Move Free
Properly fitting athletic attire is essential. Not only does excess cloth cause safety concerns, it can also seriously inhibit your ability to move. Freedom of movement is important in allsports. A tight shirt can restrict the movement you need to swing your club well in golf while too loose of fabric can obstruct your need for proper grip and movement while on a spin pole. Needless to say, each sport is different and the appropriate accompanying outfit will either promote or restrain your optimum performance.
Dress for success
This concept goes beyond the office and right into the athletic industry. No matter what exercise you are doing, being aware of the proper athletic sportswear for your overall success is essential. The best athletic apparel can guarantee confidence in your ability, protection, and freedom needed to do well. At Lights Out Brand, we are equipped to provide you with the activewear clothing you need. Take a look at our store today!
1900-1910
At the start of the 20th century, it was not considered important for women to win at competitive sports and so athletic sportswear was not a necessity either. For example, women playing golf were expected to wear tailored blouses and matching skirts which were not much different than the dress they might wear to a meeting or a business engagement. The first step towards change happened by 1910 when women playing golf were allowed to expand their skirts with pleats down the sides of their tweed jackets to allow for more movement needed to take a full golf swing.
1910-1930
Much like women’s golf, long skirts and restrictive blouses were worn to play tennis until 1910. That began to change by 1922 when Suzanne Lenglen shocked the world by dressing for tennis at Wimbledon wearing a short skirt, no hat, and hair pulled away from her face to let her perform better. Later on, Alice Marble went onto the courts wearing white shorts in 1932.
1945 and after
While war broke out and revolutionary fashion changes were put on hold, the first major breakthrough in performance wear came in 1945 with the invention of stretchy fabrics. This new range of synthetic fibers were made into pullover dresses, underwear, and, finally, gym tops. By the 1960s, stretchy garments became trendy and gave women a comfort factor that had never before been provided.
Well, you’re about to find out why athletic apparel improves your performance in any exercise, training program, or sport.
Confidence boost
The clothing you wear always makes a difference. If it didn’t, there wouldn’t be so many variations, purposes, and types. To put into simple terms, you are more likely to go to the gym and focus on your workout if you feel comfortable. Clothing that fits well, satisfies your tastes, and offers the right support is going to make you feel more confident than without. This confidence translates into better performance.
Performance Improvement
One of the most well-known examples of how we can compare the necessity for performance wear is with swimsuits. Think about this, a man with a full wetsuit and another man in a baggy pair of old basketball shorts are in a pool racing from one end to the other. Who do you think is going to swim across the pool fastest? The answer is a no-brainer. The drag created by the extra fabric of the old basketball shorts will surely make winning this competition impossible. This same concept can be applied to your everyday athletic apparel.
Protect and Prevent
Remember that old cotton t-shirt and beat up pair shorts we mentioned before? Well, this outfit can mean dangerous things for your body. First off, excess fabric can inevitably be a safety concern for many types of exercise. It is often necessary for tight fits for activities such as sprinting, swimming, dancing, wrestling, etc. Also keep in mind the type of fabric and density of fabric in your athletic sportswear. Cotton, for example, will absorb large amounts of sweat and keep it close to your body instead of specifically designed fabrics that wick away moisture. If not properly ventilated, perspiration and heat build up can have serious health effects while in the middle of your workout. Be sure your athletic wear, from head to toe, is designed for the specific activity you are performing.
These are just a few of the reasons the right athletic apparel is crucial for overall athletic success. At Lights Out Brand, we understand the difference athleticwear can have. Check out our store today.
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What does your work out routine consist of?
My workout routine varies quite a bit actually, I train for and compete in many different avenues of life. But the one thing that doesn't change is my consistency. I show up at the right time in the right place with the right uniform on and most importantly with the right attitude. In life half the battle is just showing up, and if you surround yourself with people that challenge you and are accountable, it's honestly hard to fail. So whether I'm training for football, or combat, or to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro the only thing that changes is the sets, reps, and exercises done; all of them to the best of my ability.
What does your weekly diet consist of?
Maintaining a consistent diet is a challenge for me because I'm on the road so much, but one thing I'm disciplined about is what I'm putting in my body. With the exception of some fast food restaurants, pretty much everywhere you go there are healthy options, you just have to find them. When I'm home and have the opportunity to go to the grocery store I make sure and stay away from the snack isles and spending my hard earned money on anything that isn't going to properly fuel my body. With that being said, I'm not a calorie Nazi and I don't necessarily eat healthy every meal, but I'm conscious of it, and I really try to change things up quite a bit. Always a protein of some type with every meal and plenty of good fruits and vegetables.
How do you stay motivated to train?
I stay motivated to train by giving myself really specific goals to work towards. If I simply tell myself, "I wanna get ripped" or "I wanna lose weight" that ain't gonna cut it. I need a benchmark to work towards or better yet a challenge I want to achieve. Like for example this October I'll be doing a Tough Mudder with a group of homeless veterans that are transition back to civilian life an in need of that continued camaraderie. So with that in mind my training will shift to accommodate that goal. I want us all to finish so we'll train together. Be specific in what you want, even if it seems impossible or out of reach, don't sell yourself short and certainly don't listen to the haters, because I guarantee you there will be plenty of those no matter what you do in life. If it's great, there's gonna be hate.
What is your tip for people having a hard time committing?
For those of you having a hard time committing, it's all about habits, start small. Give yourself a month to notice a change in your body and the way that you feel. Anything less than that and you probably won't notice results. But once you've done that think back on the way that you felt a month ago, it's likely that you've started to look forward to training everyday or at least accepted it as part of your daily life. Training should be as important as brushing your teeth or taking a shower, are bodies are made to move and work.
]]>What does your workout routine consist of?
Off season training schedule typically consists of:
30 minutes soft tissue / Activation
30-45 Minute movement period
- Different focus each day
- Change of Direction / Speed work - Sprint Mechanics / Acceleration / Position work
Followed by 45-60 minutes in the weight room
The last several years my training programs have been full body workouts
Monday: Upper body Push / Lower Body pull
Tuesday: Lower Body push / Upper Body pull
Wednesday: Regen / Massage/ Light Movement / Gun show
Thursday: same as Monday
Friday: same as Tuesday
Workouts typically start with a Power Block
Hang Cleans / Rotational Power Movements / Dynamic Squats on Keiser
Second block is Strength
All movements / lifts are performed with Super Set
Bench / Stability - Core / Stretch
Squat / Stability - Core / Corrective exercise / Stretch
Third Block is Auxiliary Movements that compliment each days lift. More core / stability work with possible metabolic work depending on what we worked on the field that day.
Weight room followed by conditioning 15-30 minutes conditioning
Typically my Monday's and Friday's are my big running days
Half Gasser's
110's
300 yard shuttles
Tuesday and Thursday are more metabolic stuff and work capacity conditioning on machines / low impact
Wednesday is an active rest day
Soft tissue / Activation / Movement / Light Conditioning / Gun Show
What does your weekly diet prep consist of?
I work with my nutritionist to build a meal plan and supplement guideline. Everything that goes in is to fuel my body to perform. All calories / fats / carbs / proteins are counted and accounted for throughout the day.
Off Season is usually a time to take Weight off for me. I have been using a 2,550 calorie diet that tappers calories and carbs down from morning until night. My biggest meal of the day is breakfast.
Breakfast 686 calories / 6 ounces protein / 1.5 cups of carbs / 1/2 serving of fruit / 2 Servings Fat
Post workout shake 390 Calories
Lunch 588 calories / 3 servings vegetables / 6 oz protein / 1.5 cups of carbs / 2 servings of fat
Snack 285 calories 2 servings of protein / 1 serving of fat
Dinner 400 calories 3 servings Vegetables / 8 ounces protein / 1 serving fat
Snack 229 calories 1.5 servings of protein / 1 serving of fat
I eat by the 80 / 20 method. 80% I stick to this exact diet the other 20% is where I eat whatever I want. I don't do "cheat days". I work hard enough that if I want something unhealthy like pizza or burgers I can mix it in as long as I'm keeping it tight and on schedule the rest of the week. I'm 325 lbs and can easily put on weight. I have to be diligent especially in the off season because my workload is down and the calories add up fast while traveling/ enjoying the off season.
During the season I typically consume near 4,500 calories.
How do you stay motivated to train?
I stay motivated to train because Football is not only my job, it's my life. I've been playing since I was twelve years old. To be a beast on the field you have to train and prepare like a beast off the field. No one makes it to this level without a high level of self-discipline. I've always loved the weight room and training. I competed in weight lifting in high school and chose the University of Nebraska for their attitude toward training. During the off season I get stir crazy when I'm not in the gym. When I do get the chance to train and prepare for the season I'm all in.
What is your tip for people who are having a hard time committing?
If you don't get motivated by being a beast I have no tips for you. I don't live in that World.
What is your most important goal for your health and how did you set it?
My most important goal for my health is longevity on the football field. I want to play as long as possible. I love the game too much to not give it my all. My training regimen includes pilates, yoga and anything else I think that will help keep me on the field. I work with athletic trainers and physical therapist multiple times a week to correct any issues I'm dealing with and to prevent other things from popping up. I leave no stone unturned when it comes to my body and health and I'm open minded enough to try new things. Every off season I incorporate something new into my regimen. My ultimate goal is to play 100% of snaps every season.
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What does your work out routine consist of?
My workouts now are very different than when I was training for the Olympics. Back then each week consisted of 20 hrs in the pool, 2 x 2hr weight training, 1 x 1.5 hr hot yoga, as well as core conditioning, massage, chiropractic and physiotherapy. Now that I'm not training for the Olympics anymore, my workouts are more weight/strength training focused. It generally consists of a split routine to give my muscle groups ample time to recover. I put a lot of focus into my tempo, especially the eccentric, and always making sure to vary the rep range depending if I'm bulking or cutting. Three days a week I follow up my weight training with 25 min low intensity stair master just to shred some of that fat that might be lurkin around somewhere.
What does your weekly diet prep consist of?
I don't really do too much prepping. I just make sure that my kitchen is always full of food, such as: eggs, various meats, bananas, and loads of veggies. A typical day would look like:
Breakfast/Pre-workout - Tall glass of ice cold water on empty stomach, 1 cup of eggs scrambled (2 whole eggs topped up with egg white), whole apple, 2 strips of turkey bacon
Post-workout - 2 scoops protein, handful of almonds
Lunch - Tuna & kale, spinach, or other mixed greens salad
Snack - Smoothie
Dinner - Chicken breast, quinoa or wild rice, side of veggies
Snack - Greek yogurt with almonds, blueberries, cinnamon and drizzle of maple syrup (I'm Canadian...)
Because my wife Nadina is Lebanese (the best kind!) dinners are sometimes substituted with something more mediterranean style.
How do you stay motivated to train?
I stay motivated to train by thinking about how thankful I am that I have been born in this body. It is the only body I am ever going to have, so I am going to treat it the best possible way I can. By having a workout routine to follow, I get a daily sense of accomplishment whenever I finish my workout. That wasn't there when I was showing up to the gym with even just a general idea in my head of what I was going to do because without a definitive finishing point, I could just end my workout whenever I wanted to. Also keeping track of my body weight, fat percentage, and daily dose of reflections in the mirror, I am able to keep track of my progress. And being the competitor that I am, it's nice to have somebody to compete against, even if that person is myself.
What is your tip for people who are having a hard time committing?
Give yourself daily reminders of why you are committing to fitness. The reasons can be whatever you need them to be but they need to be specific. Speaking generally like "to be fit" is a very relative goal. Reminding yourself with something like "to be strong enough to pick up my child" or "to fit in a my wedding tux or dress", or just having a specific weight or body fat percentage goal will work. And if you're still finding it difficult, get an accountability partner. Journeys are always more motivating when you're doing it with somebody, even if it is just checking up on each other on Facebook if you can't be at the gym together.
What is your most important goal for your health and how did you set it?
The most important goal for me is to live a long and healthy life. I want to be able to keep up with my future grandkids one day. But that's probably the boring goal for you readers. There is another, somewhat vain goal I have to admit. Being a swimmer, I pretty much spent my whole life in speedos. First I grew up being teased because they weren't the most fashionable swim wear (at least outside of Europe). Then when I retired, a lot of people were telling me I was going to get too fat to wear them anymore. It's no secret that swimmers eat a lot, so it should come as no surprise that after retiring, a lot of swimmers put on the extra pounds. I promised myself after I retired following the London Olympics, where I won my Olympic Bronze Medal, that I was going make myself look even more "Olympic" four years later when the Rio games come around. Since London, I can say I've added nearly 20 lbs of muscle, and my speedos still fit.
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Professional athlete and model Bryan Jordan takes some time to give some tips on how he stays fit and motivated. |
What does your work out routine consist of?
My workout routine consists of a lot of circuit training. After I finish my cardio (anywhere from 30 min to an hour) I like to jump into some weights that will still continue to get my heart rate up. Go from dumbbell bench, to some squats, to TRX, to sit-ups, and back again. I keep it moving, attacking all different parts of the body. I try to get in anywhere from 3-5 times a week.
What does your weekly diet prep consist of?
Well I'm a foodie as I'm sure a lot of you out there are also. So thanks to genes I've been pretty lucky to eat what I like for the most part. "BUT" often I do find myself eating pretty healthy. I have this thing in me that kind of feels guilty if I’m eating really poorly so I try to stick to this plan.
(Only rule I have is... ABSOLUTELY NO SODA)
Breakfast: oatmeal's in the morning
Snack: I eat a lot of beef jerky / maybe some mixed nuts
Lunch: (Usually after my workout) Fruit, Protein shake, and a sandwich. On off day's I don't mind just eating a big salad.
Dinner: Lean meat with some veggies.
(Again, that's what I try to stick to....)
How do you stay motivated to train?
For me I'm just internally motivated. Being a Pro Athlete has brought me a ton of joy in my life so when I get out there I just know I'm doing my body a ton of good. On top of that "Health" is probably the most important aspect in life so don't underestimate that. Plus it doesn't hurt to reap the side benefits of looking good and feeling good about your self!
What is your tip for people who are having a hard time committing?
For each of you that might be having a hard time committing... I beg of you to just "START."
Start, start, start! Many athletes know its just one day at a time… one game at a time. You will find you have an increase in energy, increased endorphin's for stress relief, and a ton of other side benefits. With as busy as life has gotten now a days with your job, family, social media, this that and the other… just put aside some me time and get in there. Really, DO THIS FOR YOU. Seek out a class if you're having a hard time staying consistent. The others will hold you to things that you can't yourself and help you enjoy your workouts and new friendships. I also have some friends that struggle with weight issues believe it or not and let me assure you of this… when I see someone in the gym at any size or weight I'm thinking... RESPECT! This person actually cares enough to get in here and better them self and I love seeing that.
What is your most important goal for your health and how did you set it?
Wow, tough question… to me it was always to be the absolute best in my sport.
And at this point I realise health is just a competition with myself, and I want to be the best I can possibly be.
I definitely want a family and kids so I'm going to do my best to stay healthy enough to stick around and watch them do great things!