Fantastic workout outfits and where to find them

Preparation is the key to starting and more importantly maintaining a good habit, especially if that habit is doing exercise. Building a good habit is a lot like starting a war with the sluggish part of your personality. If you are not prepared, you will lose. 

For exercise, one of the most important but often neglected parts of the experience is what you are wearing while doing it. In order to play the part, you have to look it. Not all exercises have the same clothing and each has a certain set of clothing suited for it. Don't fret - we at Lifestyle have your back. Here is guide to what to wear, what not to wear and where to find the right assortment of work-out clothes.

WHAT TO WEAR

Low intensity workouts like Yoga/Pilates /brisk walking- Pairing up sweatshirt, tops or tee-shirts with leggings or tights are good choices for slow exercises as such. Pants that stretch can help you move while perfecting the yoga asanas. 

High intensity workouts like strength /cardio- Running on the treadmill or doing fat-burning exercises is more comfortable in track pants, jogger or boxer shorts. They let the air pass freely through to your skin and the sweat dries up quick. Guys have the option to mix it up with synthetic jerseys and basketball shorts. In winter a light hoodie or pullover is enough to get you pumping up in the cold. 

And for the ladies, I cannot stress enough on the importance of a good sports bra. Continuous and repetitive movements during physical activity can result in soreness, pain and sagging. A firm sports bra helps reduce the movement and relieves of such pain. 

WHERE TO FIND THEM

As far as work-out clothes go, the best place to look for them is in the Doja market's alleys opposite the Dhaka College gate.  You will find a plethora of designs of t-shirts, tights, sports-bras. Starting from track pants to spandex, they have everything for both men and women, more so in a reasonable price. In order to find the right fit one has to search a lot at times but the price and the availability of such a diverse collection makes it totally worth it!

You might also find authentic workout outfits and shoes in sports shops like Body and Sports and Sports World outlets scattered all around the city. They have good quality spandex, basketball shorts and swimsuits designed for professional athletes. 

Other than these, Artisan has a great number of sweatshirts, leggings and tights made out of a variety of fabrics like cotton, 

Spandex, nylon, and polyester;  and if you're into trendy workout outfits, then Urban truth and Westecs have fun tops, tee-shirts sweatshirts in bright colours and asymmetrical cuts. A whole section in Mustafa Mart in Bashundhara shopping  mall is dedicated to work-out clothes and shoes and even includes equipment.

Brands like Nike, Lotto, Power and Adidas make professional athletic footwear. You can get them in your nearest Bata or Apex stores. Meanwhile, Elephant Road has a number of shops which sell affordable running shoes. 

Other places where you might find both workout outfits and shoes are New Market and Gulshan DCC.  The variety of collection caters to different choices of different people. 

WHAT NOT TO WEAR

The first thing to keep in mind while shopping for work-out outfits is that the fabric is breathable, light and provides suitable support. Even though cotton is an amazing comfort fabric, opting for 100 percent cotton for high intensity workouts can be a bad idea as cotton clothes stick to your body as soon as you start sweating which in turn bogs you down. Alternatively synthetics, lightweight linen and poly-blends are super absorbent and quickly helps dry your sweat.

Again don't wear clothes that are too tight because it will become very hard for you to move in them. The same goes with warm clothes worn for workout during winter. It is always advisable to wear layered clothing that can be taken off once you start to break a sweat. 

Shoes are essential parts of the workout attire. If you choose to wear shoes with worn out soles and holes on the toes, it will not only impede your speed but also hurt your feet. When doing leg work, the lack of proper support underneath your feet might hurt the joints or cause muscle spasm. So it is smarter to just invest in a pair of quality running shoes. And a quality running shoe is light, flexible and fortified to offer stability, support and underfoot protection.  Sneakers and ballet shoes are unfit for high intensity exercises as they are merely abrasion resistant and might tear easily when put too much pressure on the feet. 

Lastly try not to accessorise much while workouts. Earrings, bracelets or necklaces can be a great impediment as often times they get stuck to the mat or to your own clothes. 

So if you're a newbie flailing around at the gym and don't know what to do, remind yourself that at least you look on point doing it!

By Mormee Mahtab

Photo: Collected