I consider myself a pretty active guy: I swim, run, bike, and I like play tennis and volleyball as well. I’m also an avid sports fan: I enjoy watching my favorite EPL (English Premier League) teams take the pitch on Saturday morning, or catching a clutch college football (American) game with a friend on the weekend.
So, when the issue of underwear for workouts was posed to the blog’s editorial staff, I quickly volunteered to submit a piece, because I take cues both from my own athletic experiences and what I see in media in terms of what professional athletes wear under their uniforms.
Before I delve into my recommendations, I have to say that I abhor compression shorts. I don’t get why they are necessary outside of letting the major sports labels market yet another garment that they can make a quick coin on. Another thought on the issue: why would you want to compress anything down there?
I’ve instead taken a cue of what to wear from our friends across the Atlantic, where briefs are still worn proudly under shorts across the continent. Watch any sport that involves Spaniards, Italians, Poles, Russians, or any European for that matter, and you’ll probably catch a briefline, if not a full brief sighting. What you’ll see is a low rise brief or bikini, typically in white but sometimes black (or even a color to match the team uniform).
With that reference in mind, here are my recommendations for some great white briefs to wear under your gym apparel. I’ve drawn inspiration from some of my favorite tennis and soccer players.
The unlined front and seaming at the sides make the Jockey Elance bikini different from a lot of its peers. Hopefully you’ll be luckier than Nicklas Helenius and not get pantsed during a strike at goal.
These Calvin Klein Tech Active sports briefs are motto bene. I’m sure Italian tennis stud, Fabio Fognini, would agree with my assessment since he wears these under his tennis kit too.
What a joy it is when you combine the minimal cut of this Calvin Klein bikini with the soft and sumptuous modal fabric. Joe Cole would agree that bikinis are the way to go, especially when you are in the midst of a sweaty workout.
So that’s my recommendations for what to wear under your workout gear, whether you’re a professional or amateur athlete.
