Gym equipment exists for a reason, and it’s rarely purely aesthetical. There’s an etiquette that needs to be followed at any gym, and there are many reasons for this. For one, how do you like working out on a bench press that is completely wet with someone else’s sweat? Not a fan? Well, neither is the rest of the gym, and the change in mentality starts from the individual – you need to lead by example.
Secondly, proper gym equipment is there for even more practical reasons – it helps absorb the sweat, making you more approachable (and less disgusting, to be honest), and even more importantly, it helps prevent unnecessary injuries. Here’s some etiquette regarding proper gym attire.
Moisture-wicking clothing
Heavy-weight cotton t-shirts will hold on to moisture (like a giant sponge), making for an uncomfortable experience and oozing sweat onto every piece of gym equipment that you use. Professional moisture-wicking wear might set you back a bit more than your typical cotton t-shirt, but the performance or wicking fabrics are made of Lycra and polyester blends that help them last longer, keep you more comfortable and dry faster.
The important thing to keep in mind here is that using the same unwashed t-shirt for as little as two consecutive workout sessions is unacceptable – clothing, especially the pieces that are based on synthetic materials tend to get borderline toxic smell-wise if not washed after use.
Fitting tops
Sure, why not use that huge old tee that you haven’t worn in ages? I’ll tell you why: it’s functionally horrible – it can be limiting and may even cause you to trip and injure yourself.
Opt for wearing comfortable, stretchy tops that will give you freedom of movement – this is of huge importance in a gym environment. Choose nylon-elastane mixes that contain a small percentage of spandex and make for a comfortable fit that allows a greater range of motion during sets.
Never wear ‘XL’ if you are size ‘M’!
Fitting bottoms
I’m not going to tell you whether to go with long pants or short pants, this is entirely up to you; I suggest you try both options and see which suits you better, as feeling comfortable at the gym at all times is absolutely unavoidable.
The one thing that I will tell you is that no matter how stretchy and how tight, the bottoms need to be made out of breathable fabric.
Jeans are generally frowned upon and baggy choices are not only unfashionable but restricting and unsafe.
Only one type of footwear in the gym…
…is the proper footwear. Nope, boots are never fine, Chucks are way too flat to be safe, flip flops are a ridiculous choice and I’m not even going to entertain the thought of you going around the gym barefoot on account of wanting to come off as au naturel – do you want to see what a 10-pound weight feels on your bare foot?
The only proper gym footwear is actual proper gym footwear – not only do the professional gym shoes reduce the risk of injury, but they allow for maximum performance. I’m talking renowned brands such as Nike that are worth every penny.
No jewellery
…and this is absolutely essential! Sure, you might come off as a douche if you choose to wear jewellery to the gym, but this is completely fine; this is not the issue. The main issue is that wearing jewellery to the gym is extremely unsafe! Some experts will tell you that a wedding ring is fine, I’m telling you that I’ve seen things that I would very much like to un-see – as soon as you enter the gym, all the rings, chains, necklaces and bracelets come off! In addition to the possibility that you might damage the given valuable(s), you might end up injuring yourself, and the injuries involved here have a tendency to be absolutely horrific.
Be safe and leave all the jewellery back home.
The thing with gym attire is that the trendy choices are those that are simply functional – gym wear should be as stretchy as possible, non-restricting, the right size, comfortable and made out of synthetic, yet breathable materials. Everything that sounds even vaguely ridiculous is probably a bad idea for gym wear. Oh yeah, and leave the jewellery at home.
Guest Blogger
Mia Taylor mrsmiataylor@gmail.com website: HighStyle
