[psychomansam]

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21328485.000-compression-garments-reduce-muscle-fatigue.html?DCMP=OTC-rss&nsref=online-news

Nothing exciting, just a bit more research to support the claims.

Anecdotally, my knee-high vaguely-compression socks really seem to have helped my calves deal with running. This results in my upper legs feeling worse than lower legs. Perhaps I should get some compression shorts.

But what about upper body for climbing? Is it as effective/practical?

Star Trek knew it all that time ago... spandex is the future!

[tomtom]

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21328485.000-compression-garments-reduce-muscle-fatigue.html?DCMP=OTC-rss&nsref=online-news

Nothing exciting, just a bit more research to support the claims.

Anecdotally, my knee-high vaguely-compression socks really seem to have helped my calves deal with running. This results in my upper legs feeling worse than lower legs. Perhaps I should get some compression shorts.

But what about upper body for climbing? Is it as effective/practical?

Star Trek knew it all that time ago... spandex is the future!

I was politely asked to leave the Depot when I turned up in my Uhuru outfit...

[Nibile]

hmmm... this is very interesting.
I've always been a fan of thermal/compression tops, but to work on my project I replaced them with normal loose fitting tops, because I found that on 15 moves they made my forearms pumped faster.
I think this was because they compress my superficial veins, making blood flow more difficult.
could this be true or is it just a mind game?
 
I haven't tried the problem with a compression top as of late, could be interesting to give it a go next time.

[psychomansam]

Well they aim to reduce fatigue, which is what this study was about, and also to improve recovery (other studies on that, though perhaps not enough).

I would GUESS that for bouldering in short sessions at least, you won't gain the advantage with muscle fatigue which you would from cardio exercise (repeating the motion hundreds/thousands of times). May still help to wear afterwards for recovery.

[Paul B]

hmmm... this is very interesting.

No, its not that Nibs. What you need is a Bodyblade to get your fast twitch muscles firing 

[Nibile]

I found out, after much researching, that the use of Bodyblade is prohibited in climbing by the IFSC. it's so effective that it's considered as cheaty as doping.
luckily I don't do comps.
Michele will be sorry though, when in two weeks I'll lap his recent 8b+ with my full weightvest, but hey, I gotta do what I gotta do.
 

[gollum]

Find them pretty good for helping to reduce strain on joints when training, and for keeping body warm.

[webbo]

I'd rather be shit or injured than go running/cycling in those "how to make your self look a complete knob by wearing long socks" 

[Oldmanmatt]

You just need some of those 70's shorts and a headband, then it's cool man!

[Plattsy]

If your wearing the long socks under your compression leggings then no one will know....   

[tomtom]

I'd rather be shit or injured than go running/cycling in those "how to make your self look a complete knob by wearing long socks"

I recon a head band and long stripey (hooped) socks would be a look Tommy2tone could work..

[BB]

If your wearing the long socks under your compression leggings then no one will know....   

With that much compression, your feet might fall off.

[psychomansam]

I'd rather be shit or injured than go running/cycling in those "how to make your self look a complete knob by wearing long socks"

You obviously haven't realised that if you're out running/cycling, you look like a knob no matter what you wear...

You can try to make exercise less pain/more efficient or you can try not to look like a dick. You'll only succeed at the first one though...

[Palomides]

Wait, these things really work????

[slackline]

Based on the abstract (can't access the whole article) I wouldn't say that this "compression kit probably works"...

Lovell, DI, Mason, DG, Delphinus, EM, and McLellan, CP. Do compression garments enhance the active recovery process after high-intensity running? J Strength Cond Res 25(12): 3264-3268 (2011)

This study examined the effect of wearing waist-to-ankle compression garments (CGs) on active recovery after moderate- and high-intensity submaximal treadmill running. Twenty-five male semiprofessional rugby league players performed two 30-minute treadmill runs comprising of six 5-minute stages at 6 km[middle dot]h-1, 10 km[middle dot]h-1, approximately 85% [latin capital V with dot above]O2max, 6 km[middle dot]h-1 as a recovery stage followed by approximately 85% [latin capital V with dot above]O2max and 6 km[middle dot]h-1 wearing either CGs or regular running shorts in a randomized counterbalanced order with each person acting as his own control. All stages were followed by 30 seconds of rest during which a blood sample was collected to determine blood pH and blood lactate concentration [La-]. Expired gases and heart rate (HR) were measured during the submaximal treadmill tests to determine metabolic variables with the average of the last 2 minutes used for data analysis. The HR and [La-] were lower (p <= 0.05) after the first and second 6 km[middle dot]h-1 recovery bouts when wearing CGs compared with when wearing running shorts. The respiratory exchange ratio (RER) was higher and [La-] lower (p <= 0.05) after the 10 km[middle dot]h-1 stage, and only RER was higher after both 85% [latin capital V with dot above]O2max stages when wearing CGs compared with when wearing running shorts. There was no difference in blood pH at any exercise stage when wearing the CGs and running shorts. The results of this study indicate that the wearing of CGs may augment the active recovery process in reducing [La-] and HR after high-intensity exercise but not effect blood pH. The ability to reduce [La-] and HR has important consequences for many sports that are intermittent in nature and consist of repeated bouts of high-intensity exercise interspersed with periods of low-intensity exercise or recovery.

For starters they only state whether the p-value from an unspecified test (although most likely a t-test for testing difference in means) is above or below a prechosen threshold for significance (in this instance the threshold is p < 0.05 is 'significant').  Whilst they may have achieved statistical significance what is of far greater importance is the effect size and whether this is 'clinically' meaningful of which there is zero indication from the abstract which is a shame because that is the crux of whether they will be worth using.

It may well be true that the blood pH and lactate levels were lower in the group who wore compression leggings and it may well be statistically significant, but if it only means that there is a mean difference of 0.5% reduction afforded by wearing them then it doesn't mean jack shit that it was statistically significant, as such a small difference isn't really going to make any difference to performance.

The thread title should be "Some research has been done on possible benefits of compression clothing".

I'd suggest that a structured training program is of infinitely greater benefit in achieving any fitness goals, whether they're in climbing, cycling, running or anything else and you'd be better off spending money on that than gimmicks with unproven benefits.

[lagerstarfish]

0.5% ..... isn't really going to make any difference to performance.

when that tiny bit is the difference between a successful redpoint attempt and another wasted day pass, I'd say it was significant

[Plattsy]

I'd wear 4 pairs of leggings and be smug knowing I was performing 2% better. 

[slackline]

Of course it depends on context, and in some scenarios small differences are important.

My point in writing the above is that the research doesn't provide any quantification of how much a difference is made which is fundamental to saying whether something 'works'.  All they have said is that it makes a statistically significant difference in Lactate levels and blood pH.  So to say that "compression kit probably works" is misinterpreting the research.

Its a very small sample size so I'd hazard a guess that for any difference to be statistically significant it will be relatively large, but as is so often the case in science and medicine initial claims, particularly of effect sizes associated with biomarkers of which pH and lactate are, are rarely replicated with the same effect size initially reported (Ioannidis & Panagiotou 2012) or even replicated successfully at all (Ioannidis 2005).  So I predict should further research be carried out on larger samples the effect size that they did observe will be diminished when a more representative sample is assessed.

Ioannidis JPA,  Panagiotou OA (2012) Comparison of Effect Sizes Associated With Biomarkers Reported in Highly Cited Individual Articles and in Subsequent Meta-analyses. JAMA 305(21):2200-2210
Ioannidis JPA (2005) Why Most Published Research Findings Are False. PLoS Medicine 2(8 ): e124 (Open Source article)

[slackline]

I'd wear 4 pairs of leggings and be smug knowing I was performing 2% better. 

 

[tomtom]

I'm wearing my compression top at work today, and I'm definately typing 0.5% faster, and whats more significant is that i'm spending c.15% more time browsing UKB.

FACT.

[Snoops]

0.5% ..... isn't really going to make any difference to performance.

when that tiny bit is the difference between a successful redpoint attempt and another wasted day pass, I'd say it was significant

I think Slackline made that 0.5% up. there is nothing in the abstract stating a 0.5% difference, merely a reference to a significant difference (p<0.05). The difference isn't quoted.

[webbo]

I'd rather be shit or injured than go running/cycling in those "how to make your self look a complete knob by wearing long socks"

You obviously haven't realised that if you're out running/cycling, you look like a knob no matter what you wear...

You can try to make exercise less pain/more efficient or you can try not to look like a dick. You'll only succeed at the first one though...

I beg to differ I think you would find I look the picture of mature athletism when out on my bike.

[psychomansam]

positive (cites various studies):
http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/the-benefits-of-compression-clothing-35846
less positive (cites 17 studies):
http://www.joefrielsblog.com/2011/02/an-update-on-compression-clothing.html
A bit of boring science:
http://www.jssm.org/vol5/n1/12/v5n1-12pdf.pdf

I guess one thing to say is that there doesn't appear to be any good reason to think wearing compression kit will do you harm.

[tomtom]

I'd rather be shit or injured than go running/cycling in those "how to make your self look a complete knob by wearing long socks"

You obviously haven't realised that if you're out running/cycling, you look like a knob no matter what you wear...

You can try to make exercise less pain/more efficient or you can try not to look like a dick. You'll only succeed at the first one though...

I beg to differ I think you would find I look the picture of mature athletism when out on my bike.

[slackline]

positive (cites various studies):
http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/the-benefits-of-compression-clothing-35846
less positive (cites 17 studies):
http://www.joefrielsblog.com/2011/02/an-update-on-compression-clothing.html
A bit of boring science:
http://www.jssm.org/vol5/n1/12/v5n1-12pdf.pdf

Ta, might peruse the originals at some point if I've time (infurating that they don't provide a simple DOI link or even link to the journal itself which makes it time consuming to go and find the papers, but less so than having to walk to the library like in yester-year).

The second link still summarises whether each paper had a significant difference and fails to say how much that difference was in each paper (only using higher/lower).

I guess one thing to say is that there doesn't appear to be any good reason to think wearing compression kit will do you harm.

Except to your bank balance