisms equals no odor!
There are now a variety of anti-odor fibers available in fitness clothing retail stores. You will even find socks with this technology because bacteria invades socks more frequently due to a higher prevalence of bacteria on the bottom of feet. Then, when you wash your socks with other clothes, the rest of the laundry will pick up the odor. Not pleasant! Odorless socks will help you avoid this unpleasantness.
The new high tech fiber clothing are a bit more costly then their low tech counterparts, but the experience of comfortable, dry, cool and enjoyable workouts is priceless!
Judy Torel is a therapist/personal trainer with a Master’s degree in psychology. She is certified through the American College of Sports Medicine as a fitness trainer and works out of Planet Fitness and Deb's Sweat Shop Extension. She can be reached at JTOREL2263@yahoo.com