Exercise apparel is as important as exercise itself and is essential to ensure maximum comfort and ease during a training session.
This according to Sarah Ezzideen, from the Health and Fitness Professionals Academy (HFPA), adding that the right apparel during training is crucial and contributes largely to the effectiveness of the overall exercise programme.
HFPA is a higher education institution for health, wellness and training professionals around the world.
“Your training gear should be appropriate for the exercise programme you are participating in. Jeans really is a no-go,” she said.
Ezzideen was speaking ahead of Global Running Day, an annual event held this year on 7 June and specifically arranged to ‘celebrate the joys of running’. She explained that during a routine training programme, because the body breaks-out in a sweat, as a result of physiological reaction, proper, breathable clothing was necessary.
She emphasized that for runners especially, it’s equally important to invest in a good pair of running shoes.
“The right running shoes can make all the difference, it will give you the correct support to endure the roads, as well as prevent blisters, shin splits and foot and ankle injuries,” she stated.
Further, Ezzideen advised that the reason why it is important for training apparel to be breathable is to allow for “sweat to be moved to the outer surface of your apparel to allow for regulation of body temperature”.
“The incorrect training gear will decrease movement efficiency, would be uncomfortable and in a sense also demotivating because you will be unable to perform the activity to the fullest capacity,” she said.
And Michael Liffmann, General Manager at the Westin Cape Town said it was for this reason that the hotel has partnered with New Balance Global as part of the hotel’s Move Well programme. New Balance is a global athletics products company and produces footwear and athletic apparel.
“Don’t take your training gear for granted, a better fit produces better performance. Always ensure it fits well and that it’s the right apparel for the type of training you are engaged in,” Liffmann said.