Compression clothing – what is it and how does it help athletes?

Compression clothing is sportswear and gear made from highly elastic materials. Originally, compression garments were used only in medicine, but their benefits were quickly adapted for sports and have been successfully used for years. For those who train regularly, such clothing is part of a sports regimen, alongside proper balanced nutrition.

As a result of using sportswear made from elastic materials, athletes experience significantly improved performance, reduced injury risk, and accelerated recovery after competitions and intense training sessions.

Types of Compression Clothing and Its Use in Sports

Compression clothing fits snugly against the body, providing pressure on muscle groups and improving blood circulation. This reduces the buildup of lactic acid in muscles, making workouts more effective and recovery faster.

Compression Base Layers
This type of clothing ensures a good fit to the body and facilitates normal sweating, while maintaining freedom of movement and joint flexibility.

Racing Suits
Competition clothing with compression properties not only fits tightly but also improves aerodynamics, which is particularly important for speed skating, swimming, cycling, and sprinting.

T-shirts and Tops
This type of clothing is used in sports where a snug fit and freedom of movement are important. Tops and t-shirts made from elastic materials are used in gymnastics, fitness, various martial arts, and CrossFit.

Tights
These form-fitting sports pants come in two types: full-length and cropped. They are made from materials such as cotton, elastane, spandex, and various synthetic fabrics. Due to their tight fit, tights provide support for calf muscles, hip and knee joints. The variety of models allows for options suitable for both indoor workouts and winter sports.

Accessories
Compression sleeves, socks, and arm sleeves are essential for both professional athletes and amateurs. These items are used during competitions, training, and recovery periods. Compression technology is applied in various clothing items, including suits, base layers, socks, shorts, swimsuits, etc. The wide range available in stores allows both professional athletes and active lifestyle enthusiasts to find suitable options.

Benefits of Compression Clothing

This type of apparel is an ideal solution for enhancing workout efficiency, aiding in recovery after intense physical exertion, and maintaining good physical condition.

Experts recommend using compression clothing in the following cases:

  • Regular sports activities: particularly running, triathlons, cycling, and fitness.
  • A desire to improve performance (move faster) while increasing endurance.
  • Recovery after intense physical activity.

Key advantages of compression clothing include:

  • Effective muscle support, significantly reducing the likelihood of injuries.
  • Regulation of body temperature and sweat management.
  • Reduction of muscle group vibrations.
  • Normalization of blood circulation and muscle nutrition during physical exertion.
  • Removal of byproducts from muscles, such as lactic acid, generated during workouts.
  • Additionally, this clothing has an anti-swelling effect.

There are various types of clothing for recovery and training. It’s important to remember that the compression level of clothing used for recovery after physical exertion should not be as strong as that for training, since muscles are in a relaxed state. Recovery clothing is typically worn for 2-4 hours before or after training.

How to Choose Compression Clothing

The benefits of compression clothing can be felt regardless of training frequency, and wearing it is often compared to healthy eating, maintaining optimal hydration, and sleep patterns: it significantly improves results and helps the body recover quickly.

When choosing compression clothing, consider the following:

  • Comfort of the model.
  • Flat seams.
  • Fit.
  • Material quality.
  • Manufacturer reputation.

Selecting compression clothing is an individual process, taking into account the frequency of use and body type. This is important because excessive compression can lead to impaired blood circulation and insufficient oxygen supply to tissues.

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