You ever think about what you should wear to the gym?
Or do you just slap on baggy sweats, a band tee, and some sneakers and call it a day?
That’ll do the job.
But will it do the job well?
When it comes to gym clothes, we’re trying to accomplish two things:
Perform good. Look good.
First, the obvious.
Don’t wear:
- Jeans
- Boots
- Dress clothes
- Sandals and slides
- Clothes that are extremely tight
- Clothes that are extremely baggy
- Tights or bike shorts as outerwear (just don’t do it…nobody wants to see that 🤣)
Perform Good
Your clothes should let you move.
Nothing restrictive.
Nothing that’s going to rip if you squat down, reach overhead, lunge, row, press, or deadlift.
Nothing that gets caught on equipment.
Honestly, you shouldn’t even notice your clothes while training. They should just be there.
Your shoes should be stable and protective.
No squishy marshmallow shoes (save those for running). No giant clunkers. No boots. No sandals or slides.
You should feel planted and locked in when you train.
Look Good
Don’t show up to the gym looking like a human duffle bag. Don’t look like a dork.
Your clothes should be clean. They should not smell like they’ve been living in your trunk since 2017.
Shorts should hit above the knee. Never below the knee.
Sweats should not be skin-tight. They should not be parachutes either. Same with t-shirts and hoodies.
Compression tops? Leave them at home unless you’re throwing on shoulder pads after bench pressing.
Tank tops and a-shirts are fine if the gym is warm, but they still need to fit right.
And try to coordinate colors at least somewhat. Don’t walk in looking like a smorgasbord of color.
Shoes, however, are where you can add a little flair. Be careful though.
Brickwall’s Gym Uniform
A fitted t-shirt (I like True Classic) or a tech tee (Nike or Under Armour). Black, white, gray, navy, olive, or sand.
Add a hoodie if it’s cold. Wear a tank top if it’s really hot. Same color palette.
Pair it with well-fitting shorts or joggers. Black or gray.
Finish it off with a solid pair of running shoes or training shoes. If it’s leg day, training shoes.
Easy.
Final Word
Perform good. Look good.
That’s the standard.
You can’t go wrong with a well-fitting t-shirt, hoodie, tank, or a-shirt.
Pair that with well-fitting shorts or sweats.
Put on solid, closed-toed shoes.
You’re good to go.
Simple. Clean. Functional.
Ready to get to work.