Why do runners dress as superheros?

I HAVE SEEN the question, "Why do runners dress like superhero's?"   So many times and it always makes me smile.   Perhaps deep down inside I am Bruce Wayne and when I go out running I become my alter ego, Batman!   Who knows but the question still remains, why do runners dress like superhero's?

If you’ve ever felt a burning sensation in your muscles and can’t keep going, then you know all about fatigue.   But muscle compression technology helps you gain an extra edge but how does it work? 

 

WHY YOUR MUSCLES GET TIRED

We’ve all felt that feeling somewhere during a race when your heart is pounding and your muscles are burning, crying out at you to stop or slow down. But why does this happen?
It’s all because of oxygen.    Oxygen fuels our muscles during exercise, giving us the power to go further and faster, and ultimately to cross the finish line.   When you don’t have enough oxygen in your body you produce lactic acid which causes that all too common burning sensation and tiredness every runner has felt at some point.

• Then there’s the heart – the further and harder you go, the faster your heart has to beat. And once again, it’s all down to oxygen
• Blood passes through the lungs where it picks up oxygen to deliver to the muscles (oxygenated blood)
• The heart pumps oxygenated blood to your muscles where it drops off the oxygen your muscles need and picks up waste lactic acid
• The blood – now de-oxygenated – returns to the heart through your veins, ready to start the whole process again

So to reduce tiredness and fatigue, you need to be able to deliver oxygen more efficiently.   But you also need to get de-oxygenated blood back to the heart and remove lactic acid from your muscles as quickly as possible.   That’s where compression running clothing comes in.

HOW COMPRESSION CLOTHING WORKS

Compression clothing features compression panels that are graduated throughout the garment. Greater pressure is applied on the muscles furthest from the heart compared to those closer to it.

Using a pair of support tights as an example, the pressure is greater around the ankle than it is around the knee, squeezing the calf muscles and giving your veins a helping hand to push de-oxygenated blood back up the legs and towards the heart.
This means you can:

• Run further as you’ll get more oxygen into the blood to power your muscles
• Recover faster because you’ll be removing waste lactic acid quicker, reducing soreness in the muscles.
  

 

 

HEAD-TO-TOE – HOW CLOTHING USES COMPRESSION

The ASICS Muscle Support range is designed specifically for running and targets key areas to reduce muscle vibration and improve your posture.

Take a look at how some of our Muscle Support clothing works: 

COMPRESSION TIGHTS
Provide muscle support in the areas needing it most – the knees and quads. The pressure cuts down on muscle vibration while a core belt helps improve your posture. 

COMPRESSION CALF SLEEVE
Calf sleeves are ideal for when it’s too hot for full-length tights as they help to increase circulation of de-oxygenated blood from your calf muscles and back to the heart. 

COMPRESSION CALF SUPPORT
Keeps your calf muscles in place and reduces vibration so they can work more efficiently and recover faster. 

COMPRESSION SOCKS
Provides pressure from the ankle to the calf to increase bloodflow and also reduces vibration in the muscles during your run, helping them work more efficiently. 

RECOVERY SOCKS
These can be worn all day and are made of a special CELLIANT™ material that promotes healthy bloodflow and oxygen levels. They also provide compression to help your muscles recover faster. 

COMPRESSION TOP
These work to adjust your posture, opening up the chest and allowing you to take in more oxygen to feed your muscles.