Good sports equipment is now more important than ever to athletes. Sports equipment is now part of a billion pound industry. The fact that effective equipment plays a huge part in how an athlete performs, it has become imperative that the athlete is provided with the best equipment available from the beginning.

For runners the use of correct running shoes is essential as they need the right grip and support to help them perform to the maximum. Different surfaces require different grips and different types of support, for example, clay running tracks will require larger spikes on the shoes where as if the person is running on concrete they will not use spikes at all.

It’s really important for athletes like cyclists and runners to weigh as little as possible and to be aerodynamic which means that their clothes have to be exceptionally light and tight around their bodies. Lycra clothing is definitely one of the main clothing choices for many athletes due to the fact that it’s tight but it still lets the skin breathe. Tight clothing is essential for any athletes that require speed; clothes that flap in the wind will reduce their time by hundredths of a second, which may not seem a lot, but in the Olympic 100m final it’s everything.

Lycra or Spandex, due to is unique properties, is now even used by triathletes and swimmers. Triathletes use Lycra because they have to swim and it keeps them warm while swimming; once the athletes are out of the water, even though they’re wet, the Lycra is quick drying and will keep them warm for the remainder of their race.

Alistair Brownlee

The Triathlon is now one of the UK’s fastest growing sport after our current success at this year’s Olympics with Alistair Brownlee and Jonathan Brownlee, who won Gold and Bronze in the 2012 London Olympics.

There is a huge selection of Lycra clothing including hoodies, trousers, t-shirts and even sporting underwear out there and many shops don’t only the most efficient high-tech sport accessories. Most sports shops will cater for all fitness level and not just those that are of Olympic standard. Sports shops sell athletic clothing that is suitable for all ages, genders and sizes of people and the cost won’t break the bank either. So if you want to take on the Olympic heroes, then get yourself down to your local sports shop and kit yourself out with the latest sporting fashions.

Richard Cooper tends to shop online at www.performancesportsstuff.com for most of his sports clothing; he finds their products are great value for money.

Photo Credits: Wikipedia

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