- Bethany-May Rowe
Bunched crotches, pinching underarms, hems riding up…we’ve all experienced it at some point. The truth is most “unisex” sports gear isn’t great and it’s often code for a men’s range that’s expected to work just fine for women, despite the key differences in our bodies. The underlying message? Find a colour you like, ignore the odd silhouette - tight or loose in all the wrong places - and be grateful we thought of you.
However, the dialogue is shifting and conversations around Women’s sportswear needs are finally being had. From sports bras causing breast tissue damage, to badly designed tops and shorts, the gaps are obvious and more athletes than ever are speaking up about the changes that could make a difference.
Here are just a few reasons that having a training kit designed for your body as a woman is so important.
Enhancing, rather than inhibiting your movement
Your rashguard and training shorts should fit like a second skin, with minimal excess, sagging material. This is especially important in grappling and contact sports, where loose fabric can result in tangled limbs, trapped fingers, or material riding up and exposing your skin, which defeats the purpose of a protective layer.
On the flip side, there should be no restriction of body movement either. Your training set should power you up in every range of movement you need for your sport. To avoid these issues, your training gear needs to be designed around your body’s proportions, with an appropriate shoulder line, waistline, hip fit and bust allowance. When your kit moves with you instead of against you, your performance and safety both improve.
Curating looks that give you confidence when you train
Function is vitally important. But so is wearing a kit that makes you feel good about how you look. Speaking from experience, the sports you’re passionate about are often where you express yourself. That’s why no two people grapple the same, tackle the same, or step into the ring with the same energy.
When your training kit fits you properly and you have a range of patterns and prints, rather than the bare minimum, you can build a wardrobe that feels expressive and empowering. Confidence matters and feeling good in your gear plays a real role in how you show up to train.
Freeing up your mind for best performance
If your shorts bunch up around the crotch, your rashguard rides up around your midriff, or your warmup hoodie feels too tight across your bust, you’ll notice it. Once that niggle sets in, it becomes a distraction, pulling your focus away from where it should be, the training or competition in front of you.
Investing in women’s training wear that’s designed for your body gives you the freedom to focus fully on performance, without adjusting, tugging, or second guessing your kit.
Reducing the likelihood of illness and injury
You only have one body and every time you train or compete, you push it into unusual positions, extreme ranges of motion and high intensity interactions. Plus, in grappling sports, there’s the increased risk of infections like ringworm from continuous skin to skin contact with other athletes and the mats.
Naturally, when we ask a lot of our bodies, the risk of illness and injuries go up. The right training wear can help reduce those risks. For example, in sports like rugby, thicker rashguards with long sleeves help retain warmth outdoors. Meanwhile, high quality, sweat wicking rashguard material with four way stretch can act as a protective barrier against friction and infection, without restricting movement.
Tough Cherry | Functional and fitting. Feminine and fearless.
At Tough Cherry, we’ve firmly said goodbye to unisex training kits and are committed to designing women’s compression wear that fits you properly, adapting to your activity and sculpting with your movement.
Whether you’re a jiu jitsu player, mixed martial artist, rugby player, or surf lover, our rashguard sets are made for every moment of the activities you love. Shop by sport to find your next fit.
