Athletic apparel 101

Apparel is 1/2 the workout battle

Know what you should be wearing and what's up-to-date... 
Never forget: Cotton is rotten. Cotton absorbs more water than any other clothing fiber. That's great for a towel, but not for your workout clothes. Synthetic materials such as polypropylene transport water through the fabric instead of holding it. This happens through a capillary action, says Wallace Carr, Ph.D., a professor of textile technology at Georgia Tech. As water evaporates from the surface of clothing, the fabric sucks moisture away from your body. 
Lightweight wool also does a great job of wicking moisture away from your skin, keeping you cool and comfortable. 


Great products you may not know about:

Stuffitts is a soft, form-fitting shape that is inserted into shoes after wearing. Combining new fabric technology, a unique foot-shaped design that maximizes point-to-point absorption, and soft cedar inserts – a pair of Stuffitts can help extend the life of your shoes significantly by protecting your shoes from moisture and odor! Stuffitts work effectively in all types of shoes, boots, and cleats…they also come in sizes to fit men, women, and children. They are made from 100% natural cedar and are 100% reusable.

Halo headbands are sweat barriers to your face. They deflect the sweat from rolling into your eyes. They come in a variety of colors, cost about $9 and are great for someone (like me) with short hair needing to pull it all away from your face. 

Synthetic Socks i.e. DryMax socks to wick away moisture. You have 1/2 a million sweat glands in your feet--control them by pulling that nasty stuff away from your toesies. Remember, moisture + movement = blisters/chaffing.  

A GREAT Sports Bra  Moving Comfort sports bras are engineered with our special DriLayer® fabrics to quickly transfer moisture away from your skin to the outside of the fabric where it disperses and evaporates. Some even have recycled beans in the cups which wick away moisture and help with odor control and provide UV protection. Pretty cool! Come see me at Road Runner Sports for a complimentary Personalized Sports Bra fitting! 

*some info from Men's Health*