In my profession I am often asked about workout gear and clothing. I have just about seen it all, as far as what people consider workout clothing, and much of it leaves me a bit puzzled frankly! When I say this, I am not in the least speaking of the fashion aspect of workout attire. . . .which, if you know me, you would already know that I regularly adorn the Target brand fitness clothing. What I AM speaking of is the material of the clothing that people think will keep them comfortable during their workouts. The most common offender: cotton.

I am not surprised by this common practice however. Sometimes with all the new technology that companies put into designing clothes for exercise performance and comfort, it may seem a little bit daunting as to which type clothing you should pick up. Should you get a regular, yet comfortable, cotton shirt, or a sleek, thin, Dri-Fit type top? Certainly when you compare the $10 cotton shirt to the $40 Dri-Fit shirt, the cotton may seem more appealing, but the Dri-Fit price is probably worth the extra $$ in what you would gain in comfort and performance.

Don't get me wrong, cotton is a wonderful fabric for just about everything BUT exercise. And here are a few of the many reasons why:

• Too heavy when wet. It keeps the sweat on your body, and when you are breaking a good sweat the cotton fabric will raise your core temperature exponentially which can hinder performance and lead to dehydration.
• When wet, it sags due to extra weight, which can make you feel heavy and sluggish.
• Takes too long to dry, and will not dry at all during an intense workout.
• Sticks onto your skin, resulting in a decrease of range of motion and uncomfortableness.
• You may feel cold and clammy after your workout is finished.

Now that I have hopefully convinced you to avoid wearing cotton during your workouts, let me explain why Dri-Fit, which is basically made from polyester, is the best choice:

• It weighs less than cotton; about 2 oz. less per garment which probably doesn't seem like much but trust me you will notice the difference.
• It targets places where you would sweat (arm pits, back) with extra ventilation to allow the moisture from your body to evaporate away from your body to keep you dry.
• It doesn't shrink in the dryer!
• Truly the only "con" of Dri-Fit is that it typically will be a bit more expensive. But as I mentioned before, you can get more affordable items if you buy store brands.

You can find Dri-Fit at many stores such as Dick's, Target, department stores and even TJ MAXX and Marshalls! Of course shopping local, privately owned businesses is a plus to many. . . Broad Ripple's own Blue Mile and Rusted Moon carry these items as well.

Everyday I see people exercising on the Monon Trail with a sweat covered cotton shirt and most of them look quite miserable! Exercise can be hard enough, don't make it more challenging by wearing the wrong clothing!