Warm-Ups for Teams-The Long & Short of Them

As you can probably tell from my photo to the right, I ain't exactly "long & lean" in build. What was —back in the 70's or thereabouts— a broad shouldered athletic build has slid in a southerly direction to a more, er..."rectangular" form. By no means of the William "The Refrigerator" Perry proportion, but "solid state" chassis about sums it up.
In the nine years TSP has been around, we've always sold warm-ups.
I bring this up because, this is the time of year when a lot of coaches, ADs, etc. are needing to consider purchasing warm-ups for their teams (in a wide range of different sports). This is true even down south and in other warmer climates, where a springtime shower can throw a serious wrench in an athlete's performance. And can cause a dysfunction of the discus from the meniscus. And it never ceases to amaze me how all over the map sizing can be from brand to brand. One brand's Adult Small can sometimes pass for another's Large.
It can be baffling.

This is no more true than when one considers warm-up pants. Where a divining rod is sometimes a useful tool for calculating size. In particular, inseam length. Namely, the long and short of it.

I have a 36" waist. (There, I said it! You happy?) And at 6'tall (though rapidly descending toward the core of the planet) You'd think Extra Large-ish. But I gotta tell you, I have often tried on a perfectly fitting warm-up top or jacket, only to SWIM in the pants. And flounder over myself (illegal in several states) with inseam lengths almost a half a foot too long.

I'm no fashionista. I wear clothes primarily with comfort in mind. With warm-ups, comfort should be a central governing force in design, fabric, and so forth. There should also be a certain perfomance element. (We're not talking Seinfeld's George Costanza warm-up pants here.)


But SIZING or more specifically the calculation of inseam length seems to fall into the category of Newtonian physics for most warm-up brands. This is true or at least has been my experience, for "top of the line" brands as well as relatively inexpensive ones.

Part of the problem is rooted in the simple fact that there are few instances in team sportswear manufacturing where you have to "hit a mark" so cleanly and distinctly. Shorts can be long or short. And it doesn't matter much (expect to your average 12 year old boy)

Until the recent & regrettable "Manny Panty" phenom in baseball pant length (see M. Ramirez) almost all inseams could fall within a length with some "wiggle room". But not with warm-up pants. As a manufacturer, you got say, "Adult Large? Let's make them...(Insert sound of dart hitting dart board)...36" long!" It's like science....almost.

So...Since neither my wife or mother sews (talk about a dysfunctional family), I usually just break out the scissors and my handy, dollar store sewing kit. (I tell you, the things I gotta do to keep my short stump-like legs from public view.)

And that's the long & short of it.

Sports Uniform Guy
TeamSportsPlanet.com