When’s the last time you surveyed your go-to apparel and gear for your workouts? Can you remember the last time you updated your fitness apparel wardrobe? Are you still using weak and ineffective supplements? 2018 has been an incredible year for advancements in fitness apparel and workout gear. From compression clothing to advanced, safe, and effective supplements, you’ll be able to achieve your goals of muscle building, fat loss, and performance enhancement. Let’s take a look at the best 2018 fitness apparel and workout gear that you need to start using.

Compression Workout Clothes

Undoubtedly, compression clothing is one of the most popular ways to improve your workouts and look good doing it. Compression-based fitness apparel has been shown to promote blood flow through perfectly applied tightness in the clothing.

This isn’t the same as wearing a shirt too small or a pair of leggings; compression clothing is uniquely designed to apply the right amount of constriction in a safe way to trigger better blood flow. This boost in blood flow can help with recovery, nutrient uptake, and decrease risk of clotting, if you are using the compression clothing while traveling.

As much as compression clothing is ready to help improve your blood flow and recovery, it’s equally as prepared to last during your toughest workouts. Super durable and stylish, compression clothing comes in an array of items that are comfortable to wear and easy to wash. The most popular compression clothes for working out are compression tank tops, compression t-shirts, and compression long sleeve shirts.

Sweat-Stopping Shirts

Sure, classic 100% cotton shirts are great. They’re comfy and they usually look good with almost every outfit. Then comes time for a workout. Cotton loves to absorb sweat, turning that light shirt into a dark one and making it gross and unbearable when your back leans against the car seat. Lucky for you, 2018 fitness apparel is focusing on special material blends – usually of spandex and polyester – that are equally as comfortable and don’t absorb sweat.

Easy to clean, fun to wear, and stylish in a futuristic way, blends such as rayon, spandex, and polyester all the benefits of cotton with none of the stinky drawbacks. Special material blends wick away sweat and avoid absorbing odor.

PopSockets 

Having a phone while in the gym is arguably a requirement. Not only does it provide you with the motivational music that you need to crank out extra sets, but it can also help to keep track of your exercises, sets, repetitions, and calories burned. When you’re switching dumbbells and kettlebells, your phone can seem to be more a hinderance as it gets in the way. The solution? PopSockets.

Acting as an easier way to grip your phone, secure its position, or stand it up, PopSockets can solve the problem of what to do with your phone during your workouts.

Shaker Cup 

Suited up in your compression clothing and a shirt that wicks away sweat, you step into the gym with PopSockets in hand, ready to get things done except your missing something: a shaker cup. At its most basic, a shaker cup will be there to keep you hydrated throughout your workout. Ideally, it will be filled with your favorite pre-workout and intra-workout supplements.

Pre-Workout Supplements

As the name suggests, a pre-workout supplement should be consumed around 30 minutes before your workout to provide you with ample energy. Nearly all pre-workout supplements are based on caffeine; isn’t there another way to skyrocket your energy levels?

Stimulants Other Than Caffeine

Yohimbine: Part stimulant, part nootropic, part fat burner, yohimbine is one of the most effect pre-workout ingredients on the market. It’s been shown to be an effective way to ignite next-level focus, energy, and fat oxidation.

Guarana Extract: An herbal-based ingredient popular in Asia, guarana extract has been shown to elevate energy levels while supporting cognitive performance.

Nootropic Blends

Huperzine A: Considered the original nootropic, or brain boosting supplement, huperzine A has been shown in a variety of studies to promote cognitive performance, focus, and memory enhancement.

Alpha GPC: Another popular nootropic, alpha GPC can be used as a pre-workout supplement as well as a study aid. It has been shown to improve cognitive health while increasing workout focus, alertness, and performance.

Protein 

Considered the quintessential workout supplement, protein can support all fitness goals especially muscle building and performance enhancement. There are three common types of protein supplements: whey, casein, and plant.

Whey Protein 

Concentrate: Your basic whey protein, whey concentrate is a medium-digesting protein that provides muscle building amino acids along with a few carbohydrates. It’s ideal for before and during a workout.

Isolate: A highly filtered version of whey protein, whey isolate is a rapid-digesting protein that delivers an immediate shot of pure amino acids to the muscle tissue.

Casein Protein

The slowest digesting of all protein supplements, casein provides an extended release of muscle building and fat burning amino acids over the course of several hours, ensuring a long-standing anabolic environment.

Plant Protein

A plant-based protein is usually made up of a combination of pea, brown rice, cranberry, hemp seed, and pumpkin seed. The result is a high protein supplement that is just as effective (if not more so) than animal-based protein supplements.

Recovery Supplements 

When the workout is said and done, your muscle will be begging for nutrients to help them repair and recover.

BCAAs 

Branched chain amino acids cannot be created by the body and must be consumed as a supplement. Made up of leucine, isoleucine, and valine, BCAAs are the very building blocks of muscle tissue, and have been shown to trigger protein synthesis and muscle recovery.

ZMA

Made of zinc, magnesium, and vitamin B6, ZMA is a sports recovery supplement that helps you get a full night’s sleep while promoting growth hormone release.

Have a Favorite Piece of Fitness Gear?

What can’t you leave the house without? Have you found a new supplement that you’re in love with?