What we wear when we lift

Lifting kit gets less attention than running kit, which is strange, because the demands are completely different. Running gear is built to disappear at speed. Lifting gear has to survive being dragged across a barbell, sat on a bench, and stretched into positions most clothing never sees. Here's what we actually reach for when the session involves load.

Tank versus tee

The tank wins for heavy upper-body days — nothing bunching at the shoulders, full range of motion overhead. The tee wins for everything else, mostly because chalk and cold gyms are real. We keep both in rotation and stop pretending there's one right answer.

Shorts that survive a squat

The single most underrated quality in training shorts is whether they ride up under a barbell. A short that's fine on a run can become a problem the moment you sit into a deep squat. Look for a slightly longer inseam and a fabric with enough structure to stay put. Stretch is good; stretch with no recovery is not.

Footwear: shoe or lifter

For general training, a flat, stable shoe beats a cushioned runner every time — you want to feel the floor, not bounce off it. Dedicated lifters with a raised heel help with deep squatting and ankle mobility, but they're a specialist tool. If you're doing mixed sessions, a flat trainer covers most of it.

The accessories question

A belt earns its place once you're lifting heavy enough to need bracing support — not before. Wraps and sleeves are personal. Most of the rest is marketing. Spend on the two or three things that genuinely change your session and ignore the wall of supplements next to the register.

A starter kit

If you're building a training wardrobe from scratch: two tanks, two tees, two pairs of structured shorts, one flat trainer, and a belt once you need it. That covers months of sessions without a single redundant piece.

Good training kit is the kit you forget about mid-set. Buy less, buy better, and let the work take the attention.