Published on ShanghaiDaily.com (http://www.shanghaidaily.com/)
http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sp/article/2008/200812/20081223/article_385469.htm
Choosing the right gear, including clothing and shoes, is crucial for a workout in gym, a yoga class or simply jogging around the neighborhood.
Choosing the right gear, including clothing and shoes, is crucial for a workout in gym, a yoga class or simply jogging around the neighborhood.
Dress smart for working out - It's not a fashion show
Created: 2008-12-23
Author:Michelle Zhang
WORKING out, practicing yoga and running are not fashion events, ladies (and gents). Choose clothes that are simple, not clingy, and use your head when choosing your shoes, writes Michelle Zhang.
The recession has forced most of us cut back on expenses and think twice before spending. At the same time, however, more and more people have come to realize the importance of a healthy body.
Working out in the gym, joining a yoga class or simply jogging around the neighborhood has become the after-work routine of many white-collar workers.
"Exercising on a regular basis not only helps you to lose weight and strengthen the body, but is also a good way to release stress," says Claire Sun, personal fitness trainer at the new Hosa Fitness Club in Hongqiao area.
It is also very important, she says, to choose the right workout gear. The wrong shoes and clothing can actually hurt your performance, even your body.
"The wrong exercise apparels make you feel uncomfortable and focus on what you're wearing instead of what you're doing," she adds. "It's more about getting the most from your exercise than just looking good."
Functionality is the top priority, says Sun - that's commonsensical.
For example, appropriate yoga wear must be both comfortable and flexible. Flexibility of fabric partly determines how easily one assume a posture.
Since yoga is about the relationship between human beings and nature, wearing clothing of organic cottons and "green" fabrics makes philosophical sense.
"Choose tops that cover your body instead of sports bras, since it's better to keep your body temperature at the same level while practicing yoga," she says.
Also, many twisting movements emphasize the abdominal muscles and your core.
"Your tummy will become the focus no matter how thin you are," she says.
Yoga pants should be loose and comfortable, allowing free movement, instead of clinging tightly.
Last, keep your outfit simple and "elegant," Sun says. Choose soft, light hues that help you calm down, instead of bold, energizing colors.
For jogging and other motion, choose fabrics that move moisture away from the body, are well ventilated and dry quickly. For example, Coolmax (a fabric by Invista) "helps you maximize performance while keeping you feel cool and dry," Sun says.
Footwear is essential, for the gym and for running. Alex Zhao, running consultant from New Balance, says the American athletic footwear leader has launched a new brand campaign in China. It's called "Love/hate, this is the new balance" - to spotlight the runner's complex love/hate relationship with running and make it more a life attitude than a sport.
The campaign aims to help people reduce the hate and grow the love of running through innovative footwear, apparel and equipment.
"Typical running shoes should be light and soft," Zhao points out. "The soles should be able to withstand the impact. Therefore, the shoes should have been made with different layers of materials."
The heelpiece should be wide and firm, while the toecap should be high and roundish so it won't cramp the toes and cause bleeding.
The sole should have a soft interlayer to absorb impact. The back-end of the shoe should be in the declining shape to make the feet move forward easily.
"The proper time to choose shoes is the afternoon," Zhao says. "After a few hours' activity, the feet have already become larger than they were in the morning."
Leave your socks on when trying on shoes. "You should put one foot into the new shoe while keeping the other in the old one so as to feel the differences; try both of the new shoes after that."
It is also necessary to leave forward space for the toes; shoes may get wider after long wear, but they won't get longer. The length of your running shoes should be about 1 centimeter longer than your foot.
"The material of the vamp (upper part of the shoe) usually determines the price," Zhao says. "In theory, leather sneakers are more durable. However, the vamp of knitted nylon is not only light-weight, but also ventilates fast to keep the feet dry.
In long-distance races, a nylon vamp can also expand to accommodate swollen feet, he says.
Remember, don't wear running shoes when you play ball games like basketball and tennis, since both sports require shoes with extra reinforcement on the sides to facilitate rotation of the feet and sudden movement. Wearing the wrong shoes can contribute to a sprained ankle and other injuries.
The recession has forced most of us cut back on expenses and think twice before spending. At the same time, however, more and more people have come to realize the importance of a healthy body.
Working out in the gym, joining a yoga class or simply jogging around the neighborhood has become the after-work routine of many white-collar workers.
"Exercising on a regular basis not only helps you to lose weight and strengthen the body, but is also a good way to release stress," says Claire Sun, personal fitness trainer at the new Hosa Fitness Club in Hongqiao area.
It is also very important, she says, to choose the right workout gear. The wrong shoes and clothing can actually hurt your performance, even your body.
"The wrong exercise apparels make you feel uncomfortable and focus on what you're wearing instead of what you're doing," she adds. "It's more about getting the most from your exercise than just looking good."
Functionality is the top priority, says Sun - that's commonsensical.
For example, appropriate yoga wear must be both comfortable and flexible. Flexibility of fabric partly determines how easily one assume a posture.
Since yoga is about the relationship between human beings and nature, wearing clothing of organic cottons and "green" fabrics makes philosophical sense.
"Choose tops that cover your body instead of sports bras, since it's better to keep your body temperature at the same level while practicing yoga," she says.
Also, many twisting movements emphasize the abdominal muscles and your core.
"Your tummy will become the focus no matter how thin you are," she says.
Yoga pants should be loose and comfortable, allowing free movement, instead of clinging tightly.
Last, keep your outfit simple and "elegant," Sun says. Choose soft, light hues that help you calm down, instead of bold, energizing colors.
For jogging and other motion, choose fabrics that move moisture away from the body, are well ventilated and dry quickly. For example, Coolmax (a fabric by Invista) "helps you maximize performance while keeping you feel cool and dry," Sun says.
Footwear is essential, for the gym and for running. Alex Zhao, running consultant from New Balance, says the American athletic footwear leader has launched a new brand campaign in China. It's called "Love/hate, this is the new balance" - to spotlight the runner's complex love/hate relationship with running and make it more a life attitude than a sport.
The campaign aims to help people reduce the hate and grow the love of running through innovative footwear, apparel and equipment.
"Typical running shoes should be light and soft," Zhao points out. "The soles should be able to withstand the impact. Therefore, the shoes should have been made with different layers of materials."
The heelpiece should be wide and firm, while the toecap should be high and roundish so it won't cramp the toes and cause bleeding.
The sole should have a soft interlayer to absorb impact. The back-end of the shoe should be in the declining shape to make the feet move forward easily.
"The proper time to choose shoes is the afternoon," Zhao says. "After a few hours' activity, the feet have already become larger than they were in the morning."
Leave your socks on when trying on shoes. "You should put one foot into the new shoe while keeping the other in the old one so as to feel the differences; try both of the new shoes after that."
It is also necessary to leave forward space for the toes; shoes may get wider after long wear, but they won't get longer. The length of your running shoes should be about 1 centimeter longer than your foot.
"The material of the vamp (upper part of the shoe) usually determines the price," Zhao says. "In theory, leather sneakers are more durable. However, the vamp of knitted nylon is not only light-weight, but also ventilates fast to keep the feet dry.
In long-distance races, a nylon vamp can also expand to accommodate swollen feet, he says.
Remember, don't wear running shoes when you play ball games like basketball and tennis, since both sports require shoes with extra reinforcement on the sides to facilitate rotation of the feet and sudden movement. Wearing the wrong shoes can contribute to a sprained ankle and other injuries.
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