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Athleisure Suit Larry
Mar. 14th, 2024 03:45 amI never really understood the athleisure concept, where people have an outfit that they'll wear all or most of the day and that will include a workout. And I'm generally not a person who sweats a lot unless it's summer and I'm walking outside. Maybe it's because I always wore my walking outfits for a whole week or until they got too wet or dirty, whichever came first.
But now that I'm doing strength training followed by the pool on Tuesdays and Thursdays, I kinda get it. And I guess the employees at the YMCA are all great examples. Everyone you see there working at the front desk is in a nice ahtletic outfit. How many of them are teaching or joining a class that day or just working out at some point? No clue, but they're all ready for it and I suspect they all just have a different standard for how sweaty it's ok to get at some point during the day. And I'm sure the ones who really end up drenched go from their office athletic gear to their workout/instruction gear and back.
I realized I probably wouldn't like trying to stuff a whole second outfit in my swim bag, so I got a bigger one. This one doesn't have a waterproof compartment like the old one, so there's a challenge. I kept my shower towel and the hand towel I used at the sink afterward in there. That compartment usually isn't necessary because I keep my bag on a hook at the entrance of the shower area, but once in a while those are full and the bag gets wet. It's been a long time since that happened, though. If it becomes an issue, I'll just get a smaller waterproof bag to keep towels in. I already found one I like.
That compartment would still be handy right now because thanks to strength training, I have a fob and my earbuds to contend with. They don't have to come with me to the pool or the shower area, but I still wanted something to keep them in. I started searching "small waterproof case" on ye olde Amazon and wasn't quite seeing what I wanted, but then I remembered, I have a ton of small waterproof cases. I needed something for hair gel, and the one I liked came in a 12-pack. So I have gel in the van for spa days, gel in my indoor walking bag, and gel in my swim stuff.
Of course, that indoor walking bag's about to get put away for a while. Currently Sunday's the walking day, and that'll always be outdoors because the Y doesn't open until 10am. I really wish they opened at 5am every day. Even if they couldn't open the pool until later on the weekends, I know a lot of people would make use of the rest of the facility.
I'm all packed up now. I'll wear my shoes and socks, which I rarely do because you have to get your feet really dry after the shower for those. If I have my Crocs on, I don't care about a little dampness. But they don't sound great for the weight room even though I'm not using free weights. Shorts and a tank top with appropriate undergear are folded up nicely, along with an extra hand towel for wiping down each machine as I get off it.
If I were to go that athleisure route, I'd forego street clothes altogether and just show up in my weight room outfit plus a hoodie. That'd certainly save some time and space in the bag, but I'm just not into the idea of coming out of the pool, showering, drying off, and then putting on something I worked out in earlier.
Of course this will all get switched up again should I ever become an instructor. They all make their initial appearance in Y gear and set up before getting into swim gear. Except for the ones who teach from the side of the pool who just live the athleisure life the entire time.
But now that I'm doing strength training followed by the pool on Tuesdays and Thursdays, I kinda get it. And I guess the employees at the YMCA are all great examples. Everyone you see there working at the front desk is in a nice ahtletic outfit. How many of them are teaching or joining a class that day or just working out at some point? No clue, but they're all ready for it and I suspect they all just have a different standard for how sweaty it's ok to get at some point during the day. And I'm sure the ones who really end up drenched go from their office athletic gear to their workout/instruction gear and back.
I realized I probably wouldn't like trying to stuff a whole second outfit in my swim bag, so I got a bigger one. This one doesn't have a waterproof compartment like the old one, so there's a challenge. I kept my shower towel and the hand towel I used at the sink afterward in there. That compartment usually isn't necessary because I keep my bag on a hook at the entrance of the shower area, but once in a while those are full and the bag gets wet. It's been a long time since that happened, though. If it becomes an issue, I'll just get a smaller waterproof bag to keep towels in. I already found one I like.
That compartment would still be handy right now because thanks to strength training, I have a fob and my earbuds to contend with. They don't have to come with me to the pool or the shower area, but I still wanted something to keep them in. I started searching "small waterproof case" on ye olde Amazon and wasn't quite seeing what I wanted, but then I remembered, I have a ton of small waterproof cases. I needed something for hair gel, and the one I liked came in a 12-pack. So I have gel in the van for spa days, gel in my indoor walking bag, and gel in my swim stuff.
Of course, that indoor walking bag's about to get put away for a while. Currently Sunday's the walking day, and that'll always be outdoors because the Y doesn't open until 10am. I really wish they opened at 5am every day. Even if they couldn't open the pool until later on the weekends, I know a lot of people would make use of the rest of the facility.
I'm all packed up now. I'll wear my shoes and socks, which I rarely do because you have to get your feet really dry after the shower for those. If I have my Crocs on, I don't care about a little dampness. But they don't sound great for the weight room even though I'm not using free weights. Shorts and a tank top with appropriate undergear are folded up nicely, along with an extra hand towel for wiping down each machine as I get off it.
If I were to go that athleisure route, I'd forego street clothes altogether and just show up in my weight room outfit plus a hoodie. That'd certainly save some time and space in the bag, but I'm just not into the idea of coming out of the pool, showering, drying off, and then putting on something I worked out in earlier.
Of course this will all get switched up again should I ever become an instructor. They all make their initial appearance in Y gear and set up before getting into swim gear. Except for the ones who teach from the side of the pool who just live the athleisure life the entire time.
