Winter Workout Attire

I've been getting a lot of questions about what to wear when exercising in cold weather. I called Bryan Mahon, co-owner of Philadelphia Runner (a running gear retail store at 16th and Sansom), and asked for his advice on suiting up in the cold. Without hesitation, he spit off plenty of advice.

The most important thing, Mahon says, is to stay dry. To that end, cotton clothing is the ultimate enemy. He warns that wearing a cotton shirt to exercise is "like having a wet towel on your back."

The solution lies in synthetic attire, which pulls moisture off the skin and releases it into the air. Plenty of companies make synthetic garments and market them under fancy names like Nike's "Dry Fit" or Adidas' "Clima Fit." Don't be too concerned with the brand - just be sure that the clothing is not made from cotton.

Here's a quick crash course on what to wear for each part of the body:

Upper body: Clothing for the upper body is most important as this is where we sweat the most. If you could afford only one piece of clothing, make it a long-sleeved synthetic shirt that hugs your body. This will draw sweat from your skin and allow it to evaporate, keeping you dry. To stay warm, you can layer on top of this shirt - with other synthetic shirts, a jacket, even a cotton long-sleeved shirt. Just be sure that the layer closest to your body is not made from cotton!

Lower body: Pants follow the same cotton-free rules. (Cotton sweat pants are terrible as they will trap moisture.) Spandex, synthetic tights, track pants, etc. are all good options.

Extremeties - Feet/Head/Hands: Less expensive investments, synthetic socks, hats and gloves will allow sweat to escape your feet, head, and fingers, respectively.

To make it easy, put a Philadelphia Runner gift certificate on your holiday gift list. Nothing in the store is made from cotton!

www.philadelphiarunner.com