Scientifically proven or placebo pacifier?
Either way, compression gear is almost required kit these days when out on trail.
Yep, we’re all Robin Hood men in tights these days, which, perceptions of manliness aside (sorry but you women have long had the green light to wear tights in public, whereas us blokes…), supposedly helps recovery.
Some argue they even result in on trail performance gains. The science if not totally statistical (it’s a hard thing to measure, realistically given contextual factors such as nutrition, rest, did you make love or drink beer the night prior… and many other factors dear to a trail runner’s lifestyle). Unless you believe the writings found in such titles as the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (yes, it exists). The runners in the study were able to run longer, farther, and faster when wearing calf compression sleeves. Of course a smoker’s lobbyist will argue seemingly reasonably that tobacco is good for you, but here the difference is that magic or mirage, the worst you cop when getting into a pair of tights is the odd disgusted look from the footy crowd (although their heroes wear them, too, these days). Not such a downside when the upside could be the ability to back up your training runs day after day, less muscle soreness and an instant ability to run the entire hill sprint on which you used to only knock over two thirds before retiring to a stroll.
Pass the slinky silks, please…
Check out reviews of the following compression garments inside the current edition of Trail Run Mag (Ed#7) available for FREE DOWNLOAD HERE:
Zensah Calf Sleeves
www.zensah.com.au
Excerpt: They pipe up on marketing collateral that the Zensah Compression calf sleeves are one of the most advanced sleeves ever developed. Well, it’s a crowded market these days and I’m not sure that even a different weave or compression delivery spread will put one compression garment head and shoulders above most others. Zensah compression products blend…
Linebreak 3/4 Compression Tights
www.linebreak.com.au
Excerpt: The Linebreak compression tights were pulled out of the kit bag earlier rather than later up on the flanks of our Manaslu mountain testing ground, down lower being more temperate and suited to a shorter model of compression tight. The ¾ length still delivers compression benefits to the calf but…
Skins A400 + RY400 Recovery longs
www.skins.net
Excerpt: The A400s, a blokey footballer told me, were the best thing since a 100 goal mauling of Collingwood (Kiwi translation: a sixty point drubbing of the Aussie rugby union team). The proving ground wasn’t oval or rectangle in this case, rather a multiday mutilation..
READ THE FULL REVIEWS HERE (download Edition 07)