Everything you need to know about tracksuits

A tracksuit usually consists of two pieces of clothing: track pants and a track jacket. Together they form the tracksuit that you can wear for sports (Most of the tracksuits come with zip pockets and elasticated waist band). In sports, you will find it particularly useful when warming up, during breaks, after sports and when it is cold. Because they are so comfortable and airy tracksuits are not only worn for sports, but also for everyday life and leisure, especially at home when relaxing or doing housework. They can also be worn as a fashion statement, for example in a trendy retro look.

Boys' tracksuits

Boys' tracksuits are no longer related to the bad image of beer bellies in a fine rib undershirt and XXL jogging pants. Boys' tracksuit sets today are made of modern functional materials that can be flexibly adapted to various types of sports and outdoor activities.

In addition, tracksuits can be easily adapted to any weather. In cold weather, you simply use full zip fastening of the jacket (during winters make sure your tracksuit has a long sleeve or you can use a full-zip hoodie instead) and trouser leg and in warmer weather, you can simply leave them unzipped.

Girls' tracksuits

Girls' tracksuits tend to have a slimmer, feminine cut than boys' tracksuits. The training jackets, for example, are usually cut more figure-hugging at the waist and thus adapt better to the female form.

There are no differences in the materials, whereas when it comes to the colour selection of tracksuits for girls, the typical colours associated with women, such as rose or pink, are often offered. Since Pilates or yoga are particularly popular with women, the selection of clothing for this sport is particularly large and varied. 

Children Tracksuit

Even for the little ones, there are tracksuits in a wide variety of shapes and colours. These are particularly in demand for physical education classes or for warming up or training before a game or to keep warm afterwards.

The comfortable but also hard-wearing materials are ideal for letting off steam during sports or in your free time. When buying kids' tracksuits, you should therefore make sure that the tracksuit is made of functional material that does not cool down the child's body and allows sweat to dry quickly.

Plus-size tracksuits

Plus-size people should choose soft fabric tracksuits. Don't choose fabrics that are too thick or too thin. Too thin is easy to reveal their body shape, while thick materials are expansive and make people look fatter. Choose a darker colour when choosing plus-size tracksuits. The dark colour will make people feel shrinking in the senses and look very thin in the visual sense.

Boohoo is a good place to start looking for quality plus-size tracksuits.

Characteristics of a good tracksuit 

• Mesh lining: Mesh lining is a material that is often used in tracksuits because it allows air to circulate as mesh fabric is breathable. This results in better moisture management when sweating. Hence, good temperature regulation of the body climate.
• well-fitting, definitely not too tight
• must not slip when moving
• robust, in different weather conditions such as cold, wet, wind
• fast drying and washable
• a fashionable and eye-catching
• ensure long-lasting colour fastness

Where can you buy a tracksuit?

Tracksuits can be purchased in sports shops, department stores or online. The advantage of shopping in stores is that the tracksuit can be tried on immediately, ensuring that the size fits with certainty. With the online shop, on the other hand, you have to rely on the size information provided by the provider. The advantage, however, is that you can compare the providers better and choose the best offer for yourself.

Examples of popular online retailers include:

• Castore
• Reebok
• Adidas
• Nike

Tracksuits according to the sporting type

Of course, there are also different tracksuits for the different sports, which are specially adapted to the respective requirements. Which training suit is suitable for your preferred sport and what you should pay attention to when buying is summarized below:

Walking or jogging

If you are looking for a tracksuit for running, you should make sure that the jacket and pants are close-fitting and made of functional material such as polyester. As there is usually slight perspiration during strenuous endurance training, the sweat is conducted to the outside through the clothing.

You should also make sure that the tracksuit does not chafe and does not slip when running. If you're looking for a warm-up tracksuit for a less strenuous run, consider a tracksuit with a higher cotton content to keep muscles warm.

When buying, you should also make sure that the suit has zipped pockets to safely stow away your MP3 player, cell phone, or keys. You can also decide whether you would rather buy a model without a hood with a collar or with a hood.

Pilates/Yoga

If you want to buy a training suit for Pilates or yoga, it is particularly important that you have a lot of freedom of movement, as many exercises require a high degree of flexibility. Comfortable tracksuits made of cotton, which also keep the body warm, are particularly recommended.

Since many exercises are also performed more slowly, and you don't sweat a lot, it's important not to let the muscles cool down. This makes the warming suit particularly advantageous.

You should also make sure that the tracksuit does not have any annoying zipped pockets that could pinch during exercises on the yoga mat. In addition, hoods are disadvantageous because, in some positions, you stand upside down or lie on your back.

Fitness training

A tracksuit made of polyester or other functional materials is generally recommended for fitness training. Since cardio training such as a treadmill or home trainer usually involves a lot of sweating, the sweat is simply channelled to the outside. For relaxed fitness exercises, such as light dumbbell training, a tracksuit with a higher cotton content can also be worn.

It would also be important to note whether the tracksuit has pockets in which you can store your mobile phone or MP3 player to listen to music. It is also more practical to choose a tracksuit without a hood, as this can be annoying on some devices.

Soccer

Tracksuits for soccer training are usually made of 100% polyester and are particularly breathable. Because football is a sweaty sport, it's important to take it away from the body. The cut of the training pants should be a little looser on the thighs to ensure freedom of movement.

On the other hand, it is advisable for the lower legs to be tighter, as this makes for a more comfortable fit when playing with the ball. There are also models with zips on the leg ends so that you can easily take off the pants over your shoes after warming up.

The cord, which is located at the waistband of the training pants, also ensures a firmer hold and can be adjusted to your personal size. The suit jacket should be zipped, as it can be easily removed after warming up or opened or closed depending on how warm you feel.

Tennis

The processing of the seams is typical for tennis tracksuits. These are designed in such a way that there is as little friction as possible when playing. The materials used in such suits are principally polyester, but some also contain cotton or fleece.

The cotton content has the effect of cooling the body slightly, as perspiration is only released slowly. The cut of the tracksuit should fit well, especially on the hips, as the many twisting movements can easily cause it to slip.

Volleyball / Handball

Training suits for volleyball or handball can either be made of functional material such as polyester or cotton. The advantage of the cotton suits is that there are fewer abrasions when sliding on the hall floor, and the goalkeepers are better protected from hits by the thicker material.

The downside, on the other hand, is that cotton fabrics absorb sweat more easily and don't wick it away. That's why tracksuits made of polyester with cotton components are often used because they are more breathable. The cut of the tracksuit should be a bit wider, especially on the shoulders, because the arms and shoulders need a lot of freedom of movement when playing.

Basketball

The materials of a training suit for basketball should also consist of breathable functional fabric. In addition, the cut on the legs and upper body should be wider, as these need a lot of freedom of movement during sport.

Since the pants are also removed after the warm-up so that you can continue playing in shorts, many models have buttons on the sides so that you don't have to take off your shoes.

Team presentation

Aside from sportswear, tracksuits can also have a representational function. These types of suits are also called presentation suits and are worn by teams either before or after a game or competition.

Wearing the same suits is intended to strengthen the sense of togetherness and team spirit. These usually consist of light microfiber fabrics, which can sometimes also have light cotton content.

Tracksuits fabric types

Basically, you can choose between two types of tracksuits:

• Tracksuit made of synthetic fibres
• Cotton tracksuit

Due to the different materials, the properties and functions of the tracksuits are different. This results in advantages and disadvantages that can arise when wearing during various sports. Depending on the purpose and preference, one or the other tracksuit is more suitable.

The following section briefly explains the differences in the materials so that you can decide which tracksuit is right for you. In addition, the advantages and disadvantages of each tracksuit are described.

Synthetic tracksuits

A tracksuit made of synthetic fibres is made of functional fibres such as polyamide, polyester, viscose, or elastane. These fabrics ensure that the tracksuits are breathable and quick-drying.

The sweat is simply directed outwards and not absorbed by the fibres. This type of suit is therefore particularly suitable for very sweaty and outdoor sports.

Advantages

• Breathable
• Wicks moisture outwards
• Dries fast
• Lightweight feel
• Durable

Disadvantage

• Doesn't keep you warm during slow exercise

The light material ensures a comfortable fit. In addition, chafing or irritation caused by heavy sweating can be ruled out, since the material dries quickly and wicks the sweat to the outside.

Cotton tracksuits

This type of tracksuit is particularly suitable for sports with low perspiration, such as Pilates or yoga. The natural and soft material keeps the body and muscles warm and is comfortable to wear.

Advantages:

• Keeps you warm
• Suitable after sport
• High wearing comfort
• cooling effect

Disadvantage:

• Barely sweats
• Gets moist when sweating

However, if the sport is too sweaty, the cotton tracksuit has the disadvantage that the sweat is absorbed and the clothing becomes damp as a result.

Factors to compare and evaluate tracksuits

The following pointers describe the main factors by which tracksuits are compared.

The following criteria will help you to find the right tracksuit for you, thus making your purchasing decision easier:

1. cut
2. material
3. cleaning effort
4. Color & Design
5. size

The individual categories are described in more detail in the following chapters. So you can decide for yourself how these comparison criteria are to be classified.

1. Cut

The cut of a tracksuit varies depending on the model and is usually adapted to different sports.

The following shows how tracksuits can differ in cut:

• Tight-fitting or wide-cut
• Zipper or buttons on the pant leg
• Zippered pockets, open pockets, or no pockets
• hood or collar
• Drawstring at trouser leg

Tracksuits with a zipper or buttons on the waistband are particularly suitable for warming up, as they can be quickly removed over your shoes, for example.

Zippered pockets, on the other hand, are handy for storing keys but very inconvenient when doing exercises on the floor mat. The same applies to hoods, as these can interfere with gymnastics or with some fitness equipment, and a simple collar is, therefore, more comfortable.

2. Material

Tracksuits are usually mainly made of synthetic material or cotton but can sometimes also consist of a mixture of both.

Typical materials used for tracksuits are:

• polyester
• polyamide
• spandex
• viscose
• cotton

The fabrics made of plastic are functional materials that are breathable and quick-drying.

3. Cleaning effort

As a rule, the cleaning effort for a tracksuit is not very high, as it can easily be washed in the washing machine at 30 or 40 degrees. If there is coarse dirt on the training suit from outdoor training, it can also be pre-treated with a clothes brush or a water bath.

In addition, care should always be taken to ensure that functional clothing is turned inside out before washing so that it is better protected.

4. Color & Design

Tracksuits come in all sorts of colours and designs. You can choose between classic black and white or grey or bright colours such as red, blue, pink, yellow, green, etc. In addition to the fashionable aspect, the bright colours also have the advantage that you can be seen better, for example by drivers, when running or doing outdoor sports.

5. Size

When buying a tracksuit, you should always make sure that it fits well. This should fit the body but not be too tight, as many sports require great freedom of movement. The tracksuit should feel comfortable as you move and not constrict or interfere with the wearer's movement.

As a little trick, you can move your arms and legs in all directions as quickly as possible when trying them on. If the tracksuit doesn't slip or pinch, you've got the right size. If you want to buy your tracksuit online, you should measure your measurements beforehand and compare them with the size information on the sales platforms. If you are between sizes, you should opt for the larger size for sports that require freedom of movement.

The most important facts in a nutshell

• Tracksuits are available in various materials such as cotton, synthetic or functional materials or a combination of both. Functional fabrics are breathable and can wick sweat away from the body and dry faster.
• Depending on the sport, you should choose the material and the cut of your tracksuit. There are special models for almost every sport, which are adapted to the respective needs.
• Tracksuits are available in a wide range of price categories and cost more or less depending on the function and equipment.

Care and cleaning tips for a tracksuit

To protect red and dark sportswear from rubbing off, they should be washed separately. This is particularly recommended for new items. It is best to wash very thin fabrics in a laundry bag. Many jackets and bags have sophisticated details. Before washing, it is advisable to close all zippers and Velcro. If the instructions with the cleaning instructions are missing, please do not exceed the temperature of 30 degrees. In order to still guarantee the highest hygiene standards, you can use special sports detergents. If it is only slightly soiled, it is also sufficient to put the sportswear in a lukewarm water bath from time to time, which has been enriched with a bit of hand detergent. Most men's or women's tracksuits are not suitable for the dryer, as the heat often damages the sensitive fibres. This becomes clear in many different sports suit tests that have already been carried out by numerous independent experts.