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Guide to Compression Wear and Base Layers

Guide to Compression Wear and Base Layers
Rachel Costello
Food & Entertainment Editor9 years ago
View Rachel Costello's profile

Compression wear and base layers are always thought of as a great idea, something we ‘need to buy’ and must add to our sportswear collection, but what’s the real story behind compression wear? Are there really any performance benefits to be had  from wearing them? In this article, we’ll cover the difference features of compression garments and base layers, showing how they can improve your sports performance and recovery.

Sports Performance Benefits of Compression Wear

The close-fitting ‘second skin’ nature of base layers means that you often forget they’re there when you’re in the midst of a match, race or tournament. But its not just discreetness that they’re designed for, the pressure and controlled tightness in the garments is designed to keep your muscles held in a secure and natural position.

This muscular protection reduces the chances of injury by holding your physique exactly the way it should, stopping muscles moving and vibrating on impact. It’s not necessarily  the big major injuries that compression wear aims to protect, as a sound exercise routine will sort that out, but more so the little strains and pulls that can leave you feeling sore after a big game. Wearing compression gear will help with this, leaving you focused on what’s important: your sport.

Compression and Base Layers Body

 Recovery Benefits of Compression Wear

Compression wear and base layers can be beneficial in endurance events such as running and cycling. Not just during, for the same reasons as mentioned above, but also for recovery benefits. After a ten, fifteen or even twenty-mile run, chances are if you’ve worked hard enough that your legs will be stiff and useless in the immediate hours after. For recovery to happen properly, we must allow the muscles to recovery with both food, such as protein. As no piece of clothing, no matter how special, will be able to give your muscles protein (yet), we suggest using base layers and compression wear for another recovery benefit: letting blood flow to the muscles fluidly.

So not only are the garments holding your muscles in places while you exercise, but they also hold them correctly while you recover,  so blood can get to them efficiently to recover.

Compression

Types of Base Layers and Brands

Base layers come in all shapes and sizes, and for each part of the body. You can get hold of leg base layers, t shirts, long sleeved t shirts, full body base layers, forearm compression and just about anything else you can think of that can be compressed.

Our best brands that produce compression wear and base layers are Under Armour and Skins. Check out our full range of compression wear here at the Hut.

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Rachel Costello
Food & Entertainment Editor
View Rachel Costello's profile
I love talking about how to fully enhance an interior space or perfect a recipe, as well as what happened on the most recent episode of Game of Thrones. You’re likely find this film and dog enthusiast searching out the most stylish trends and the most useful lifestyle tips to make your life that little bit easier.
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