Product Spotlight: CEP Calf Compression Sleeves

Over the past few years, compression gear has become popular among athletes, particularly runners who are training for long distances including marathons. One of the more effective pieces of compression gear is calf compression sleeves, and they have been gaining popularity for their performance and recovery enhancing effects. Many users also cite the benefit of calf compression over long compression socks during the summer months, as it gives your ankles and calves a bit more breathing room. Some of the benefits of wearing calf compression sleeves include:

• Reducing soreness during and after training
• Increasing blood flow, resulting in improved recovery time
• Improving running time
• Decreasing vibration and muscle strain making for an easier run
• Reducing injuries

The CEP Calf Compression Sleeves are one of the newest entrants to the market, and feature the latest compression technology. Other brands include SKINS, Zensah, and RecoFiT, but CEP (Compete, Endure, Perform) is regarded as the best fitting and best performing of these brands, probably due in large part to their medically influenced technology. All of CEP’s products are backed by research performed by reputable scientific journals, such as The Journal of Strength and Conditioning, and the calf sleeves are no different.

So how specifically do these calf compression sleeves differ from the competition? CEP calf sleeves are made of higher quality compression material and hold their tightness for a longer amount of time. It’s important to order your correct size, which will require a measurement of your calf circumference. After all, compression sleeves can’t work properly if they aren’t compressing your muscles.

One of the main benefits of CEP compression gear is that it tends to fit a bit more snug than other similar products, but it’s never constricting. This results in a feeling of stabilizing your muscles, actually making you feel stronger and allowing your muscles to endure tougher workouts. Another benefit is in comfort. CEP’s are made from one solid piece of material, so there are no irritating seams that will rub against your legs and distract you from training.

Finally, minimalist runners who use Vibrams will love these compression sleeves. Since wearing long compression socks is not an option with Vibrams, it gives the benefit of leg compression. But it also shortens the longer recovery time associated with using Vibram running shoes by reducing vibration and improving blood flow to the calves.

CEP Compression Calf Sleeves are available in our store at a great price and in your choice of six colors. Shop today for free shipping on your order of $75 or more.

Compression Sportswear: Improved Performance and Protection for All Athletes

In recent years, astute sports fans have noticed a trend in athletic wear while watching recreational, college, and even professional sporting events: the use of formfitting, spandex-like garments such as shorts, tights, sleeves, and socks worn with or underneath typical sportswear. Whether beneath a soccer player's shorts, under a female tennis player's skirt, as a basketball player's sleeve, or as a more supportive sock for runners, compression sportswear is a phenomenon that's here to stay.

There's a fundamental reason why compression sportswear isn't just a fad: it provides athletes clear benefits that improve their athletic performance.

Advantages of Compression Sportswear
The primary benefit to wearing compression sportswear is that it keeps the most utilized muscles of a given athlete warm, which prevents both strain and fatigue. Meanwhile, compression shorts, sleeves, socks, or any similar item wraps muscles in a way that decreases movement and promotes focused support. This results in an increased sense of proprioception. Athletes using compression clothing experience less muscle soreness, weakness, and stiffness.

Another enormous benefit is that such garments keep sweat from pooling and dripping directly on athletes' bodies. This prevents chafing and rashes, while allowing the body to regulate its temperature naturally. No matter how intense the workout, the athlete remains dry and functions at his or her optimal temperature.

There's also evidence that compression sportswear improves blood circulation. More oxygen in the blood results in increased strength during a workout and less soreness afterward. And, of course, this reduces the risk of deep vein thrombosis, and improves vein and artery health more generally.

While most athletes are vaguely aware of these advantages before first using compression clothing, they always feel the results in terms of increased performance and improved athletic health after regularly using it. However, the reason why many runners, cyclists, tennis, basketball, and baseball players initially purchase such items is because compression gear holds undergarments and other equipment nicely in place. Some male athletes use compression shorts in lieu of jockstraps, and many women use such shorts or tights under skirts to prevent exposure of their underwear. Lastly, some compression sportswear has extra padding built in that is ideal in sports where the athlete may frequently make contact with the ground, such as in baseball and tennis.

Overall, users of compression clothing in sports experience increased athletic performance that allows them to run faster and longer, jump higher, and have improved muscle memory, all while decreasing the risk of sports injuries.

Types of Compression Sportswear
While many types of compression clothing for sports now exist and the technology is rapidly advancing, there are several specific garments that are the most widely used by athletes at all levels.

Compression socks have become a favorite of professional and recreational runners alike. Outdoor runners find that the socks decrease the negative impact that muscle vibration causes. Also, runners' legs and feet feel more supported with compression socks.

Anybody who watches NBA basketball have noticed that many players now wear compression sleeves on their shooting arm. It keeps the arm warm and ready to shoot, improving their strength, accuracy, and muscle memory. These advantages are present in other sports that make prominent use of arms as well.

As for compression shorts, they without question are beneficial to cyclists, runners, baseball players, tennis players, and all kinds of other athletes. They cover and support a sensitive region of the body that needs strong blood flow and protection. The comfort that compression shorts provides is reason enough for most athletes to give them a try.

While many trends in athletics that promise to improve performance are unsupported by research, this is not the case with compression sportswear. Such garments now have a long track record of clear benefits and increased athletic performance for all types of athletes. Whether to keep muscles warm, improve blood flow, or provide increased support and protection, compression gear has numerous uses.

About MMAR Medical: MMAR medical is a supplier of medical sports therapy equipment including rehabilitative knee braces, cold therapy systems and CEP sports compression.