By Peter Minkoff

You might have seen people wearing those snug-fitting socks, shorts, shirts, and tights as of recently. Pros like cyclists, weightlifters, and marathoners have embraced them as well, so what is going on? Well, this is not just some passing trend that is all about aesthetics or the placebo effect.

Compression clothing has finally brought more attention to the often overlooked link between garments and physical activity. Many agree that it improves workout performance and helps muscles recover afterward. The findings are somewhat contradictory, but there is little doubt that the benefits of using compression products are real.

It does work

There has been a heated debate about whether compression clothing really works as advertised. Well, there are various scientific studies that bring a growing body of evidence to light. Quality compression clothing pieces are touted to increase blood circulation and oxygen delivery to the muscles. This helps the organism flush out unwanted chemicals that occur during physical activity. What is unclear is the level of impact, but many experiments show that compression clothing does increase athletic performance and the speed of recovery, especially for those who do explosive leaping and sprinting frequently.

A performance boost

It has also been proven that compression garments boost proprioception, which is a sense of the body’s positioning in space. Hence, they allow one to achieve better posture and concentrate on the flow of movement. This improved awareness should in most cases lead to decreased involuntary recruitment of muscles during the workout, and alleviate the feeling of tiredness. Studies have confirmed that most people like compression clothes and have a palpable feeling that it empowers them along their fitness journey. So, compression apparel can be a great tool for stepping up the game.

Faster recovery

One of the primary purposes of compression clothing is to squeeze muscles and offer sort of a no-hands massage. How this plays out exactly still eludes scientists, but pro athletes seem to be convinced about the benefits. In sports like basketball and weightlifting, they report feeling less soreness and inflammation when using this cutting-edge apparel. Just note that quality compression clothing should be worn several hours after exercise for maximum benefits.

Stability and injury prevention

Furthermore, we have many quality products that provide therapeutic compression. This property offers more joint stability than conventional clothing does. Pieces that possess this feature decrease muscle oscillation, helping your body absorb shock and mitigate the wear and tear. This is of great help to those who perform high impact activities in the league of running. More mechanical efficiency can also result in lessened injury risk and help people fine-tune their fitness performance.

Mind stimulation

It must be noted that an input from the mind plays a role here and colors the results. In other words, there is also a placebo at work here, but one that induces tangible enhancements. Also, the good news is that no study identified any negative psychological effect of compression apparel. Therefore, you do not have much to lose if you decide to give these products a try. Trying it out yourself is the best way to assess the benefits anyway. You might be able to elevate your workout routine altogether and move full steam ahead towards your goals.

Facilitation of success

If you do not mind the feeling of being squished and believe compression clothing could be what you miss to kill it, then you should go for it. Just do not expect miracles from it. These innovative garments give a nice push, but you have to sustain the momentum yourself. The psychological effects are much more consistent than the concrete evidence on aspects like oxidation and recovery. So, to witness real improvement, compression garments should work in synergy with other factors, most notably your mindset and dedication. Use it correctly, pull the weight, and kick your game into overdrive.