Find out how a Rashguard protects your body in training, why you should buy it, and how to choose the right sports clothing. The benefits of the rashguard are highly appreciated by athletes around the world. Today this type of sportswear is produced by dozens of well-known brands and the demand for their products is very high. Rashguards can be of various colors with long or short sleeves, and not only male, but also female models are produced. Now it is difficult to say who was the first to come up with the rashguard and there are two theories.
According to the first of them, this type of clothing was taken by Australian jitters from surfers. They could be in these clothes at sea all year round, and did not interfere with training at all. In addition, the dense material of the rashguard reliably protected the skin from damage that could appear from constant friction against the board.
The jister wrestlers also surfed in their free time and used these clothes. Some of them noticed that the rashguard allows for good grips, since the hands do not slide over the body. It is quite obvious that in order to practice wrestling, the rashguard must be changed, but at the same time the basic characteristics of the clothing are preserved. As a result, in 1990, the Australian company Bad Boy launched this type of clothing.
However, there is a second theory, suggesting that Under Armor was the first to start producing rashguards. She was tasked with creating comfortable clothing for American football. This is a very intense sport and even during training, players have to change up to ten shirts. The special fabric of this garment perfectly permeates moisture (sweat), retains heat and dries quickly. However, let's deal with the question - rashguard - what is it and what is it for?
Rashguard - what is it and what is it for?
Rashguard is a T-shirt that is actively used today by surfers, bodybuilders and representatives of martial sports disciplines. The fabric from which these clothes are made is highly breathable, very practical and has high wear resistance. Although they feel tight to the touch, many athletes call the rashguard a second skin, since it does not restrain movement at all.
Wrestlers train on hard mats or tatami. During sparring, athletes often get scratches, abrasions, and sometimes burns. To avoid this and to protect against the ingress of microbes on the affected areas of the skin, a rashguard is an excellent choice.
Rashguard benefits
Let's take a look at the main advantages of a rashguard over regular sportswear.
- Provides reliable protection. During production, the T-shirt is impregnated with a special antibacterial compound that effectively destroys fungi, staphylococcal bacillus and the lichen virus. Due to the high density of the tissue, the skin of athletes is reliably protected from damage. Due to the tight fit of the body during sparring, you will definitely not be able to catch on your partner's clothes. In many types of wrestling during training, athletes use the rashguard, and in classic sportswear they perform only in official competitions.
- Ergonomic fit. The T-shirt fits the body and, emphasizing the muscles, does not restrict movement at all. Thanks to the technology of triple stitches, the possibility of abrasions on the skin is completely excluded. The T-shirt is breathable and moisture-permeable, and in the sweat sweats, special inserts are used to regulate body temperature. Unlike conventional wool-based thermal underwear, the rashguard wicks moisture out.
- Provides additional protection for the ligamentous-articular apparatus. We have already said that the T-shirt fits snugly around the body of the athlete, but at the same time complete freedom of movement is maintained. During jogging or crossfit training, the rashguard keeps the muscles warm and does it significantly better than regular sportswear. This allows athletes to maintain maximum functionality of the entire body throughout the entire session. In addition, the risks of sprains and other injuries during breaks are reduced. This fact made the rashguard very popular among bodybuilders.
- Serves a long time and does not require serious maintenance. Compared to compression T-shirts, the rashguard is about twice as reliable and durable. This type of clothing does not tear or stretch. All drawings are applied to the material thanks to a special technology that prevents them from fading or peeling off. In fairness, we note that in some cases the rashguard also has disadvantages. If we talk about bodybuilding, then in comparison with jerseys for the bench, the shirt has less compression properties. Also, sometimes wrestlers talk about a decrease in the reliability of the grip on the ground.
What material is used to make a rashguard?
We told, rashguard - what it is and what it is for, and now it is necessary to draw your attention to the material of this type of clothing. Manufacturing companies use synthetic materials such as nylon, spandex, polyester, lycra and elastane. Bamboo fiber is also used.
The combination of all these materials makes it possible to obtain a fabric with unique qualities. First of all, we are talking about the ability to pass air and water, as well as high wear resistance. Equally important, the material keeps the muscles warm and the risk of injury is reduced.
How to choose a rashguard?
When choosing a rashguard, you need to pay attention to several indicators, which we will now talk about.
- The size. It is quite obvious that any clothing should be comfortable. Unfortunately, different manufacturers may have their own size scales. However, this problem is solved by a simple fitting, which, of course, should not be neglected. Choose a rashguard that does not hinder movement, but does not sit too loosely on the body. In the first situation, you will not be able to conduct a full workout, and in the second, heat will not be retained. As we said, T-shirts can vary in sleeve length. This fact is also worth paying attention to and choosing clothes in accordance with the goals.
- Density. Manufacturers today produce T-shirts that can be tailored for a specific sport. The main difference between the two is the density of the material. For example, a surfer does not need a high density of a rashguard, because it is important for them to protect the body from damage and cold. If you are engaged in martial arts, then the density of the material comes to the fore. Also, in this situation, attention must be paid to the seams so that the T-shirt does not chafe the body.
- Print. It is very difficult to give advice here and it all depends on your preferences. For example, many fighters specifically use rashguards with an aggressive print.
- Rashguard for women. Girls can also choose a rashguard for themselves if they wish. It should be admitted that not all manufacturers produce female models, but the fair sex definitely has a choice. When creating women's rashguards, all the physiological features of the structure of the body of the girls were taken into account. There are no special differences from male models in terms of properties.
- Rashguard for children. Some manufacturers have mastered the production of even children's T-shirts. If you decide to purchase a rashguard for your baby, then it will be quite difficult to do this, but it is possible. According to their properties, children's models are in no way inferior to adults.
How to properly care for your rashguard?
We have already said that these clothes do not require a special kind of care, but in any case you cannot do without it. The cost of this type of sportswear can hardly be called low, but due to the observance of simple rules, it will serve you for a long time. As mentioned above, the fabric is based on synthetic materials. As you know, they are afraid of puffs, which are almost impossible to get rid of.
However, you should remember that clothing was primarily purchased for sports. Of course, I want to look good even in the gym and especially for girls. However, if a puff appears on your rashguard, then you should not try to fix it, because this can ruin the T-shirt.
After returning from training, you must immediately disassemble your gym bag so that things do not absorb unpleasant odors. The rashguard should be rinsed with warm water without using soap and gently wrung out by hand. This last point is extremely important, as excessive twisting can damage the fabric. After washing, the T-shirt should be hung on a clothes hanger and dried in a strictly upright position.
Never hang a rashguard near heating appliances, as the fabric is made of synthetic materials. It is enough to dry your clothes at room temperature. If you do classes often, then you should probably buy two T-shirts, although the rashguard dries quickly enough. A general wash should be carried out once a week. To do this, use powder, and the water temperature should not exceed 30 degrees. It is advisable to wash it by hand or, in extreme cases, use the delicate wash cycle.
Which companies make the rashguard?
Now we will briefly tell you about the leading manufacturers of this type of sportswear.
- Bad Boy. American manufacturer, whose history begins in 1982. At first, the company was engaged in the production of clothing exclusively for surfers, at the end of the last century it mastered the production of ammunition for jitters. Reviews of the company's products are purely positive, and the design, although restrained, is recognizable.
- Under Armor. Another company from the United States, and it was founded in 1996. The production of rashguards was mastered from the first days of work, and in addition, the manufacturer produces compression clothing. Thanks to the introduction of the latest technology, Under Armor is considered by many athletes to be the leader in the rashguard market.
- Hayabusa. It is also a North American manufacturer, but from Canada. Haybusa products are of excellent quality and are highly appreciated by athletes around the world. The main distinguishing feature of clothing from this company is its design. All the prints on the rashguard tell us the story of the modern samurai. Note that sublimated printing technology is used to apply the pattern. The cost of the production is quite high, but it is definitely worth it.
In addition to these three companies, which are the undisputed leaders, several other companies produce rashguards. Among them, it is worth paying attention to the products of Venum and Fixgear.
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