Features of Sportswear That Help Optimize Athletic Performance

In sports, many factors impact your performance: your training, your diet, your mindset, and especially the type of gear you wear. Many people think of sportswear as comfy and stylish, but it goes beyond that. Good sportswear is designed meticulously to support your muscles when you engage in a physical activity, allowing you to train vigorously. 

The right gear uses a variety of features that help you stay protected from injuries and keep you cool during the game. This article will explain what features constitute good sportswear and how they boost your physical performance. 

Type of Material

There are different kinds of fabric used to make sportswear, depending on what kind of qualities the athletes want, such as clothes that fit well, stretch enough, or have more moisture permeability. From there, designers and researchers work on finding just the right fabric combination. Depending on this, some pieces are made from polyester, others from nylon, and many use blends to get the best mix of qualities. 

Most sportswear is synthetic; it’s the only way to build in features like moisture control, aerodynamics, compression, and comfort. If you’re looking to layer your gear with performance-based fabrics, working with an under armour team dealer is a great way to get high-quality options for your team.  Here are some of the properties to look for:

• Breathability: Materials like merino wool or advanced synthetics give more room to breathe by keeping sweat off your skin, helping you stay dry, and making it a good base layer.
• Flexibility and movement: Fabrics like Nuyarn merino wool are naturally elastic, and gear made from this gives you full freedom of movement during physical activities. 
• Temperature control: For sports like skiing, materials such as GORE-TEX or polypropylene have insulation properties to protect you from extreme temperatures. 

Compression Technology

Some fabrics provide support to muscles and keep injuries at bay. Unlike non-specific sportswear, wearing the right gear when doing outdoor exercise and activities can cut down on muscle soreness, or DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness), and post-workout muscle cramps. 

Compression gear is a good example; it is usually tight and made from Spandex or nylon material to fit snugly and keep your muscles in place when you exercise. It helps prevent soreness and improve recovery by reducing friction, swelling, and keeping blood flowing properly. That boost in circulation doesn’t let the muscle acid buildup, which decreases your discomfort and helps you quickly recover. 

Protection and Durability 

Strong fabrics can handle intense training while shielding you from elements like sun, wind, and cold. High-quality gear goes through different tests to see if it can handle tough workouts and protect your body. Some of them are:

• Abrasion resistance: This test is to see if the fabric will wear out quickly when rubbed against rough surfaces. It is done by letting machines rub fabric against abrasive surfaces.
• Tensile strength: This measures the fabric’s ability to handle stretching without getting torn when pulled apart, which is especially important around seams, collars, and cuffs.
• Pilling resistance: Measures how well the fabric avoids those little fuzz balls that show up after wear and washing. 

Endnote

The right kind of gear doesn’t just make you feel good and comfortable, but also provides room for movement while supporting your muscles. Having all of the aforementioned properties in your sportswear can help you stay motivated and focused. As a result, all sports enthusiasts who want to optimize their physical performance and motivation should invest in proper gear.