Buying for better health

If you are going to be exercising make sure you are dressed appropriately.

Too many people suffer or lose heart as they are wearing kit that make exercise unpleasant. This is unnecessary and unwise. It is particularly true if you are heading outdoors where the climate is not controlled.

You need to have a mix of kit to give you all the options for the variety of weather you face at different times.

For warmer days have a pair of shorts and a vest or T-shirt to run in. If you get too hot your performance suffers. It leads to dehydration and the amount or quality of training you are capable of quickly drops off. Technical running kit will be made from breathable fabrics and cut in ways that enable you to move freely. This doesn’t mean it’s got to be figure hugging – there are baggy shorts and T-shirts that will do the job – but it will be cut in a way that takes into account how your body moves when you run. This may include features such as more breathable panelling in areas that get hotter and the back of a T-shirt dropping lower than the front. It often means that seams are moved so that you do not suffer any rubbing. Many products have the logo as a transfers rather than embroidered to avoid possible chaffing too. ‘Breathable’, or ‘wicking’, means the fabric draws sweat away from next to your skin and allows it to evaporate. The result is the sweat is allowed to cool you before being taken away so you don’t look like a hot, sweaty, drowned rat.

Women should invest in a good sports bra with fit and comfort top of the list of priorities.

For different weather conditions you need to add more layers for different purposes. A long sleeved T-shirt will add some warmth. Again make sure it is breathable and cut to allow good movement. Otherwise the benefits of the breathable layer underneath will be diminished. Some thicker tops serve as more thermal layers for extra warmth. They may have a brushed fleece feel to the inside to trap warmth in. They may also have a thumb hole and sleeves long enough for you to pull them over your hands instead of gloves.

Running jackets come in different types. Keep looking for breathability and good fit. Some are waterproof, with the obvious benefit. Others are water resistant and many people find this as adequate. Due to being breathable they don’t hold too much moisture and so you don’t get too cold. It is often wind that cools you the most so a windproof jacket is a good investment in your comfort.

Any wind that does get through will make you feel all the more cold if unevaporated sweat is trapped in your kit. So while it may not seem as important to wear breathable kit under a jacket in the cold as in the heat it is actually just as important. Even in cold weather, while feeling a chill, you still sweat and if this accumulates when the wind catches it you will feel very cold. This is unpleasant and has a negative impact on the training you are able to do. It also leaves you more prone to picking up any bugs.
On your bottom half you can either wear tights or loser fitting leggings. These come in a variety of thicknesses with some being quite lightweight and others bearing a ‘thermal’ tag.

Top this off with hat and gloves and you should be ready for any weather. Building up layers is a good way of being able to adjust your temperature.

Many pieces of running kit these days also come with some reflective strips built in to help keep you safe and visible while night running. Bear this in mind when buying.

One other piece of kit you should think about is your socks. There’s no point in having good shoes if your socks bunch up, swell up with sweat and lead to your feet being hot, uncomfortable and blistered.
 
Of course moving on from the kit of the PE lessons of yesteryear will make you feel more comfortable and better able to exercise. It will also give you a more positive attitude to your exercise and added confidence to go out and get on with it.
 
For training indoors at the gym it is best to wear fairly similar kit to that recommended for outside in warm weather. Women may want to go more for the crop top and leggings or a loser pair of bottoms depending on what you are going to be doing. These too can be made from good breathable fabrics and shaped for action – what is great for loafing around the house may not feel so good after 20min on a treadmill. Guys should avoid the faux pas of wearing short-shorts, it’s not the 80s anymore, and they render you liable to get arrested for indecency if you try any stretching. Leave the short shorts for any competitive running you may be doing.
 
When it comes to exercise always dress for success.

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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