Compression Wear

As an athlete you will always be seeking the best ways to increase performance, minimize injury and improve your experience of your chosen discipline. Compression clothing has been around a while, and gained huge attention when Australian Cathy Freeman ran to an Olympic gold medal in 'whole body' compression suit.

Well, compression tights and other compression clothing is now available on the high street to everyone, and the benefits are huge. Many athletes and other sports persons swear by the use of this sports wear and here are some reasons why.

Running Compression Tights

Running compression tights and similar garments for other sports are quite different to medical compression stockings, although they work in a similar way. They are designed to provide the best support to the muscles of the legs and lower body, thus minimizing the chance of a muscle injury occurring. They are also designed to aid the flow of blood and the oxygen supply to the lower body and extremities. The chances of varicose veins and other leg conditions is reduced. The ultra supportive nature of compression socks, tights and shorts has been found to aid athletic performance noticeably.

Whether you are looking for mens running tights, running socks or other compression wear, they all achieve a similar result, you will just find that cyclists tights and runners tights will be tailored a little differently to suit the activity they are designed for. They all use a similar manufacturing system, in which special bands are incorporated into the compression tights to provide that tight, hugging effect. Another great benefit is that these tights provide a really good wicking effect, drawing moisture away from your skin. The materials used also have a UV resistance which helps protect you from the sun.

It's important to choose the right clothing for your sport, size and sex. Mens compression tights are often made slightly differently from those designed for women, and some of the top brands available are:

• 2XU Compression Tights
• CWX Tights
• Skins Compression Tights
• Sigvaris Compression Stockings

Selecting a set of compression shorts, socks or tights from one of these companies will ensure a quality long lasting effective product.

Here is a great article by Ezine Expert Author Nick Capra on how compression tights have worked for him.

CWX T ights

Run Faster and Longer in Compression Tights
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Nick_Capra]Nick Capra

When I started running longer distances in my CWX Expert tights I did notice that I felt stronger and recovered more quickly. At first I'll admit, I chalked it up to the old placebo effect. I mean how could tights make this much of a difference? I found there to be definite logic behind the original claims CWX made in that compression did provide very specific advantages in training. Now, according to a French study¹ recently published in the International Journal of Sports Medicine, some of those claims have been confirmed. What the study looked at doing was to compare compression tights, regular tights and regular running shorts to find out if there are benefits to any one of the choices. The study overwhelmingly pointed towards compression tights delaying muscle fatigue by applying pressure on major muscle groups. By controlling muscle movement and decreasing impact trauma to muscles, compression actually allows for maximum oxygen absorption, thus allowing you to last longer and run faster over longer distances.

The author of the study, Stéphane Perrey, Ph.D., believes that wearing compression tights can trim up to 6 minutes off a 3:30:00 marathon time and that this may be due to an increase of blood circulation to the lower body. The study also pointed out that compression tights improved running technique through more consistent and improved knee alignment and function. The same principles should also apply to the CWX tops. For a longer distance runner who may fatigue later in a run and hunch over, however slight it may be, he/ she will compromise breathing ability. The more difficult it is to breathe, the less oxygen that will get to working muscles. Your heart rate will increase and so too will the intensity making it more difficult to sustain a particular pace. The compressions found in the CWX tops are focused around the shoulders, arms and upper back in an effort to help sustain an erect posture and clear, open breathing passage.

I have to say, I have not had anything but positive feedback on any of the CWX products. We have had it in the shop for just over a year and have sold hundreds of pieces. In early October 2006, CWX Canada became a Team Running Free sponsor. Part of the sponsorship was to have our athletes test out the various products and give honest, informative and useful reviews. Look for this valuable information in the gear review page of runningfree.com in late 2006, early 2007.

¹Study was published in the International Journal of Sports Medicine in 2006 and authored by Stéphane Perrey, Ph.D.

Nick Capra has over 25 year’s experience in the athletic footwear and apparel industry. His experience extends to amateur and professional athletes as well as special needs medical referrals. Nick is currently apparel buyer for [http://www.runningfree.com]www.runningfree.com and writes regularly on a variety of related topics.

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Run-Faster-and-Longer-in-Compression-Tights&id=358021] Run Faster and Longer in Compression Tights

Thanks for visiting our website and I hope that this basic introduction to compression clothing has helped you, and that you now feel confident to make a purchase of good quality compression tights.