Fat Athletes! What do you need?
in
Close your eyes for a moment, and imagine a world where athletes of all sizes are taken seriously and provided for. What would that look like? What kinds of athletic gear would be available for us? What would you like to see? I'm asking because a small athletic clothing company asked me, but I think it's also important for us to start visualizing and talking about what kinds of changes we would like to see in the world. So let's have it! What frustrates you about being a fat athlete today? What athletic clothing, equipment, etc do you find inadequate or lacking? What would you create or change about the current world to make it a friendlier place for fat athletes?
Testify! | Fat, health and the environment. Again.
Posted by CarrieP on January 14, 2010
I am a fat athlete and here are a few things lacking in equipment. Swim suits that have bust shelves for only small chested women and women with short torsos. I am near 6 foot tall and have an L cup. I can not find a suitable supportive swim suit that doesn't look like a tent.
I also find that a lot of my work out gear doesn't have enough fabric in the crotch and they wear through very quickly. I would love it if I could find a pair of work out pants that had extra durable material in the thighs.
It would be nice to have work-out clothing that fits, in sizes past 3X. Sports bras for those with a rack of doom and the rib cage to go with it (that means not only G and H cup sizes, but band sizes past 46"). Work-out tops that have sleeves that don't cut off the circulation in your arms would be nice too.
It would also be nice to see exercise equipment that will hold more than 250 lbs. My recumbent exercise bike only holds up to 250 lbs, and I worry that every time I ride it, the seat is going to collapse on me, since I weigh a good bit more than that (I couldn't find one I could afford that was rated more than 250 lbs).
WLS - Sorry, not my preferred way of dying. *glares at doctor recommending it*
I was going to say better athletic bras as well. Better exercise shirts--it's not hard to find big t-shirts, but hard to find the moisture wicking fabric blends in the larger sizes. Plus, for me as a woman, oversized t-shirts are too big in the neck and arms, too small in the hip and abdomen area. Buying bigger doesn't really help me.
I also agree with biking style shorts reinforced in the inner thighs.
I have the opposite problem to rachel_odd with swimsuits - I'm 5'1" and only have a B-C cup - swimsuits with cups in them make me look like I'm 5 and have stuffed socks down mummy's swimsuit! And they also make it uncomfortable and swimming more awkward.
I too would love to see more fitted clothing in wicking fabrics at similar prices to those of no-plus sizes; and compression gear like Skins in plus sizes - I have one pair of compression shorts that noticeably improved my performance speed walking and on the elliptical as I tend to go for 60-90 minutes at a time and they really do help with support and relieving muscle fatigue. I've only found shorts though. Leggings, tank tops, and tees would also be brilliant. They are also great support for people with a belly.
OK, I know a small athletics equipment company probably can't do much about shoes, but running/crosstraining/etc shoes that are built more strongly to take the impact of a heavier athlete would be great.
I found the following link for compression leggings...they look pretty good but I hate that they're selling them as "shapers" as well...as if there's something wrong with my current shape
http://abigattitude.com/store/product.php?productid=44&cat=21&page=1
I'd like some longer length technical shirts, as mentioned above--the kind with wicking properties. Especially technical fleece for winter walking and jogging.
I'd like a Speedo swimsuit in a 26 or 28. Even with larger breasts, I don't like the padded suits, but that doesn't mean I want underwires, either!
Someday, after my injuries heal, I'd like a real triathlete suit.
I have nothing to add, but this seems like an opportunity to mention a resource I did a few (nine? wow) years ago: Weight limits of popular exercise equipment. If anyone would be interested and able to maintain this, I'll build a proper site to support it, and other fat-exercise related resources. Contact me at tom -at- tgeller.com.
Shoes!!!! Shoes with some real support, in wide widths, that actually last. There are a few brands out there that do wide widths, but the selection of types of shoes is pitiful in wide widths for athletic shoes, and when you do find them, they are just made wider, but they are not made any stronger. When you have a lot more weight pounding on the shoe, they just aren't going to hold up if they don't have reinforcement built in. And who can afford to pay over $100 for new shoes when they don't even hold up for 2 months?
I have nothing more to add to the many excellent suggestions already made, but I just had to second this one - SHOES!!! I had larger than average feet for a woman *before* I gained weight. That was mostly due to width, but I could at least still find shoes. After injuring my feet well over a decade ago, they are even wider than before. And I really should be wearing shoes all the time, even indoors. Finding women's shoes that are wide enough is almost impossible. I say almost, because I just don't have the money to buy $300 custom shoes. So I end up wearing men's shoes, which don't fit properly and end up splitting along the sides because my foot bends in an area the shoes are not designed to bend. Frustrating!
I'll third the one on suitable shoes. Meanwhile, I'd recommend Propet, which has widths up to XWW, and sizes up to 13. And Kunoichi, they are less than $100 and sold at shoebuy.com. As for how long they last - don't go by me, since I haven't been giving my shoes much of a workout lately.
I agree with Vesta on the athletic equipment - it should be able to withstand higher weights.
Thanks for the info. There's even 3 local places that carry the brand - I'll have to look into it!
The $300 I mentioned was actually for a pair of sandals, if you can believe it. Custom made with orthotics. Not something I can afford. But if I can find a regular shoe that fits properly, I'll take it!
With regard to reasonably priced shoes, Joe's New Balance Outlet, www.joesnewbalanceoutlet.com, lists up to 14 4E in women's and 20 6E in Men's (whether they have stuff in stock in those sizes, I don't know). When you search, use the keyword "stability." Those are the work-horse shoes, I've found. I am a bit frustrated that they are primarily designed for pronators, as I am a supinator, which means I'd like the heel reversed. Nevertheless, they're wide and built like iron.
Yep, if you're a supinator (like me!) you're going to need a neutral shoe. I've been wearing the Adidas Supernova Glide lately and that has a nice firm heel and lots of cushioning, so check it out! It's definitely a good idea to go to a shoe store for runners (if that's what you're planning to do) so they can evaluate your stride and get you the right shoe.
These are great suggestions, guys! Anything else as far as athleticwear goes?
I put the comment about shoes out there because, although I've found shoes I wear ALL the time, I don't really like to wear them to exercise. They make my legs tired too fast. And I hate to wear them to exercise because they are my everyday shoes, and I don't want to mix the two.
But, others might find this useful, especially you supinators! I too have had the toughest time because I supinate - a LOT! - and because of that, I break down my shoes really, really quickly. Plus, I can't find shoes out there that give me the support I need. Years ago, NB had ONE pair of shoes made for supinators, but now, I guess they figure supinators are in such the minority that we can just use neutral shoes. Problem is, neutral shoes do not work for me. And I had orthotics from my podiatrist, which helped some, but not completely. And I still break down the shoes within 2 months, sometimes less. Which is NOT reasonable for shoes that cost at least $100 (and that's usually the cheapest I can find any shoe that is wide enough, has enough cushioning, has enough support for the supination, etc.)
Oh, did I mention I also have heel spurs. So shoes that work for my feet are extremely important.
I finally found some. As I said, I personally don't like them for exercising - I don't like using them on the treadmill. But plenty of people do. But as my everyday shoe, I wouldn't use anything else. I don't use orthotics with them - they have built-in orthotics. And my heel spurs are practically non-existent as long as my shoes are in good shape.
The shoes are Z-Coils. And let me state - I am not affiliated with them in any way, nor do I get anything from them for telling about them. If you haven't heard of them, the heel is basically a huge spring. The shoe itself is made as an overall orthotic. They don't come in wide widths - the shoe is adjustable. They fit the shoe to you in the store. Which means, if there isn't a store near you, it makes it really difficult to get a pair! But they heat the shoe and shape it. I just bought two new pairs this past weekend, and they stretched both out to fit my foot.
The other thing they did is exchanged the coils (the springs that are the heels). Instead of the normal coils that come on them, they put heavy-duty coils on, which will last a lot longer and hold up better with my weight. Finally, they turn the coils so the strongest part is to the outside, since I supinate. They adjust the shoes completely according to your personal stride, foot shape, and needs.
The tough part? They run around $250 a pair. However, all in all, I find it is worth it. One pair can last me up to around two years (less if it is my only pair of shoes). In that time, I might have to replace the coils once or twice, at around $50 each time. So, for 2 years, say $700 for shoes for me (since to get that long, I need 2 pairs). Not too bad, considering that before I was spending at least $1200, and probably more, since sometimes the shoes were over $100 a pair, and they seldom lasted more than 2 months. And even when new, the shoes I could find always hurt my feet. These don't.
The shoe itself is far sturdier than most any other shoe I've seen out there. It's the only thing I've found that has been able to hold up for any length of time for me.
If you want to check them out: Z-Coils
Oh, and I've been wearing Z-Coils for around 5 or 6 years now, I think? Maybe more? So I'm speaking from experience here, not what the salespeople told me.
Wetsuits (for surfing in fairly cold water). I have yet to see one that might actually fit me - I'm short and fat, and they all seem to be sized by height, for one specific body type. Given how expensive they are, I've neither bought one nor even tried one on for fear of damaging it.
aw, you should at least go try one on. This lady seems to have found one that works
Protective gear; wrist guards that fit small hands and bigger wrists (most either fit my wrists, or my hands, not cool). I'm 5'2 and half of the knee/elbow pads give me the option of fitting someone much much taller, or much thinner, and none of what I own actually fits me. Elbow pads bind/roll up over my upper arms, my knee pads are too long, and inhibit mobility. It's frustrating.
Edited to say: Petite plus anything, it's hard to work out when you're tripping over your pants.
Oh! Here's a big one for me; I have small-ish feet (size 7 1/2) and I can never wear any kind of boot unless it's lace up, because my calves are too big. It makes it so I can't go skiing or wear snow boots without being in a great deal of discomfort.
GenXer
For women looking for workout gear in large sizes, Junonia is a great online and catalog option. They ARE expensive but their stuff is well made and I LOVE that the company actively pushes women to get out there, be active and enjoy life. I wear their stuff to the gym and buy my bathing suits from them as well. I am about 5'7" and have weighed up to 305#, and they fit me fine and even have bigger sizes than I need.
I'm really tired of all the cute snow skiing/snowboarding gear only being made in juniors' sizes. Yes, I'm a fat skier. And I shred. And the least Burton can do is make a XXL coat/pair of pants/thermal top for me so that I can stay warm on the mountain ... instead, I have to wear men's clothes, and I look doofy.