Gym Gear: My Checklist

When I first got into fitness I’d buy workout wear willy nilly, not really paying too much to performance, but basically buying things that I thought looked nice. These days if I spot a scratchy seam or if leggings fit oddly around my crotch and get up my bum then no matter how lovely they look, they get put back on the rack. Now that doesn’t mean that there’s a happy medium between function and fashion because there most definitely is. I have a whole drawer filled with the stuff! So today I thought I’d share some of my favourites and my tips on what to have on your checklist when you’re purchasing stuff to get sweaty in…

SPORTS BRAS

Now I understand that as someone who just possesses two measly fried eggs disguised as boobs on my chest I’m not the best person to be dishing advice out on this, but they are a few things to look out for when purchasing sports bras. You want it to feel snug, whilst not restricting your range of movement so make sure you try doing some arm swings and faux shoulder presses in the changing room. Doing a couple of jumps too will help you assess the ‘jiggle‘ factor. You want to check that you can fit no more than one finger under the band. Make sure that the band also is the same level all the way around your chest and isn’t riding up at the back. Also look for any scratchy seams and joins in the fabric that could become irritating when mixed in with sweat and avoid if possible. My favourite sports bra brands include: Nike, Sweaty Betty, Varley and Jogha, (I have a 15% off code for you that lasts until 30th October – ‘JOGHAXANNA‘ – Run Forest, Run!).

MY TOP PICKS

LEGGINGS

As I’m not the best person to ask about sports bras, and tops are the one area that I suggest to scrimp on, leggings are really my jam. I’ve tried a tonne and I find my favourites to be a compression fit, that sit on the waist (so hits around my belly button, if not above it), that are around a 7/8ths length, because that’s what I find looks the most flattering. Ones that sit on the hip tend to ride down and you spend your whole workout hoiking them up, whereas ones with a wide waistband that go up quite high remind me to hold my core in and don’t keep falling down. In terms of materials I just like them to be opaque enough so you don’t show your arse to everyone each time you bend over, and sweat-wicking so even if you do end up with a sweaty crotch, it dries off quickly. It’s important to make sure that they fit around the ankle so they don’t ride up and that there’s just enough material around the groin so that it’s not too tight, nor do you have excess fabric hanging around that looks like camel toe. My favourite leggings come from: Lululemon, Varley and HPE.

MY TOP PICKS

TOPS

If there’s one area where you can cut back budget-wise then this is it. I’d say my only rule to follow here is to make sure that the fabric is light and breathable. Heavy fabrics can get irritating and chafe when you get sweaty so just make sure that whatever top you’re wearing it’s nice and soft to start with. Although I’m always a fan of something baggy on top, I tend to tie them up or wear more form-fitting cuts so they don’t ride up when I’m doing my mountain climbers. Been there, done that, shown the whole gym my pasta belly. My favourite brands when it comes to tops include: Lululemon, Nike, Varley and Sweaty Betty.

MY TOP PICKS

In this post I’m wearing the Jogha Reversible Bomber Jacket, Jogha Black Muscle Tee, Jogha Burgundy Leggings and Jogha Logo Racerback Sports Bra which are all available now on Fashercise. YAY! Remember my post? I’m very chuffed to see them now with a UK stockist. As I mentioned I have a 15% off code – ‘JOGHAXANNA‘ that lasts until 30th October. Trust me, they tick all the boxes.

Photos by Lauren Shipley