Workout Clothes for Men in 2022
tasc Performance

Workout Clothes for Men in 2022

Workout Clothes for Men in 2022

Working out is obviously nothing new. Still, many of the ways we work out and the outfits we wear are as innovative as it gets. We’ve come a long way from the disc tossing of the Ancient Greek Olympics — and there’s no doubt that advancements in society and sports science have made an active lifestyle more accessible than ever.

Whatever your preferences, schedule, or budget, there is a workout out there that’s just right for you.

Thanks to modern inventions in men’s activewear, there are new clothes that fit the bill, too! There are certain practical features that any proper piece of performance clothing needs to have, and some can elevate a style above the rest. That’s the focus of our Tasc Performance guide today.

We’re talking all about what innovations have made the best workout clothes so great when it comes to modern men’s workout clothes. This guide will cover everything from types of workouts to fabric qualities and outfits to try.

Let’s dive right in!

What Are the Most Popular Men’s Workouts?

There’s a huge variety of easily accessible ways to work out for any schedule and budget. We’re not going to cover every single option today – just the most popular and distinct.

Running

Running is perhaps the oldest exercise in existence, but it is still the most popular workout today.

Part of the reason for this is that running has the lowest bar of entry in terms of what you need to get started. This exercise doesn’t require any special facility, training, or even equipment in its most basic forms.

There are plenty of ways to enhance your running practice and take it to higher levels, but beginner running is easy to access. People all around the world go for morning runs around their neighborhood, or head to a gym to run on a treadmill. You can run indoors and out, in any weather, and at any time of year with nothing but yourself, running shoes, and some running clothes.

Cycling

At the opposite end of the spectrum from running is cycling. A somewhat newer sport than running, cycling still has plenty of history.

Despite having a higher bar of entry than running due to the need to have a decent quality bike, this exercise is still quite popular in the U.S. and worldwide.

One reason for the popularity of cycling is that it has practical benefits beyond the workout and enjoyment it provides. As a means of transportation, cycling thrives, particularly in cities where the infrastructure is ideal for commuting by bike.

Cycling at a high level requires some experience, but entry-level cycling is very accessible to anyone who gets their hands on a bike.

Weight-Lifting

Like running, weight-lifting is an ancient form of workout dating back thousands of years.

In its simplest forms, all you need is your body and something heavy. However, as sports science has shown, there are more efficient and effective means to an end of muscle gain through weight-lifting.

Today, there are tons of different ways to engage in weight-lifting. From home gyms to gym memberships, or even resistance workouts such as push-ups (which are debatably considered weight-lifting) that don’t require any equipment.

Weight-lifting is typically at its best when combined with cardio for a well-rounded workout routine.

Sports

Sports is obviously a general category, but there are so many to talk about! From basketball to baseball to golf, the options are seemingly endless.

Some sports are more accessible than others depending on your budget, schedule, and where you live. In any case, each sport has a range of needs that can only be met by the right attire.

High-intensity ballgames typically require clothes with superior moisture-wicking since you’ll be sweating significantly, while the focus for skill-sport attire (such as golf clothes) is typically your range of movement.

What Should Men Look for in Workout Clothes?

Knowing the needs for your individual sport can help you focus on finding the perfect workout attire, but there are also some qualities that are universally useful (and even essential) to all forms of exercise.

Here at Tasc Performance, we pride ourselves on making these qualities a priority in our activewear. Performance is at its best when qualities are well-rounded and your attire can handle diverse situations.

Let’s talk about the most essential features in workout clothes.

Moisture-Wicking

Arguably no feature is more important to workout clothing than moisture-wicking.

Moisture-wicking is the quality of a fabric that allows it to draw moisture from your skin and subsequently release it into the air as vapor. In other words, the fabric absorbs your sweat, then dries quickly — keeping you dry throughout your workout.

These quick-drying fabrics are an essential quality in terms of your comfort — and often your performance as well — when combined with a breathable material.

Not all moisture-wicking fabrics are equal. Synthetic fabrics such as polyester have some moisture-wicking qualities, but natural materials like bamboo tend to feel superior.

Anti-Odor Technology

One thing is for sure – workout clothes have to deal with a lot of sweat and body odor. Even in low-impact workouts where you may not sweat that much, you’ll still find a bit of a stench following around your workout clothes until they are washed.

What happens, though, when that smell builds up over time and sticks with your clothes, even after you wash them? In the case of many synthetic fabrics, odors do in fact build up as the chemicals that provide odor resistance wear away.

The result is smelly fabrics that no longer seem fresh (not to mention water pollution caused by the chemical treatments).

Odor-resistance won’t magically make you smell like roses in the middle of your workout, but with odor-resistant fabrics, such as bamboo, you can feel more confident in the lifespan of your workout clothes, without worrying about the loss of freshness over time. This is especially important for versatile clothes you might also wear around the house or out with friends.

Breathability

Breathability is another crucial factor in terms of your body’s thermoregulation. Alongside moisture-wicking, this quality is a core part of keeping you cool. This is especially important for those slim fit, tight pieces of workout gear that otherwise wouldn’t have airflow.

How does it do that? Well, the truth is that breathability isn’t actually the thing keeping you cool. Your body naturally regulates its own temperature through thermoregulation. Where breathability contributes is by not inhibiting this process, in contrast to high-density, non-breathable fabrics like cotton.

With that in mind, any piece of workout clothing you buy, whether for a low impact exercise or high, ought to be made with a breathable fabric.

SPF Protection

Sun protection is an often overlooked feature that should be part of any workout wardrobe.

Just because you’ve got a shirt on doesn’t necessarily mean you are protected from the sun. Harmful UV rays still penetrate clothing, even on cloudy days.

Look for UPF sun protection ratings when you shop for workout clothes to ensure you are protected. The Skin Cancer Foundation rates UPF 30 to 49 as very good protection and UPF 50+ as excellent.

Sustainability

Last but not least, you can elevate your exercise routine by using environmentally-friendly workout gear. Sustainability is a responsibility that affects us all, from industry to consumer. With the right efforts, we can use our active lifestyles to better ourselves and the world around us.

Sustainability also goes beyond environmental concerns as well. Socioeconomic conditions for many people around the world rely on responsible, sustainable production. Here at Tasc Performance, we’re proud to be part of sustainable production efforts for our materials.

Speaking of materials, what your workout clothes are made of has the biggest say in terms of sustainability and the other features on our list, so you should pay close attention to materials as you shop.

Traditionally, synthetic fabrics like polyester have dominated the activewear market. Unfortunately, these fabrics bring significant detriment to the environment (most notably through microplastics). Synthetic fabrics are also prone to odor build-up and rarely soft to the touch.

Traditional cotton is another fabric commonly found in activewear with similar issues. Sustainability is poorly rated for cotton, due to water consumption, soil erosion, and pollution.

Cheap cotton also has poor breathability and moisture-wicking properties — if you’ve ever felt stuffy in a cotton shirt, you know what we mean.

Thankfully, there are better alternatives. Here at Tasc, we use a blend of bamboo and organic cotton to achieve top-quality performance without sacrificing sustainability.

In fact, bamboo doesn’t require chemical treatments to achieve its features, making it a totally green performance powerhouse.

When you buy Tasc Performance activewear, you can be confident in long-lasting and environmentally sustainable high-performance gear.

What Are the Best Men’s Workout Tops?

So we’ve set the foundation for what makes a great workout wardrobe in terms of features. Now it’s time to break down some individual styles. Let’s work our way down from the top, starting with the base layer: shirts.

T-Shirts

T-shirts are the core of most men’s wardrobes thanks to their versatility. You can wear a t-shirt on almost any occasion, with nearly any outfit. Thanks to the performance and comfort features of our Tasc Performance workout shirts combined with sleek, modern style, the opportunities expand even more.

Consider our Carrollton Fitness T-Shirt and Recess Tech T-Shirt for your fundamentals. Our bamboo-cotton blend powers the former to ultimate performance and comfort, while our micro-modal blend offers something different (but equally effective) in the latter.

Tanks

While the short-sleeve crewneck t-shirt may be the true fundamental of most sportswear and casual wear wardrobes, the sleeveless tank top is quickly closing the gap to rival it as the most essential workout style.

This is especially true in areas with a warmer climate. Few things beat the free feeling of wearing a lightweight tank out for a workout on a beautiful, sunny day. It’s the closest thing to working out shirtless (except it’s even better since it helps wick moisture).

For the quintessential men’s workout tank, turn to our Recess Running Tank. It’s built to handle even the toughest run with utter ease, which makes it capable of crossing over into any kind of workout you could imagine.

Weight-lifting, cycling, basketball, tennis: This tank can do it all, and more.

Long Sleeves

Long sleeve shirts are an increasingly popular option for working out. Whether you enjoy the extra coverage from the elements or want to extend moisture-wicking down your arm to keep your forearms and hands dry, there are lots of practical benefits.

Long sleeve t-shirts also offer a unique style as well, fitting to a cool athleisure outfit. Try our Carrollton Long Sleeve Fitness T-Shirt to get started.

What Are the Best Men’s Workout Bottoms?

Now let’s move on to the bottoms. Shirts may sometimes be optional for a workout, but this is almost always a must-have.

Shorts

Shorts are the most common bottom for men’s workouts.

Keep your legs cool and unhindered with the most lightweight, beautifully simple gym shorts on offer with our new arrivals, the Weightless 7in Unlined Short. These are the perfect running shorts, capable of handling any other workout you could imagine as well.

For a bit more in the fancy features department, our Recess Tech Short or Carrollton Fitness Men’s Shorts do the trick. Interior liners and pockets make for excellent quality-of-life additions without sacrificing that lightweight feel.

Pants

Shorts won’t always do the trick. Whether you’re battling the elements or you just like the soft feel of full-length pants, we have options for you that won’t sacrifice performance elements.

Joggers are the men’s athleisure bestsellers, and we’ve got the best available in our Varsity Brushed Lightweight Jogger. Most jogger pants focus on the leisure part of athleisure, but we’ve combined total comfort with high-quality performance.

These pants are ready for activity of any impact level, but so are the Recess Hybrid Pants – another great option if you prefer a slightly looser fit around the leg. For the loosest fit, closer to traditional track pants, try our Carrollton Fitness Pants.

If you’re looking for golf apparel, the Motion Pant is the way to go, combining the fashion of chinos with the performance of sweatpants.

What Is the Best Men’s Workout Outerwear?

Lastly, many workouts call for some extra layers. Even if you don’t wear these during your whole exercise, they’re a great addition to your commute or for going out with the guys after the game. Whether you prefer a pullover or zip-up, there are options for you.

Hoodies

Hoodies and sweatshirts have evolved past the high-school boy’s lazy outfit option. Now, modern hoodies are stylish and versatile pieces of apparel thanks to athleisure trends and sophisticated styles like our Varsity French Terry Hoodie.

Quarter Zips

Quarter zips are a classy, classic way to layer up for a workout or commute. Our Apex Brushed Quarter Zip is super lightweight but still built to protect you from the elements — a perfect balance for everyday use and exercise alike.

Travel Jackets

Whether you’re cycling or commuting to the gym, our Carrollton Travel Jacket brings the best features of our Carrollton workout line to a stylish piece of outerwear. This is the ideal jacket for an active lifestyle.

Conclusion

As we wrap up today’s guide, we hope you’re feeling equipped to find the perfect workout outfits going into the rest of 2022 and beyond. For all the latest activewear innovations and more, the Tasc Performance blog is the place to be!

Sources:

Physiology, Temperature Regulation - StatPearls | National Library of Medicine

Cotton Industries | World Wildlife Foundation

Microplastics | National Ocean Service

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