4 workouts to try and what to wear for them
You guys know me by now.. and how much of an advocate for exercise I am. It has been my goal this year to bring you more content on this favorite subject of mine, and lately with my CityShape pass, I have gotten the opportunity to try so many different types of classes. (Read my writeup of my first month of membership here). If you are just starting to dip your toe in the world of group exercise, you may wonder "what should I wear for this class?" Shorts? Pants? A loose tank, or a sweat wicking tank? Some of that answer may lie in personal preference, but I have a rundown of a couple of workouts I have both recently tried (and a few I have been going to for awhile) and recommendations on what to wear for them.
Barre
Barre is nice because you have one less item of clothing to worry about: shoes! You can do this workout barefoot - or have the option in wearing barre socks if you would like. For barre I like to wear tights- either pants or crops, and a tank - (I prefer a loose fitting tank although a more fitting, sweat wicking top is perfectly fine too!) Make sure your leggings have some stretch to them to you will find yourself needing that flexibility throughout the class!
Hot Yoga
Get ready to sweat! I have worn both shorts and leggings to Hot Yoga- but its best if whatever you choose is form fitting, and sweat wicking. Same for the top- light, form fitted tanks/sports bras are best as it is really difficult to do some of the postures if your tank keeps going over your head in a downward dog pose. I think my first hot yoga class ever I wore a cotton tank which was a big mistake as within 5 minutes it was drenched with sweat and I ended up just having to take it off! Again no shoes needed!
Spin
At spin classes over the years I have seen people wearing everything from proper cycling clothes (thing those tight shorts with the butt padding) to leggings and a sports bra, to running shorts and tank. I prefer leggings over shorts and typically a looser fitting tank when I go to spin. Most spin studios will offer cycle shoes that clip into the bikes pedals - either for a small fee or included with membership, although if you are going quite often, you might want to invest in your own pair! Be aware of the type of clips though - as there are three different types of cleat configurations (the prongy things on the bottom of the shoe that clip into the pedals). Most of the time I have seen the 2 cleat or "SPD" system on spin bikes in various studios, but at least once I saw they had a 3 cleat pedal. OR its always fine to wear your regular tennis shoes on the bikes that have dual sided pedals - one side is for use with your regular shoes. Most spin bikes I have seen have this option!
Kickboxing
OKAY so I have only been to one kickboxing class (yesterday.. it kicked my butt and my body is wonderfully sore today- sign of a great workout!) but its safe to say that with this class you wnt to wear leggings and whatever type of tank you want to wear - or even sports bra if you feel comfortable! My suggestions for this class is to wear sneakers that you feel good jumping and pivoting around a lot as you will be doing anything from burpees to jumping lunges and squats - lots of quick high intensity movements. I also suggest to take off any and all rings and leave them at home as you will be wrapping your knuckles and wrist before class begins. Even with the extra padding - probably won't be too comfortable punching a bag with your rings on!
If you live in Kansas City and are interested in switching up your workout routine, with tons of daily classes to choose from - check out CityShape and get 20$ off your first month with the code MC20OFF2018!