Founder & Creative Director of Men's Style Pro, Sabir has…
It’s Gym Time!!
For more than half of my life I have been active in competitive sports. My resume reads, grade school football and basketball, however, if you know me pretty well, my first and long time love is track & field (which I competed in from age 9). Being such an active person I do find myself hitting the gym very often to stay in shape. As a man, I have found it interesting what most men will wear to the gym. The typical uniform for the average male gym going is; sleeveless old t-shirt or overly tight spandex shirt, sweat pants that are too baggy or mesh shorts that are too long. Last but not least the infamous A-Tshirt (wife beater).
The goal of most guys is to show-off how buff they are in the gym via grunts, loud shirts and super-setting like crazy when people are walking past. I can’t front or hate on anyone trying to get their “swell” on, but, if you want to presentable while getting a workout in here are a few tips.
The Pants:
Soccer style pants may be the best style of gym pants because they taper at the ankle and are more form-fitting to the body. With the tapering you will not have to worry about excess material hanging over your shoes which will keep you from tripping and destroying your pants. These particular pants that I am wearing are a dry fit material that pulls sweat away from the body and keep your muscles warm. On a personal note, I would say stay away from breakaway pants (with button down the side of each leg) unless you are actually going to basketball practice or a stripper (some people got to make money somehow).
The Shirt
Throw away that ripped up homemade sleeveless shirt. Looking like a ratty college guy at a gym is not cool past the age of 22. There are brands that sell sleeveless dry-fit shirts that will form well to your body but are loose enough to not look like a track speed suit. Don’t worry, you will still be able to show off those biceps you have been working so hard on. The shirt that I am wearing is dry fit (black short sleeve below) and at the same time still loose. The dry fit material will absorb, which is a quality that cotton t-shirts do not posses. Spandex dry-fit shirts are better suited for outdoor cold weather performance by keeping your muscles warm and pulling sweat away from the body at the same time.
It is great to have a light pull over like the grey one pictured above. The key to a workout is keeping your muscles warm, which is something a lot of people take for granted. Guys seem to think that showing more skin and bright colors like a peacock will attract women to them. To be honest dressing like that will attract women to you because you look like a caricature of a “meat head” gym guy. Toning down the high popping colors and focusing on toning up your body will have a better and more attractive effect on others around you. Usually after the gym I may run to the grocery store and you never want to look like a dirty gym bum when handling produce. So keep the gym-wear a bit more tapered and toned down and you will definitely stand out for all the right reasons.
Style Tip/Money Saver:
I picked up the majority of these pieces from Target (the pull over and black short sleeve shirt) and TJ Maxx for a price today $40. You do not necessarily have to run out to the big sports stores to find great workout clothing and spend the high prices for them.
Workout in style,
Sabir
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Founder & Creative Director of Men's Style Pro, Sabir has a deep passion for menswear and all things manly. Selected as one of the "5 Best Dressed Men In America" by Esquire Magazine in 2010 & as #GQFall 2013 Best Dressed Man. As of 2014, Sabir serves as a freelance brand ambassador & executive stylist for GQ Magazine & GQ Report. Outside of that partnership, Sabir serves as an independent brand consultant as well. Reach me directly at SABIR@MENSSTYLEPRO.COM