Readers of WorldFitnessNetwork.com are a smart group of people. You are smart enough to know that your training is important and that you lifting weights will help you achieve your goals. You understand things about living strong that most people just don’t get.
And since you are already such a smart group of people, I already know that I don’t need to tell you that you should never workout naked. There’s no need for me to explain why it would be bad if your flip-flopping appendages were to get caught in the weight stack.
You guys are smart. You already get this stuff.
But there are a few other advantages to not working out naked that you should be taking advantage of. Here we go:
1. Warm up clothing: Wearing some extra clothing until your body warms up is generally a good idea, especially if it’s winter time or if you live in a colder climate. This extra clothing allows your body to retain more heat until it reaches the optimal temperature for going heavy on a workout.
Keeping your body warm is especially important for injury prevention. You are much less likely to pull or tear a muscle that is warmer. Wear that sweater at the beginning of your workout until you are nice and warm.
2. Protection: I’m not talking about that kind of protection… this is about why you shouldn’t workout naked… so get your mind out of the gutter. Any commercial gym these days will require you to wear shoes in case you drop a weight on your foot, but the right clothing will do more for you than just protect against accidents.
Anytime that you are ever placing a bar on your back, it is best to be wearing a T-shirt with sleeves. A tank top can work just fine on workout days that you’re not placing a heavy bar on your back, but skin gets slippery when it’s wet or sweaty. For this reason, a decent shirt is necessary on your leg days.
And I know that wearing a decent shirt is especially important for you since you are working out extra hard and getting really sweaty… and I already know you are a hard worker, not a sissy.
3. Shoes: The type of shoe you wear will probably reflect what your focus for the day is. Weightlifting shoes are great for anybody who is serious about getting the most out of a workout. Running shoes with gels or air in the soles absorb some of the force that you apply when squatting or doing other standing lifts.
Running shoes are, of course, important to wear when you’re running. The extra padding and arch support can be important for reducing the amount of shock placed on your joints. Also, having decent treads on the bottom of your shoes is very helpful when you’re working out your calves.
4. Wick Sweat Away: Getting sweaty is part of getting a good workout. Wear a shirt that is cotton or 50/50 to help with sweat. Also, think about all the nasty sweat that some big guy dripped all over the bench before you lay down on it. Wear a decent layer to separate you from all that dried sweat and any bacteria.
5. Support: Look, guys, you know you need the support of some good ‘ol briefs when you run. You can probably get away with boxers if you’re just lifting, but running requires a bit more support. Same goes for the ladies and their sports bras.
Pants vs. Shorts: Whether you want to wear pants or shorts to the gym a choice you can make. Obviously, pants probably make more sense for keeping warm in the winter or early in your workout. Whichever you end up going with, try to pick some workout attire that can stretch slightly so that it doesn’t grab onto your legs when you get sweaty.
The main thing is that you wear something that doesn’t get in the way of lifting and gives you plenty of freedom of movement. Of course, nothing beats a pair of spandex when it comes to having full freedom of movement, so you guys should really look into getting a pair of those as well. They really let you move and help to show off the definition in your glutes while you workout.
And if you really believed that statement about the spandex, please go ahead and slap yourself right now. You probably need a good slapping, and hopefully it will knock some sense into you.
Just starting out with weightlifting? Want to get bigger muscles this winter?
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April 7th, 2008 at 8:10 am
Always great with a bit of humour on a blog Jason, and this definately got me laughing :)
But while being funny you’re also serious, and the clothing options for training are really huge.
When I do my squatting, I usually have a tshirt with sleeves. If I am not, I use a tank top. And always pants, not shorts… Deadlifts hurt with shorts on.
:)
April 7th, 2008 at 1:36 pm
6. You don’t look that good naked.
April 7th, 2008 at 5:57 pm
Lol you’re crazy for this one Jason! But as Alex said it can be taken on a serious note cause to some degree what you wear reflects your training performance. I always wear a hanes t shirt, basketball shorts, and my good ol’ Chuck Taylors.
I think the important thing is to make sure you are comfortable. There’s no need for excessive clothing or accessories, just got to make sure you’re comfortable and can perform the movements with no distractions or disruptions.
April 8th, 2008 at 5:24 pm
Sean I think you’re right.
As long as you’re comfortable, and your clothes doesn’t make your performance worse, it’s all good.
Chuck taylors are great for squats!
April 8th, 2008 at 11:55 pm
Alex- It’s been a while since I wore shorts as it’s still cold where I’m at, but remembering all the way back to the summer, some shorts that grab at the knees were pretty uncomfortable on the deadlift.
Sean- very much agree with what you’re saying. I’ve been thinking of saving up for real squat shoes, but I’m using something similar to the shoes you’ve got. Anything with a flat sole and less padding gets the job done. I’ve tried barefoot at home as well and like it aside from the fact that the ground is still pretty cold this time of year.
April 9th, 2008 at 6:42 pm
Wow – what a hilarious post, Jason! You follow through from title to conclusion – it rocks! Thanks for the laugh. :)
# Leonard Klaatu Says:
April 7th, 2008 at 1:36 pm
6. You don’t look that good naked.
Speak for yourself, Leonard! ;)
I’d like to add a couple, too:
1) It’s illegal (if you’re using a public gym)
2) It’s distracting for others – I know I’d have a hard time concentrating on my workout if I had a hard, muscly, naked man working out at the next machine!
BTW, Jason, nice pic, too! HAHAHA!
April 9th, 2008 at 7:21 pm
Steph- hehe, I think leonard had to be referring to me specifically then ;)
and great point on your #2, I think we’d all be too distracted to get in a good workout… just replace the word man with woman for the guys.
April 9th, 2008 at 9:20 pm
Hey Jason, I’ve been wanting to get myself a nice pair of lifting shoes for some time to aid in my squats and power cleans and came across this: http://store.wfwclub.com/shoes.html
Best deal I’ve found, went ahead and ordered myselft a pair, and if I’m not mistaken I’m pretty sure that Mark Rippetoe and Glenn Pendlay own that site, which whom are both authorities in weight lifting.
I’ll let you know how the shoes work out as soon as I get them.
April 10th, 2008 at 12:42 am
Yep, if someone is selling weightlifting shoes out of Wichita Falls, it’s probably Rippetoe’s. Drop your comment back onto this best and let everybody know how those work out for you and how much of an improvement they are/not over what you currently have. I’ll be interested to hear how you think they compare.
April 10th, 2008 at 2:58 pm
Some of us guys are just fine running in boxers.
Bicycling, however, really benefits from giving the boys some extra support.
April 10th, 2008 at 6:10 pm
I have always worked out/lifted/done cardio in a T-shirt and jeans because it is most comfortable to me. “JEANS?!?” I get all the time. I wear normal, loose-fitting (but not anything even close to “baggy”) straight-leg jeans and what’s amusing is, even though I’m pretty much the only one, I don’t get strange looks at the gym for it. It’s only my friend-base that don’t work out who regularly scoff at it.
And while I’m on the subject, I wanted to confirm something you’ve stressed in other posts, Jason; yep, it’s that same group of friends that take every opportunity to make jibes towards me for working out at all. But ya know what? They all started becoming overweight in their early 20s when their childhood metabolism no longer supported their horrendous eating habits. I did not…though I still lean towards horrendous eating habits. *ahem*
April 20th, 2008 at 6:57 pm
Hey Jason,
Just wanted to leave a post about the shoes. I highly recommend them if squats, and explosive lifts such as cleans, jerks, push presses or snatches are in your routine(s).
Heck, there even worth it just for the sake of how much support they give your feet alone. I think I’ll always have a pair like these from now on throughout my training.
One thing I’d like to note though they are not good for deadlifting. Since they kind of elevate and arch your heels some it is dangerous to deadlift with them. As I was maxing out the other day I kind of stumbled back a tad bit upon lockout with them. Lol good thing I caught my balance ;)
Other than that though thumbs up!
April 22nd, 2008 at 8:56 pm
Sean- Hey, thanks for the good update on the shoes. I’m surprised the higher heal made you fall back instead of forward… it was probably the new center of balance that the shoes were putting you at. I’m sure you’ll get used to them with time, and then maybe switching back to your old shoes would make you fall the other way :)