Choosing your kit wisely - Men's gym clothing and running kit

Exercise should be fun, rewarding and incorporate the challenges you want to take on as well as bring great health and fitness benefits.
Whether you are exercising at the gym or heading out the door for a run the correct kit is vitally important. You want your challenges to come from the goals you have decided to take on not from kit that is not up to the job

If you are looking to keep exercise fun and enjoyable the last thing you want is discomfort or even a sports injury hindering you. You want kit that looks and feels great and allows you to exercise in comfort with as little risk of injury as possible.
If you are serious about performance then better comfort and performance from your kit will allow you to train harder, more effectively and with less distractions from what you are trying to achieve in your session.

Men's fitness clothing and running kit
The amount of gym clothing and running kit now on the market is dazzling. The hard part is choosing the kitthat will do the job for you and is not just about style. Of course big sports brands have all taken on board the need for sports clothing to be stylish as well as functional.

Tops
You may prefer a T-shirt, sleeveless T-shirt or a vest/singlet. Whichever type of top you choose for the gym or running it should have certain characteristics. It should be breathable and wick perspiration away from the body. This will stop you from getting too warm, it will prevent the accumulating perspiration making your clothes heavier, it will reduce the risk of chaffing, and it will prevent you feeling a chill should the temperature drop.
The top should fit well to allow you the range of movement you need to do the exercise you are planning on taking part in. This is where a singlet or sleeveless T-shirt can have an advantage over a sports T-shirt as they allow more freedom of movement.
You should also make sure that there are no hems or seems that are anywhere that is likely to rub.

Remember a standard fashion top or cotton T-shirt will not have these properties and so will make you exercise harder and less enjoyable.

For exercising outside in colder weather you may want a running jacket, long sleeved top. As well as being weatherproof a running jacket should still be breathable and as you 'layer up' you need to make sure all the layers are breathable otherwise the perspiration will escape so far and then get trapped.

Remember a standard fashion top or cotton T-shirt will not have these properties and so will make you exercise harder and less enjoyable.

Shorts
Once your top half is dealt with it is on to your bottom half. Again there are a variety of options you can wear. Baggy shorts remain the favourites with men exercising at the gym. These can have a baggy casual look but still be made of performance fabrics and cut to allow good movement. Outside, particularly in colder weather you may want to go for running leggings or tights. These can come in long, three-quarter (or capri) tights which come to just below the knee, or short tights. Some guys like the short tights for indoor use.

As with your tops whatever you choose you should look for something with good breathability and without anything that is likely to rub. Good freedom of movement is important too. The material the clothing is made of and how it is cut/panelled will have an impact on this. Beware of jogging bottom style fashionwear that may look the part but not be made of the technical fabrics that will keep you at the right temperature and give you the freedom of movement you will want to exercise effectively.

Socks
Your socks may sound the least exciting piece of your kit. In fact they should be. 'Excitement' caused by blisters, overheating feet, rubbing, soreness, or irritated skin are not the kind of excitement we want when training! This means that it is well worth buying a pair of sports socks which will stay in place, not bunch, help prevent rubbing and keep your feet cool and dry. There is little point in wearing a pair of awesome shoes only to have your feet shredded by socks which turn to sandpaper once called upon for use in exercise.

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Nike Air Pegasus The Pegasus is the best selling cushioning shoe of all time. Great cushioning and a stable feel for a neutral shoe. Good protection and enough responsiveness for when you want to push the pace. A well designed outsole means the shoe is suitable for running on varied terrain too! Mens | Womens

Adidas Supernova GCS adidas's top support shoe is their ground breaking GCS and it's a cracker. The GCS system deals with impact forces and starts controlling pronation from the moment your foot hits the ground! There’s adiPRENE+ cushioning for even more protection – a great ride. Mens | Womens

Nike Air Vomero Designed to bring all the benefits of Nike’s legendary Air cushioning and the Control At Origin technology that gives comfort from the moment your foot hits the ground. But the shoe also gives the freedom of allowing the foot to move naturally giving a beautifully smooth feel to the shoe.

Nike Air Zoom Percept A women's shoe combining of the principles behind the Pegasus and Free (the Nike shoe designed to train your foot to work more naturally). But there’s extra cushioning and stretch panels in the upper to make the overall feel a real delight.

Adidas Supernova Cushion This is a shoe that gives great cushioning whether you are running the miles on the road or on the treadmill. The shoe is also spot on for when you want to push the pace. Mens | Womens

Nike  Air Structure Triax Great cushioning comes from Air units in the heel and forefoot plus a PU 'Crash Pad'. Then for support the Structure Triax has a combination of features including medial support, specially placed flex grooves and forefoot WARP. Mens | Womens

Adidas Response Cushion Highly effective running shoe that shows why the Response range has been a 'go to' line for runners for years. Mens | Womens

Adidas Response Extra A new Response shoe that includes cushioning from adiPRENE and adiPRENE+ and adidas' Pro-Moderator system to guide your foot through it's correct movement. Mens | Womens

Adidas Nova Cushion A great shoe at this price! Good cushioning and protection with a smooth feel to the shoe. Mens | Womens