Compression Gear

Runner by day...

Ladies know the sexy and supportive feeling of tights, leggings, hoes, and spanx. Even the men out there (at least those willing to admit it) know the feeling of strength and power associated with some under armor or football pants. There's a reason superheroes wear tights!

In my own effort to gain superhuman strength and speed, I purchased a couple compression garments for this marathon training season - the CW-X Stabilyx Tights and Smartwool Graduated Compression Socks.

Look how cool this guy looks! Don't you want to look cool too?

Far less sexy form of compression garment.

Background
I wore under armor back in high school much more for the sweat management than anything else (perhaps besides looking good). Now compression gear is making a real move into the mainstream with promises for better performance and recovery. I've known about CW-X and their muscle and joint supporting claims since my first foray into distance running back in 2008, but I was too poor and too self-conscious to buy any. Fast forward 6 years and I started really considering them. Why?

As much of my current running and body maintenance does, it comes back to Kelly Starrett of MobilityWod.com. In his book Ready to Run he illustrates the uses of compression gear in promoting blood flow, lymph flow, and therefore recovery. With his encouragement and reading some of the peer-reviewed research, I became convinced that compression could benefit me, so I bought some socks and tights.

It should be noted that the science and benefit of compression gear is not yet entirely settled. It seems evidence is strong for compression socks promoting recovery and blood flow, hence their use in bed-bound hospital patients to prevent blood clots and in those suffering from edema (e.g. the elderly). However, the results are mixed whether compression socks improve performance. I've not looked at research regarding compression tights, but if the lower leg compression is graduated, it should have a similar effect. I cannot say how scientifically sound CWX's muscle and joint supporting exoskelton (if you will) is. I can speak to my personal results though.

CW-X Review
There are a few standout features of the tights.
(1) Support: Compared to basic running tights (e.g. one layer of consistent stretchiness, CWX offers much more support. The comparison is like a regular car seat vs a racing bucket seat or soft handshake vs a firm handshake or (for the guys) boxer-briefs vs straight briefs. My basic Asics tights fit like tight pants but don't particularly support me. They feel sleek for sure but not like a shrink wrapped support web of my legs. That's what CW-X feels like, particularly around the knee joint. That support feels good - powerful, strong, tight.
(2) Material: My basic tights are one consistent layer of shiny slick stretchy material (lycra?). The CW-X tights have multiple layers of a softer, tougher feeling material. The support network is over the top and seems to provide extra tightness, reinforcement, and support. The result is a tighter, more substantial feel to the pant. That extra thickness and matte finish leave me less self-conscious about going outside in my skivvies.
(3) Warmth: Simple - being somewhat thicker, I comfortably wore these tights alone down to about 20 degrees F. The wind can cut through them, making wish I had some windbriefs. Being winter, I have not run in them in temps warmer than ~45F.

Smartwool Compression Socks
I have zero complaints about these socks. I wear them a few hours nearly every day post run and sometimes all day before or after a hard workout. I have washed them maybe twice now. They have held up well, don't smell, fit tightly, and are comfortable. I prefer wool and found these on major internet sale, which is what persuaded me to go with them rather than a big name compression brand.

I decided to buy socks rather than sleeves because I thought I would use them more regularly. The jury is still out on whether compressions benefits during performance, so I did not think I would run in them. Since I was not going to run in them, I was not worried about getting them dirty quickly or them working with my regular running socks or wearing out from running wear. This allowed me to buy only one pair to wear as much as possible and afford the ability to wear the socks with normal clothes just fine (mostly as dress socks and not having to put a sleeve over or on top of other socks). I saw no advantage of a sleeve.

Results
They look good and feel good BUT DO THEY WORK? That's a very difficult question to answer. I have not organized a self-trial comparing them in the same workout to another pair of tights. Even trying to do that would have too many other factors to be apples-to-apples. However, I do credit them with decreasing my soreness this season.

It has been rare that I have been sore the day after a run this season despite doing track work and tempo intervals for the first time and ramping up mileage relatively quickly. How is that? I'm not in better shape. I think it's because I am using these pieces of equipment (along with committing to mobility work). I wear my CW-X tights for nearly all my hard workouts: track, tempo, and some long runs (total of 2-3x/wk). I wear the socks after almost every run. Very often I'll come home sore and worn down, but after wearing the gear for a few hours and getting a night's sleep, I rarely ever have morning time soreness after a workout.

I cannot say that the gear has definitely improved my recovery or made me better able to handle my increased training. I believed it would; that's why I bought it. And I do believe it has, which is why I recommend both.

Come March 14th at DC, I hope it's a bit chilly so I can wear my Stabilyx Tights, and I will definitely being wearing my Smartwool Compression Socks on the plane before and after!