Several years ago, compression gear started taking the sports world by storm and it hasn’t slowed down. Most athletes truly believe in the benefits of wearing this type of gear even though the science behind it isn’t entirely conclusive. We don’t make a habit of delving into science at BaseballSavings, but discussing it in tandem with the widely accepted benefits of wearing compression gear hopefully gives customers a better idea how what you’re wearing can help with performance and recovery.
Reduces The Chance Of Injury
Every athlete wants to stay on the field, and compression gear can help him (or her) do that. How? By adding support to whatever part of the body it’s surrounding. This limits the tiny vibrations that ripple throughout that part of the body when you’re in full exercise mode, which helps reduce muscle strain and can also help limit the severity if you still happen to pull a muscle. There’s also the basic protective element as it prevents the common nicks and scratches you can sustain when playing sports.
Enhances Blood Flow & Oxygen Delivery
To understand how compression gear works, you first have to understand what’s happening in your body while you exercise. Blood passes through the lungs where it picks up oxygen. The oxygenated blood travels to the muscles, drops off the oxygen, and picks up waste lactic acid. The deoxygenated blood returns to the heart through your veins and the process starts all over again. Compression gear fabric exerts a tightening force on the muscles to improve/increase blood flow. This helps your veins transport the deoxygenated blood back to the heart faster and removes lactic acid quicker.
Reduces Muscle Fatigue & Soreness
Getting deoxygenated blood back to the heart faster means the heart can pump it back into the lungs faster, meaning your muscles receive more oxygen in a shorter period of time. Why is that important? Because oxygen fuels our muscles when we’re exercising! The more oxygen they get, the longer you’ll be able to run, lift, play without getting tired. Removing lactic acid quicker can also reduce, delay, or in some cases even prevent the onset of muscle soreness.
Keeps You Warm, Dry & Comfortable
Even if you don’t believe in the science, compression gear still has benefits. A long sleeve compression shirt or compression tights provides an excellent base layer in cold weather as it hugs the upper (or lower) body and refuses to let cold air in, allowing you to say warm. Many compression pieces also feature sweat-wicking properties to help keep you dry during your workout.
Motivational/Mental Effect
No matter how good of an athlete/player you are, it can still be difficult to stay motivated, so you’re always looking for an edge, or maybe just something that helps you get to the gym or gets you in the right mindset to start your at-home workout. That’s what this type of clothing can do. We doubt you’ll throw on a compression shirt and then hit the couch to binge-watch your favorite TV show. Otherwise you would’ve thrown on sweatpants! Instead, you’re more likely to put the gear on and start training, because that’s the gear’s purpose, and so it becomes your purpose. Pretty cool, right?
Style Factor
If you’re already in great shape and want to show it off, there’s no better way than with compression wear. What if your workout buddy wants to snap a pic of you in the gym to post on social media? You’re much more likely to say yes if you’re wearing something that helps you look legit. Even a simple compression sleeve can act as an accessory and change your look entirely.
Hopefully this has made you a true believer in the benefits of compression gear! As you’ve already seen, we have a wide selection to choose from, everything from full-length tights to simple sleeves. So grab what you need, get out there and play your best!
