What To Wear to the Gym: The Beginner’s Guide

What To Wear to the Gym: The Beginner’s Guide

There are two ways to look like a total newbie the first time you stroll into the gym. The first is to wear designer athleisure that’s more for running errands to the grocery store for healthy foods and picking up your kids from school than it is for sweating in.

The second is to be completely inappropriately dressed, wearing clothes you simply can’t sweat in, like jeans, sandals, or even dress pants. Thankfully, there’s a happy medium, and it’s what you should be wearing to the gym.

Our experts here at MyFitFoods will break it down for you.

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Dressing for Comfort and Movement

The ideal gym outfit will allow you to move around easily while remaining comfortable. Pay attention to fit as well. You won’t get in a full workout if you spend part of your time pulling up your pants, ensuring your sports bra is in place, and preventing your loose tank top from getting tangled in the fitness equipment.

So, how should you dress? Stick to slightly form-fitting clothing (you’re allowed to have a little looseness, just not too much) made of fabric that stretches and preferably wicks away moisture.

You should be completely comfortable in what you’re wearing, so try it on at home and do some stretches, bends, and other movements. If everything stays in place, then you’re good to go.

Workout Clothing Suggestions

When it comes to workout clothing, there are dozens of options out there. Thankfully, they fall into categories, making it easy to review them and determine what you should wear in the gym.

Here are the main things to look for when shopping for exercise clothing.

Shoes

There are dozens of different styles and types of sneakers, also known as tennis shoes. How can you choose the right ones?

Options like running shoes, cross trainers, walking shoes, and more can make this decision rather hard. However, the shoes that you wear to the gym are vitally important to your safety and health.

Before heading to your nearest shoe store and buying a pair, consider what you plan on doing in the gym. Are you going to spend a lot of time on the treadmill? Do you take fitness classes? Are you more into weightlifting?

Generally, a good pair of cross trainers will work well unless you plan on spending a lot of your time jogging, running, or walking. You don’t need expensive specialty shoes, like those designed for marathoners unless you’re a serious athlete.

No matter the type of shoes you choose, ensure they fit well. If they’re too tight or too loose, you run the risk of injuring yourself. Tight shoes can cause blisters, which make working out miserable. Loose shoes can change your gait, making you more prone to pulled muscles.

Shorts or Leggings

Next, you must wear something on the bottom half of your body to avoid running afoul of decency laws. Thankfully, there are plenty of options, ranging from various types and fits of shorts to leggings.

If you need something more modest, some workout shorts come with a skirt over the top, providing you with some extra coverage. As far as shorts are concerned, you generally have two choices: tight and not-so-tight. Tight shorts, which resemble the ones worn by bicyclists, allow for plenty of movement, and you won’t have to worry about them getting stuck in a weight machine.

However, they do take some confidence to pull off, so they may not be for everyone. Thankfully, looser workout shorts do the job just as well. If you choose them, ensure they aren’t extremely baggy, as that can become a safety issue.

Next, there are leggings. If you want some additional coverage, then leggings are a great option. They also provide a little bit of compression while you work out, giving you some extra support.

Choosing leggings can be tricky, as there are various lengths, such as cropped or full length, and a number of different rises. Whether you want low-rise, standard-rise, or high-rise leggings is up to you, as you must remain comfortable.

Tank Tops and T-Shirts

As far as your top half is concerned, you have two main options in gym wear: tank tops and t-shirts. Both should be made of fabric that wicks away moisture, allowing you to remain comfortable while working out.

Your tank tops can be either slightly loose or well-fitted, depending on the activity and comfort level. For example, if you’re taking a yoga class, you want a fitted shirt that will stay in place. If you’re just doing some cardio, then a slightly loose option will work just fine.

The same is true for t-shirts. Some people prefer tank tops because they give them some extra range of motion, or they simply dislike the feeling of having sleeves on while exercising.

However, for people who want a little extra coverage, or don’t mind sleeves, then t-shirts will work well. Just remember to choose ones designed for the gym, not the thick cotton ones you find elsewhere in the store.

Sports Bras

Ladies (and those who identify as ladies), you’ll need to wear a sports bra in the gym to remain comfortable. Thankfully, there are plenty of different support options, ranging from those with low support (good for low-impact exercises like yoga) to high support, ideal for running, jogging, and just about any other high-impact exercise.

It’s crucial to choose a sports bra that wicks away moisture and fits comfortably. The last thing you want is to keep adjusting your bra in the middle of a workout.

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Other Items of Clothing

What about things like sweatshirts or leg warmers? Do people still wear sweatbands? As far as these other types of clothing are concerned, it’s up to you.

A sweatband can catch the sweat as it falls into your eyes, making it incredibly useful to wear during those high-intensity workouts. And sweatshirts? Feel free to wear a sweat-wicking one at the beginning of your workout. Just wear a tank or t-shirt underneath, so you can remove it when you start getting overheated.

Fabrics To Avoid

When it comes to gym clothes, the emphasis is on sweat-wicking and stretchy items. Anything else might be far too uncomfortable to wear to the gym.

Here are some fabrics that you need to avoid:

  • Cotton – Standard cotton items, like t-shirts, won’t wick away the sweat as you exercise. Instead, it will soak up all that sweat, leaving you with an uncomfortable, sodden mess. Before you know it, you’ll be cutting your workout short. Try to avoid regular cotton at all costs.
  • Non-Breathable Fabrics – Plenty of fabrics out there just don’t breathe. Imagine dress pants or suit coats. Do those fabrics breathe? Nope. They’re designed to be slightly uncomfortable. Can you imagine wearing them to the gym? It would be a nightmare.

Do You Really Need the Accessories?

Now, let’s talk about accessories. You might see the cool kids on television head to the gym wearing ski goggles, fancy jewelry, and accessories in their closets. This isn’t the way to go. Instead, you want to keep it simple. You really don’t need all of those accessories.

The ski goggles are useless in the gym, although not on the slopes. Jewelry? You could damage it if it gets caught in a weight machine. Plus, all of the sweat can lead the metal to corrode. There’s a reason why many athletes choose to wear a rubber wedding band when they’re exercising!

What To Wear to the Gym

Now that you know what you should wear to the gym, it’s time to purchase the right clothing items. If you have any questions on this or anything else, please contact us!

Sources:

Choosing the Right Workout Clothes | Everyday Health

Ten Ways to Avoid Looking Like a Beginner in the Gym | Muscle and Fitness

What to Wear to the Gym: Workout Outfits | Sheru Classic