by Gemma Delaney

Performance-enhancing wear, often summed up as ‘compression clothing,’ encompasses a variety of distinct products. To make the most of their benefits, it is crucial to distinguish between ‘true’ compression wear and merely tight-fitting attire.

What Does Compression Wear Actually Do?

Two key elements define the advantage of true compression clothing – proprioception and circulation.

Proprioception – The Consciousness of Movement

Proprioception is the body’s awareness of its own stance, maneuvers, and overall movement. Considering attire as part of your performance apparatus can augment this consciousness, thereby enhancing posture and technique during training and competition.

Circulation – Fueling the Muscles

Enhancing circulation is a more challenging endeavor. By applying the right amount of pressure to muscles, compression wear can boost circulation – resulting in an effect known as improved microcirculation. This principle is akin to wearing socks to prevent deep vein thrombosis on extended flights. The extra blood flow during exercise can potentially increase your performance by adequately fueling your muscle energy and eliminating waste products.

Further, donning these garments between training sessions could also yield benefits. The augmented blood flow might alleviate weary muscles and enhance recovery. Thus, whether sleeping in compression wear, or wearing it unobtrusively under everyday attire, you could potentially start your next training session feeling rejuvenated.

However, as the saying goes, “all good things come with a catch”. The snag with improving microcirculation is that the optimum pressure is crucial. Excessive pressure might have the counteractive effect of impeding circulation!

Ensuring your compression wear is made from the right material, configured to the right fit, and matches your precise size is imperative for optimum results. As a result, sizing charts for performance clothes tend to be more comprehensive.

Mitigating Muscle Vibration

Studies of athletes in slow-motion reveal a fascinating phenomenon – the muscular tremors during a run. By attenuating these vibrations and oscillations, compression clothing might ease the strain on muscles, reducing the dreaded delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), or post-exercise stiffness.

Progressing with Technology

As textile technology and our understanding of biomechanics advance, experts devise increasingly sophisticated application methods. There are techniques designed to refine posture and bolster hard-to-train muscles. For instance, specially designed polymer overlays on clothing can optimize a runner’s posture and power generation by enhancing the ‘elastic energy’ released from extensions and contractions of muscles, particularly the Achilles tendon.

Improved circulation, proprioception, reduced muscle soreness, and power generation; the benefits of embracing compression clothing in your workout routine can be manifold and customized to your specific training needs.

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