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That’s very lovely compression apparel you are wearing today, however, where are the rest of your pants?
By Courtney Shepherd, with information obtained from Boxlife Magazine.
I’ve noticed a trend in CrossFit fashion lately. While I’m use to seeing women walk around in tight pants, I feel like some guys are jumping on that band wagon as well. I’m not talking about any old tight pants though, I’m talking about compression pants. There is more compression apparel out there than just pants. It started out with me wondering why NBA and NFL players had a sleeve on one arm. During the CrossFit Games I started to see sleeves on both arms, which turned into full compression shirts, and eventually men wearing tight pants. . . excuse me, compression gear. Now no one get all up in arms like I just said CrossFit invented compression gear. I don’t know where it started but since I practically live in a CrossFit gym that’s my main exposure to workout fashion. So my next question is why? Why are athletes painting themselves into such revealing clothing?
Compression gear actually first made it’s way onto the scene in the medical community. That’s right folks, if we dig back into our memory banks of our grandparents wearing those tight, white, knee socks called Ted Hose. . . that is compression gear.
In an article in Boxlife Magazine titled “Does Compression Gear Really Work?” by William Imbo, it states “Their design places pressure on blood vessels of the leg, constricting them. This then forces blood to flow through a smaller canal, which in turn increases blood pressure in the legs and forces blood to be pumped back up towards the heart instead of pooling in the lower leg. This type of compression gear helps circulation in patients with low blood pressure, treats varicose veins (swollen, twisted, and sometimes painful veins that have filled with an abnormal collection of blood), prevents swelling in the ankles and legs and even helps wounds heal.“
Seeing the success of compression gear in the medical world, sports designers began designing clothing for athletes that would replicate the same effects with the goal to improve performance as well as speed up recovery.
“Since compression attire had proved to be so successful in people suffering with leg mobility, brands began by targeting runners—though of course this soon expanded to multiple sports and disciplines. The idea was to borrow the practice of pressuring blood vessels in order allow more blood oxygen and nutrients into the compressed muscle and help get rid of waste products (like lactic acid). The theory was that doing so would increase the working muscle’s capacity to produce energy, allowing the athlete to run faster.“
Since the mass production of compression gear and the aim of putting it in the hands of competitive athletes multiple studies have been done to show if there really is any benefit to wearing it. Many reports have shown an improvement in blood flow with wearing compression gear but “no significant improvement in running endurance.” One study even show “no general scientific indications regarding the benefit of compression garments in competitive sports.”
It’s not all bad news though, “there are some studies that lend support to the notion that wearing compression gear can help you recover post-exercise. Many reports showed that athletes simply felt less sore after exercise when wearing compression attire, and they believed they recovered better too. . . the study would appear to prove that wearing compression gear post-exercise does indeed help you recover quicker, thus allowing you to perform better on a day-to-day basis.“
So which is it? Does it work? Does it not work? Do I have to keep watching Ross work out in his hot sex pants?
“The verdict on compression gear? That’s up to you. Some people will swear by their compression sports clothes and won’t train without them, despite the fact that most of the evidence on whether it does much doing a workout being inconclusive. However, if you do decide to perform a WOD in them, go ahead and leave them on for a while afterwards (or throw on some clean compression gear for a longer period of time) and see if you feel any difference when you return to the box, go for a run, etc.”
So I guess the answer is yes.
Click here for full article.
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