We have all seen one person or the other wear compression pants in the gym. Looking at them at face value they just looked like the glorified version of any other trouser or tracksuit, just a lot tighter. Well, looks can be deceiving, because they deliver more than what the eye can see.
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What Are Compression Pants?
Similar to spandex, these are made from a stretchy fabric that forms on to the body like a second skin. This material creates pressure on your legs and hips which improves performance and prevents injury. There are a number of studies which suggest that compression pants or any sort of compression wear can prevent injury as well as post-workout recovery.
Since there is a balanced surface pressure on your body, compression clothes trigger the acceleration of blood flow. This enables you to get the most out of your workouts, helping you train your upper body as well as lower body like a pro!
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Reduced Muscle Fatigue | Lower Risk of Muscle Soreness | Improved Perceived Exertion | Better Muscle Oxygenation | Comfort | Better Recovery | Final Thoughts | FAQs
What Are Compression Pants Good For?
Discover the multitude benefits of compression pants and what they’re good for:
1. Reduced Muscle Fatigue
Ever wonder why your body aches after a workout? Well obviously it’s because you are exerting your muscles which is why it aches, but scientifically speaking, it is the increase of lactic acid in your muscles. When a muscle is being exerted, the muscle produces lactic acid in the muscle.
Studies from the UMPC Health Beat suggest that compression pants allow an accelerated flow of blood. This accelerated flow of the blood reduces the lactic acid in your muscles which in turn reduces muscle fatigue.
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2. Lower Risk of Muscle Soreness
Remember the first day you went to the gym for leg day and you felt like your legs were jelly? Remember the next morning with it got a lot worse? Well, this is known as delayed onset muscle soreness, so given the option to not have that happen again, would you take it?
Our friends at Men’s Health Magazine believe that wearing them during heavy exercise reduces this type of soreness. If that isn’t enough motivation to never skip leg day, I don’t know what is.
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3. Improved Perceived Exertion
There are some workouts such as the German Volume Training which requires you to do 10 x 10 sets of a single exercise. These kinds of exercises, apart from building muscles, test your endurance. This is where perceived exertion comes into play which basically a more effortless way of working out. A 2016 study from Sports Medicine suggests that compression wear like compression pants, shorts, and shirts improved the perceived exertion during endurance training.
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4. Better Muscle Oxygenation
We previously discussed that due to the balanced pressure the blood flow in our body increases when wearing compression pants. We also talked about how they are important in case of endurance training and also how the blood flow reduces lactic acid in the muscle.
According to Research Gate, this increased blood flow doesn’t stop benefiting the body just there. The blood brings oxygen to the muscle tissues which can improve your athletic performance for short, explosive bouts of exercise as well.
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5. Comfort
Although these clothes do apply pressure around your thighs, most people find it comfortable to wear for working out. They have little wind resistance, wicks moisture and don’t ride up every time you are doing squats, sit-ups or other similar activities.
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6. Better Recovery
After every workout, your muscles take time to recover strength and from soreness. Human Kinetics and a 2014 study of Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise both agree that compression pants promote the recovery of muscle strength after resistance training. It also cuts down the lengthy process of recovering from muscle soreness.
Both studies suggest that since the blood flow acceleration improves the oxygenation of muscles in the body, compression pants offer a much better post-workout recovery.
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Final Thoughts
Compression pants are a great way to improve your performance in the gym. Whether you are working your legs or trying to tone your glutes, compression workout leggings are a great way to prevent injury, decrease fatigue and gives the best post-workout recovery.
So now if you’re ever considering to skip leg day afraid of the pain that is to follow the next day, we just eliminated all excuses. Get a pair of compression pants for yourself and get squatting.
FAQs
Compression pants or compressive gym tights or leggings offer muscle support that improves your blood flow during intense physical activities such as running, cycling or weightlifting. Since these pants fit tightly around your legs, they alleviate muscle fatigue and soreness by reducing muscle and joint impact during workouts. This improves your performance and boosts recovery. In addition, compression pants enhance your blood circulation, allowing your body to excrete toxins much faster and boosting your recovery process. Since compression pants improve your athletic performance, these tights or leggings keep you comfortable and at-ease during the toughest workout sessions.
Yes, it’s absolutely fine to wear compression pants throughout the day, even if they’re workout leggings. For a lot of people, it’s completely normal and comfortable to wear these pants all day long as they decrease any kind of soreness and swelling, improving your blood circulation throughout the day. However, what’s important is to know that the pants or leggings you’re wearing aren’t too compressive or too tight. Otherwise, you’ll feel restricted. But if these leggings are too loose, you might not get the benefits that compression pants have to offer. If you’re just starting out, wear these pants for a shorter period of time to adjust into them and see how your body feels. If you feel uncomfortable or restricted, then avoid wearing these pants for longer periods of time.
Here’s the thing – compression pants are not for everyone. People with certain health conditions should avoid them or consult a healthcare professional before use. These conditions include:
- If you can’t feel your legs well (like with neuropathy), you might not notice if the pants are too tight. This is when you should avoid compression pants and go for looser, more relaxed fitted pants instead.
- People with bad circulation in their legs (like PAD) because the pants could make it worse.
- If you have skin problems or cuts, the pants might annoy them more or make them feel uncomfortable.
- If you experience blot clotting (DVT) or are at risk, check with a doctor first. Compression can help, but might not be right for everyone.
- Since these pants might restrict you, they might impact your blood flow so it’s better to avoid them if you’re at a risk of heart problems.
While you can wear compression clothes throughout the day, the best time to wear them might be:
- During training for muscle support and better blood flow.
- Post-workout for faster and smoother muscle recovery.
- When you’re walking, jogging, driving or traveling as these leggings or tights improve your blood circulation.
- If you have a sedentary lifestyle or move excessively throughout the day as compression pants alleviate fatigue and leg swelling or soreness.
- When you’re in the healing phase after surgery or if recommended by your healthcare provider.
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