25 Aug Is a Compression Top the Same as a Base Layer?
Base layers are an essential component for anyone who partakes in physical exercise. Base layers have the ability to bring advantages to everyone’s body.
When you are wearing a base layer, you will never be distracted by uncomfortable, damp or restrictive clothing. You can really enjoy and focus on physical exercise at hand and reap the many benefits that exercise brings to the mind, body and overall health.
As you may or may not know, base layers give you compression. But is a base layer the same as a compression top? Read on to find out.
What Is a Base Layer?
A base layer is a layer of clothing that you wear next to your skin. It has many benefits for the wearer and is particularly beneficial when exercising or participating in sports. Base layers although fitting snugly to the skin should always be lightweight and breathable.
A base layer is worn like you would wear a thermal layer, you can wear other layers on top of your base layer but for your base layer to function correctly it has to be sitting next to your skin for the moisture-wicking abilities to work.
What Is a Compression Layer?
Compression layers are layers of clothing that are tight-fitting. They add compression to your body and muscles, benefiting your muscles in many ways – including preventing soreness. You can buy compression layers in many forms including leggings and shorts, which is the same case as for base layers.
You will find compression layers to be more expensive than your typical gym wear leggings due to the quality and the specially formed and high support fabric.
Many athletes and sports people do not go without compression in their layers because of their many benefits.
Benefits of Compression
There is a reason why compression is recommended for exercise today. That is because of what compression does to the muscles and body.
It can help you before, during and after physical exercise – and is particularly beneficial for those in endurance and high-intensity sports such as rugby, cycling and running. Read on to learn about the benefits of compression in more detail.
During Exercise
When exercising or playing sports, a compression layer can help the muscles as they perform. They allow blood to flow around the body and around the muscles more fluidly.
Compression helps to hold the muscles giving them support whilst they work and are often put under a lot of stress. This helps with muscle fatigue and the build-up of lactic acid in the muscles, which would usually cause muscles to become tired much quicker.
Base layers are especially important during intense exercises when a person will begin to tire due to the high intensity of the sport or exercise.
Taking a break to give the muscles a chance to recover simply isn’t possible in an intense game of sport. This is why players will benefit from compression during their exercise to limit this fatigued feeling in the body and muscles – which in turn aids their performance.
Reduces Change of Injury
The muscle protection of compression helps reduce the chance of injury. Holding your physique and muscles in a secure and natural position helps stop the vibration of the muscles when they take on impact.
Over time, it has been found that the prevention of muscle injury, tightness and strain is a much easier method of preventing an injury than it is curing the injury after it has happened.
Doing something as simple as wearing a base layer with compression can stop you from feeling so sore after a big game of sport, whilst reducing the chance of injury. You can recover much faster and get back to training in no time.
Recovery
There are also recovery benefits to wearing a compression base layer. Base layers are not useful just during exercise but you will feel the benefits afterwards too, when in recovery from exercising.
When working hard at an exercise, muscles are likely to be stiff, sore and aching afterwards for some time – maybe even days after exercising intensely.
For athletes and professional sportspeople, there is no time to wait before needing to train again. The aching feeling of muscle soreness is not a pleasant feeling for anyone, regardless of whether you are a professional athlete or not.
Along with the right amount of protein in your diet, especially after exercising, compression layers can help in the recovery process too. The support compression helps muscle recovery by promoting blood flow.
The Difference Between Base Layers and Compression Layers
The main difference between base layers and compression layers is that most base layers that are proper and of high quality will have a compression element to them.
A compression garment alone will not have all the other benefits and features that a base layer would – for example, moisture-wicking abilities, temperature control, and keeping you comfortable at all times.
If you purchase a low-quality garment that claims to be a base layer, the chances are you may be wasting your money on cheaper alternatives.
Base layers have come a long way in recent times. Originally worn for heat and comfort, today they still achieve those features but with so many more added benefits – including compression.
Quality base layers feature specially engineered fabric to elevate a sports person’s performance which helps them greatly when exercising.
Mizos Apparel
At Mizos Apparel, we have worked hard to bring you a top-performing base layer brand that is suitable for all exercise and all weather conditions. Our expertly designed base layers are made with the most advanced moisture-wicking fabrics whilst helping you perform at your very best.
Check out our base layers on our website, including information on our cycling base layer and football base layer. If you need to ask us any questions, all of our details can be found on our website.
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