Why Do Athletes Wear Compression Clothing
Some people call them compression clothing, others call them skins, and they’re also known as compression garments. Regardless of what you call them, it’s all the same fabric. But why do athletes habitually wear them?
There are two primary reasons athletes wear compression clothing: improve blood circulation and regulate their temperature. Not only do they keep muscle temperature warm, but their compactness increases blood flow to remove waste products and deliver oxygen faster. So they can train more frequently and are less prone to injury
Some athletes use it to express their fashion, while others hate how they look in them. In our opinion, we love the tight fit! Nonetheless, compression clothing is like uniforms to athletes, so it’s rare to see them train without them.
Long sleeve, short sleeve, extra tight, or slightly tight; every athlete has their preference. For example, LeBron James rocks his compression clothing partially on each limb; check it out:
Embed from Getty ImagesBenefits Of Compression Clothing
We’ve touched on the significant benefits of compression clothing; however, their perks stretch even further. To summarize:
- Increased blood flow.
- Defense against weather.
- Psychological preparation.
- Lower risk of injury.
- Fasten muscle recovery.
How Does Compression Clothing Increase Blood Flow
We’ve mentioned that compression clothing increases blood flow, but how? And what’s the benefit to performance in this? Let’s explain
The tightness of compression garments applies tension to the veins and limbs. This helps prevent blood clots from forming in your vessels and encourages blood to flow more efficiently. This improves oxygen delivery to the muscles and the removal of lactic acid and other waste products.
During exercise, it helps your muscles respire better, making you use energy more efficiently.
Defense Against Weather
- In freezing temperatures, compression clothing offers an added base layer of fabric (typically neoprene) to block the harshness of the cold. Plus, its tightness helps to fight off the wind and acts as an insulation system by preventing your body’s warm radiation from escaping.
- During the heat, many compression clothes are equipped with smart technology to soak up your sweat and help you stay dry. It does this by bringing moisture to the surface to evaporate into the atmosphere. This prevents you from training in damp clothes – which is very uncomfortable.
Psychological preparation
From our experience, wearing compression clothing shifts your mindset to be more involved in your activity as you feel like an athlete and are prepared to exercise. Similar to wearing a uniform, compression clothes put you in the right state of mind.
Consequences of this include improved focus, greater energy, more determination, and better clarity. Does this mean compression clothes increase performance? Indirectly, yes!
Lower Risk Of Injury
Due to its tightness, compression clothing provides support and stability to your joints and muscles. They help prevent your body parts from overstretching or overrotating because the elasticity of the fabric pulls them straight back into a safer position.
Does this mean you’ll never get injured? Not entirely, they aren’t that good (yet!) However, they can be the difference between a severe and a minor injury.
Fasten Muscle Recovery
The pressure compression clothes put on your body improve blood circulation. Therefore, it’s more efficient at removing waste products, speeding up the recovery process.
In addition, the tightness reduces muscle oscillation (the vibrations that occur when your foot hits the ground and ripple through your body.) When wearing them during running, sports, or HITT training, there is less wasted energy, which decreases muscle fatigue and post-workout soreness.
While the logic is sound, scientific reports claim few studies have highlighted them as affecting recovery.
Drawbacks Of Compression Clothing
There are drawbacks of compression clothing; however, they aren’t related to performance or muscle function. Instead, they’re minor nuisance, for example:
Skin Irritation And Discomfort
Not everyone can forget they are wearing compression clothing. We all need to be comfy when we exercise, but some people find it too tight that it distracts them from activity. For example:
- Once weight lifters‘ muscles get a pump, it creates an uncomfortable amount of tension with the fabric, making them feel constrained.
- Other people’s skin is sensitive and reacts negatively towards the fabric, for example, rashes, soreness, or itchiness.
- Some individuals have skin conditions that irritate when in contact with elastic fabric.
Restricted Movement
While it’s only marginal, compression clothing can inhibit athletes from using their joint’s full range of movement. Even with significant flexibility and strength, the tightness of compression clothing prevents being able to fully stretch out without difficulty. This affects sports, such as MMA or Gymnastics, which require full mobility.
Cost
Everything costs money, but compression clothing is surprisingly expensive. Yes, you can get the low–end budget ones, but the technology in them is rubbish! For a decent compression top and bottoms, expect to pay $60.
It’s better to pay the premium for the better quality – the compactness stays rigid through multiple washes, they’re better at wicking away moisture and insulate your body heat faster.
Does Compression Clothing Help Lose Belly Fat
Sell, sell, sell; it seems like fitness brands tell you anything, so you buy their product – even that their compression clothes help you to lose weight. Unfortunately, this isn’t true. Compression clothes don’t reduce fat levels and won’t trim your belly by itself.
Suppose two people are exercising. One wears compression clothes, and the other doesn’t. If they train at the same intensity, they’ll burn the same amount of calories.
Is it as simple as that? Not quite; there is one more effect of compression clothes worth considering:
The tightness of compression clothes makes you perspire more when you exercise. This excess sweating makes you lose more water weight than someone not wearing compression clothes. So yes, you’ll weigh less than the other athlete after a workout; however, you immediately put it back on once you hydrate.
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