Men’s gym clothing has come a long way when it comes to performance and style. The days of the Adidas gym shorts and old t-shirt are in the past, and spandex, polyester, camo prints, and electronics pockets are here to stay. Compression shorts are one of those articles of clothing that is popular with men and women when it comes to workout clothing. They are not only comfortable and allow freedom of movement, but for men, they prevent chafing, and sweating, and can also prevent injury. For men, compression shorts offer not just performance-enhancing workout clothing, but also a statement of their personality and personal style.

What are men’s compression shorts?

Compression shorts fit snugly around the groin and thigh area to provide support to the muscles. They are made of breathable fabric like spandex, lycra, and polyester and the theory is that they increase the circulation of blood back to the heart. Compression shorts are said to reduce recovery time after a workout, as well as provide enough support to prevent injuries such as groin pulls. The shorts are meant to be skin-tight so they can compress the muscles and regulate temperature. This is the performance side of the compression shorts. The fun side is in the different colors and patterns available so you can express your individual taste and look great while you work out.

Benefits of men’s compression shorts

Functional

Gone are the days when you needed to have a strap across your arm, chest, or waist to hold the items you needed for an enjoyable workout. Compression shorts have deep, protective pockets where you can put your phone and listen to music while you work out.

Reduce muscle fatigue

The fabric fits tightly around the muscles to support them and provide compression while working out so the muscles don’t get as tired. This means longer and more intense workouts with less recovery time. This means that when you treat your body well, it repays the favor.

Prevent injury

When you wear shorts that are like a second skin, it provides extra support to prevent any pulling of muscles, especially around the groin.

Decrease muscle soreness

One of the things everyone experiences when they work out is muscle soreness that comes one or two days after. The muscles are recuperating and you feel stiff and sore. Compression shorts reduces that soreness so it takes less time to recover.

Give more flexibility

These shorts fit like a second skin, but also keep everything in place. This allows for more freedom of movement, and you are much more flexible than with ordinary shorts.

Faster recovery

The compression shorts allow for more circulation during the workout phase so your muscles don’t take as much time to recover and you have less downtime in between workouts.

Sweat-wicking

Compression shorts keep you cool and dry while you sweat it out at the gym. The material captures moisture, leaving you feeling dry.

Comfortable

These shorts allow you to move without fear of chafing or rubbing causing discomfort and pain. Compression shorts are meant to be worn as underwear, so they are comfortable and snug. This makes it easy to perform squats, stomach crunches and other exercises that traditionally have been uncomfortable to do in sweatpants or old shorts.

Stylish

Compression shorts no longer need to be just black shorts that you wear underneath your looser shorts at the gym or out for a jog. With so many styles and colors to choose from, you can make a fashion statement with your compression shorts when you match them up with a cool top and some matching runners.

A good pair of compression shorts should have the following features:

• Sweat-wicking technology – the fabric should be able to reduce moisture while working out and keep you dry and comfortable. This is especially helpful if you are outdoors and it is a little bit chilly.
• Breathable – the fabric you choose for your compression shorts needs to allow the muscles to feel like they are being compressed but not suffocated.
• Pockets – deep enough to hold a phone or iPod and other valuables.
• Support in all the right places – you don’t want your bits to be moving around while you are working out or running. This can cause chafing and rubbing and you can injure yourself.
• Fashionable – when you look and feel great, that feeling shows through in your performance.

Workout wear doesn’t need to be boring. When you buy a pair of compression shorts, you can express your style while enhancing your performance.