ACTIVE WEAR: THE BENEFITS OF COMPRESSION GEAR

You all know how much I love exercise, health and fitness.

And no, I’m not being sarcastic.

I am literally one of those people that seriously enjoys working out. And to be honest, I would rather work out then do a lot of other things in life!

I’ve said it many times, but exercising for me is what keeps my brain happy – and if it means that I also tone up in the process, then that’s just a bonus. I just know that in order to keep my mind happy and healthy, I must do some form of it each day.

Whether it be a HIIT session at F45, power, flow or yin yoga class, a run or walk with friends, I do it and I manage my mental health this way.

I also maintain a healthy eating/well-being lifestyle and fuel my body with good quality, nourishing food that makes me feel good on the inside.

Recently, I actually began studying my Cert IV in Fitness, to become an Exercise Professional and Personal Trainer. This is something that I’ve wanted to do for quite some time now, and finally feel like I have the time (and money) to do.

Having this qualification means that I’ll also be integrating a lot more health and fitness related posts into the blog, so that I can turn it into a resource that’s not just reserved for style and travel!

Now – back to fitness, and in particular; active wear.

I have always been a fan of wearing activewear. Ask anyone that knew me when I was around 13 years old – I was a massive tomboy. I’d cry anytime Mum wanted me to wear a dress, and all you would see me and my best friend Emma wearing was our favourite pair of Nike shorts. They were actually men’s ones, but we loved the extra room inside them (if you get what I mean HAHA).

We would wear these shorts all.the.time.

Mind you, at the time we were very much into our sport, playing netball every Saturday, swimming as part of a squad, as well as being just generally active girls. Hence, the never wanting to wear a dress stage.

Obviously times have changed now, and I’m very much into style – but I do still hold a strong place in my heart for active wear, and especially gear that I can wear when I’m doing high intensity workouts, yoga and running.

So, when one of my longtime favourite active wear brands, SKINS contacted me to work on a collaboration to promote their new scientifically proven compression wear and DNAmics range, of course my answer was a big fat YES (life dream right here).

I remember when my Mum bought me my first pair of SKINS compression tights – I wore them around the house, and almost everywhere I went. Funnily enough, I didn’t even understand the full benefits of them at the time either!

SKINS was developed back in 1996, when an Aussie skier had a bold ambition to feel ten years younger so he could ski all day, party all night and be ready the next morning do it all again.

His starting point was the knowledge that improved blood circulation would supply more oxygen to his muscles, helping them work harder for longer and recover faster. So he consulted with NASA and other experts to confirm he was on to something. Turns out he was.

Soon word got out that there were these things called SKINS that improved your power, speed, stamina and recovery. Pro athletes were the first to start wearing them. Before long, amateur athletes joined the party. And then it trickled down to people like me (try hard athlete), who thought they looked pretty cool too!

So I guess you’re probably thinking what makes SKINS just so good?

Well, pretty much in a nutshell, SKINS gradient compression gear has been engineered to provide the correct level of surface pressure to specific parts of the body. This enhances circulation and gets more vital oxygen to your active muscles – boosting your power, speed and stamina.

This improved circulation also helps to eliminate lactic acid build up during an intense workout.

The result? You go harder, for longer and recover faster.

And now you’re probably thinking what are the benefits of compression gear?

Compression gear, and in particular, SKINS have a unique way of wrapping and supporting your key muscle groups to reduce movement and focus direction. The seams on SKINS are strategically placed to act as ‘anchor points’ offering focused support and stability and promoting a heightened sense of proprioception. This then results in less vibration in your muscle, less soft tissue damage, less soreness after exercise, and a decreased risk of muscular injury during times of fatigue.

Also, you know that general body soreness you get after a super intense exercise session, or after a session when you haven’t trained in a while? That’s called Delayed Muscle Soreness (DOMS), and by wearing SKINS, it will reduce that stiffness and strength loss you get 24 to 72 hours later – and speed up your recovery time too!

A few other things:

Why is the right fit of SKINS important? SKINS unique sizing system is based on a Body Mass Index (BMI) / anthropometrical algorithm, because you only get the full benefits of gradient compression if your SKINS fit you properly. This sizing is behind all of the DNAmic and DNAmic Thermals men’s and women’s compression garments (aka, the range that I am featuring here).

Moisture control: You know how sometimes you can get super sweaty and resemble a sweaty warthog when you train? Well, SKINS are designed to keep you 100% dry. Any excess moisture is drawn away from your skin, so you stay dry and comfortable throughout your workout. This process allows the body to regulate its temperature naturally.

Even during an intense workout, your muscles can function at their optimal temperature.

Obviously, one of my favourite things about SKINS is that their range is super stylish, and wearable too. No boring colours – especially in their new DNAmics range.

What I Wore

Wireless Tech Hoodie / DNAmic Tank Top / DNAmic Tights

Created in collaboration with SKINS. All words, opinions, styling & creative direction are my own.

Photography by simonarphotography.com

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