You were the man....in high school.

Remember that freshmen girl in college who couldn’t make the transition from high school?  Yeah, you know the one.  She wore her high school soccer T-shirt emblazoned with the words ‘State Champs from 1993-1997.’  Or what about that dude who wore his high school lettermen jacket with 10,000 tomahawks on it (the backstory: it represented the number of receptions he had as a wide receiver).  C’mon, you know the folks I’m talking about and you so badly wanted to say, “For real man?  Who gives a ….!”

 

Sadly, in my early thirties, I still see these folks at the gym.  Attention all Billy Madison-esque gym-goers:  It’s ok to grow up, let your high school gear go and get some new duds for the gym.  Seriously, do yourself a favor, cus you are being talked about.

The latest fashions in workout gear tend to be expensive.  But there are plenty of places to find reasonably priced athletic gear.  Throw that ‘1997 Lacrosse Conference Champions’ T-shirt in the rag bag and consider this suggestion.  Wicking material.

It’s true that cotton is “the fabric of our lives,” but consider using shirts, shorts and undergarments in wicking material while working out.  Wicking material pulls moisture away from the body to keep you comfortable while you’re sweating it out.  I treat my sweat-doused shirt as a badge of honor, but let’s be real, sweat on your shirt and other articles of clothing feel nasty after a while.  Not to mention if you’re a runner who chafes easily, wicking products are definitely for you. 

Popular brands that offer wicking products are Nike, Under Armour and Adidas—which can be pricey.  But, recently I’ve discovered quality wicking products at Old Navy, Marshalls, Target and Wal-Mart.  The material is of the same quality compared to Nike, but less expensive.

The only drawback to wicking products is since these garments remove moisture, they will eventually begin to stink.  You can wash them with special detergents to rid of the smell like WIN Products or even a special formulation of Tide.  But honestly, who wants to consistently wash their workout clothes separately.  My suggestion:  When your dog stops responding to your calls while wearing your workout gear, it’s time to toss the old stuff and buy something else.  Just consider it an additional incentive to work out.

Next discussion, get rid of the Fabulous 5 shorts.