What to Wear to the Gym?

Hey, it's me again. The least model-esque writer on this blog. But I'm back, and I'm still on my quest to lose my belly. I'll never be as rail-thin as UMan, but I don't have to be twice his size, either. Just an update - as of this week, I have lost 34lbs from when I started tracking last summer, and I am about to hit my first-stage goal. Now, if only I could wave a magic wand and make that stubborn, beastly muffin top disappear overnight...

Anywho... So we opened a new wellness center/workout facility in my little corner of nowheresville, and I've started working out a few times a week. My running pace is crummy compared to where I left off last fall, but it feels good to stretch my legs, even if it's just on the treadmill. I haven't worked with weights in years, so that's nice, too.

What that brings me to is this: What does an average joe wear to work out in? And specifically, what kind of underpants does one wear for running? I've asked UMan this, and he's one of those sickeningly thin people who doesn't have to work out, so that was a bust. So I'm going to talk about three pairs I have recently worn to the gym, and how they worked for me.

First is a Calvin Klein jockstrap. I have had this one for years, and it is the only "street" jock I own. It is mostly cotton, but it is wicked comfy (although it may not have enough room for someone as gifted as UMan). As far as workout wear goes, it does the job, and it didn't get all sweaty. I think I could like working out in jockstraps like this, if I had more of them. What do you gentlemen wear for running undies? Do you, O Reader, have any recommendations for running jocks that don't cost a fortune?

Second is a pair of UnderArmour 6" BoxerJock. These are entirely synthetic fabric, and they have a ventilated pouch. I like these, especially for running outdoors on a cool day. I wish they actually made my basket look like the guys in their ads, but I suspect I haven't got enough "padding" for that. I think I'd rather wear a jock more often than this pair, though.

Third is a pair I just got recently - a Jockey Sport H-fly trunk. The fabric makes the same claims as most athletic underwear - form-fitting, sweat-wicking, and so on. They feel nice, and I really like the way the H-fly pouch holds my bits, and makes my bulge look. They're good, but nothing super-spectacular in terms of workout wear.

So... What are your recommendations for undies for running? For gym wear?

Weight-Loss Update

Hello. It's me again - the guy who writes about normal guy thoughts in and about underwear. Sorry I don't have a hot body or any other eye candy to offer, like the other interns.

But I am working on the body shape part of things. When I first wrote awhile back, I was down 19 lbs and just starting to notice the positive changes. Well, as of today I am 26 lbs down, and still feeling good. This losing weight business is tough stuff - way harder than putting it on in the first place. I've kinda hit a point where my losses have slowed down, because I've been busy lately, and I've been lazy about my diet and exercise. Next week it's back to the routine, hopefully.

Here are some progress pics for you. The navy blue pair is a Stafford ribbed trunk, available from JC Penney. I chose to post in this pair, because even two months ago, it was too tight and made me look and feel awful. Now I can wear them comfortably, although the muffin top is still there. I keep losing inches higher up, and the fat is settling down just above my hips (argh).

The other pair is a Calvin Klein X trunk. I put these on today because they are all stretchy and a bit flashy, and they just make me feel nice when I wear them. Hope you like 'em.

Neither of these pairs has a fly, but quite a few of the pairs I own do. That was one place where I noticed that I needed to lose weight. A number of my pairs have small rips or tears at the seam of the fly where the pouch was stretched too far because my thighs were too big before. (No, it's not because of how much is filling the pouch. I wish.) Now my flys work properly. Guess I'm just going to have to add those to the list of pairs to be replaced. Any suggestions on what to replace them with? I'm still waiting for UMan to hook me up with anything...

Functional Forms

Does form follow function? Or does function follow form? This is a question a lot of designers, engineers, and artists debate. Is it more important for something to be aesthetically pleasing, or for it to be supremely functional?

I think that we see a wide range of answers to this question in the underwear world. You have the posing straps, the barely-there items, or the new singlets with the seat cut out - all of which are about aesthetics and not function. (Alright, you might argue about the functionality of the ass-less singlet, but I'm not going there.) On the other hand, you have extremely utilitarian options, like your traditional tighty-whities, or - to take it one step further - the "union suit". Yes, I do own one, and yes, it is very warm and comfy when you have to work outside on frigid winter mornings in the Northland. And then there's the matter of full-cut boxer shorts, which are neither aesthetically pleasing nor functional, at least in my opinion.

Anyhow, right now I'm in my second pair of undies for the day. The first pair - grey cotton 2(x)ist trunks - was more toward the functional side, since I spent the morning driving and doing dirty work. Yes, I'm a country person, and yes, I do dirty jobs sometimes. When I'm doing such work, I choose undies that are comfortable and practical, and generally inexpensive, in case they get wrecked with animal byproduct. And when I'm driving long distances, regardless of whether I'm going to be doing hard work, I choose comfortable pairs. Because really, who wants to sit for hours and hours with a thong chafing in your crack while you drive?

The second pair, black CK hip briefs, is more aesthetically pleasing. It's not the most fancy pair I own, but it's one of my better everyday pairs. If I may say so, I clean up pretty good, and I like my undies to reflect that. Nice clothes should include nice undies.

If you were to look in my drawer, you would find a number of pairs in there for specific occasions/purposes. I have a pair of UnderArmour boxerjocks for race-day running. I have a gym-ready jockstrap from when I used to frequent the gym. I have a few pairs of cheaper undies for when I'm doing outside/dirty work. And I have a few pairs of "special occasion" undies (let the reader understand).

So... do you have specific pairs with specific duties? Are there times when you would wear one pair and definitely not others?

Seeing and Being Seen

Do you have issues with being seen in your underwear?

Of course there's the discussion that could be had about saggers. You know the type; I saw them in the mall yesterday. Their pants are riding so low you can almost see light between their pants and their drawers. There must be someone who thinks that's sexy - for the life of me I can't see why.

But I've noticed that a lot of guys have problems with being seen in their underwear. Even more so when getting into and out of their undies. I know of guys who don't like going to the doctor, because he might see their undies, or worse (personally, I'm fine with it). In changing rooms or when sharing hotel rooms, some guys go out of their way not to be seen in a state of undress. To me, that's a hassle. Just do your thing and keep moving. That said, I do choose my undies more carefully when I'm sharing a room with other guys. Don't want my friends to get the wrong idea by my choice of undies.

Then there's the paradox of the guys who fastidiously cover up when in street clothes, but when they put on swim trunks - even boardies - the shorts ride down almost til the bush is peeking out.

This past week, I ran a 5k, and it was 35F when we started. That got me thinking about the idea of running tights. Do I want to be seen in skin-tight pants? Does one wear undies under them? Should one wear shorts over them? I ended up running in a pair of long-johns with my running shorts over.

On the other hand, I bet some of you have a bit of exhibitionist/voyeur streak. Do you like to show off, or keep things hidden? How much do you let show? Who do you let see?

Weight Loss and My Undies

So... It’s been a long time since I’ve written for MUB, but here I am again. I am a married, straight guy who also happens to appreciate good men’s undergarments. Does that make me weird? I don’t know. Most people would probably say so, but who cares? They’re my undies, and no one but my wife gets a vote on them.

Anyhow, in the last few months I have started working toward losing weight and achieving a healthy body shape/state. My overall goal is to lose 50lbs, to get me to 185ish. So far, I’ve lost 19lbs, and I’m trucking right along. No fancy system or diet - just eating less, eating better things, and getting off my butt regularly to do stuff. Mostly running, which I’m still trying not to hate.

What does this have to do with underwear, you ask? Well, one of the big factors in wanting to lose weight is my own vanity. I want to look good in my clothes (and out of them). Being almost halfway to my goal, something I have noticed is that my undies fit better and look better. Nothing miraculous, like growing an inch, like some claim will happen. But there’s less fat, which means that I hang more nicely, which means that I fill out a pouch more nicely. Also, there’s less flab on my ass, which means that my undies look nicer and don’t ride up so badly. And my muffin-top (every undie-man’s horror) is shrinking bit by bit.

Yesterday, I wore a pair of trunks that I hadn’t worn in awhile because they were too tight. Well, guess what? They are still stretched a bit, but they now fit decently!

By the time I’m down to my goal weight, I’ll be down into a smaller size, so I’ll need new undies. UMan says that if you readers like my stuff, he might help me get some new drawers. ;) I haven’t picked out any “goal” pairs to strive for, yet. So for you readers - post in the comments your suggestions for specific pairs you think I should aim for.

Guest Review: Cue Underwear

The following is a guest review from Ryan. He also reviewed the Tactics thong and Magic silk thong for MUB a while back. Let us know what you think of his guest review. And yes, the photos are of Ryan.

It isn't often that I get free undies simply for asking, so I was pretty excited to get some recently from a relatively new company based in Malaysia called Cue Underwear. They make a "hip brief" style, and a "trunk" style, both in a 90/10 cotton/elastane blend fabric, and were gracious enough to send me a sample of each.

First, the brief. The first thing you notice when you take either style out of the box is the V-shaped waistband. The waistband is a generic bare elastic waistband, printed with www.cueUwear.com around and around. However, the interesting thing is that it comes together in a V pointing toward your assets. Maybe it would look better on someone more in shape, with that enviable V that leads your eye into the depths, but it didn't do anything for me. So I proceeded to put them on, and the fabric is thin, but very comfortable. The rear on this brief is maybe what one would call a 3/4 back -- definitely not full coverage, but not too exposing. The only really strange thing is how the pouch is designed. They allow quite a bit of room in the front, calling it the "Cockpit". However, that room is all at the bottom of the pouch. Not being overly well-endowed myself, I ended up with a "wattle" of fabric under my assets, which was not uncomfortable, but not flattering either. All-in-all, a decent design, but not the best execution. Grade - solid B+ Would I buy more? I might consider it.

Overall Grade: B+ based on the following
Design: B-
Fit: A-
Fabric: A+
Construction: A

Next, the trunk. Like the brief, the trunk has a bare waistband in the same V shape. However, the big difference is the pouch. Whereas the brief's pouch was over-generous, this trunk's pouch fit me like a glove. It was very comfortable, and rather flattering, if I may say so. The trunk looks very small coming out of the box, but the fabric is amazingly stretchy, and fits nicely. While not specifically designed for it, this cut also made my butt look good, too. Aside from the slightly goofy waistband, this is definitely an A-grade trunk. Would I buy more? - definitely.

Overall Grade: A, based on the following:
Design: A- (just 'cuz of the odd waistband)
Fit: A+
Fabric: A+
Construction: A

So there you have it. Stay tuned for my thoughts on Cue Underwear.

Guest Review: Magic Silk Thong

Here is yet another guest review from Ryan. You can view his previous review here. Please continue to give as much feedback on his review as possible. Thanks!

Greetings, fellow underwear lovers.

It's been a little over a month since my first post, and since you all seemed to enjoy it, here I am again.

This month's selection via the Mensuas Underwear of the Month Club is a Magic Silk black silk thong. At first glance, it is a basic, plain black thong. However, the best feature, in my mind, of this thong is the fabric. This is the first Magic Silk product I have owned, and if they are all like this thong, I would definitely check out the rest of the line. I don't know if it is made from 100% silk, but the fabric is very smooth, soft, and shiny. It doesn't stretch hardly at all, but it holds me like a glove.

This thong has no waistband, just fabric seamed over a thin elastic. The result is a very tight-fitting, but not cutting, waist. The same goes for the legs. The back, while not g-string thin, is narrow enough so that I don't notice it most of the time. There is a seam under the pouch, presumably to form a better pouch, but it doesn't do much for me. This seems to be a well-made item, but I wouldn't challenge its durability too much.

Overall, I think this is a great thong for wearing out to a club, on a date, etc., but not as an all-day foundation garment. It will definitely win you points in the bedroom (my wife really likes it), but its perceived lack of durability keeps me from recommending it as an all-wear item. If you are looking for extra support/enhancement, this is not your thong. However, if you like the feel of silk and want a nice wrapping for your package, this thong is for you.

MY RATING: Overall, I give the Magic Silk Thong a total score of 8.5 because it isn't all that special, but it is a nice thong, and not bad for $12.50 based on the following criteria:
COMFORT -- 9(out of 10)
CONSTRUCTION -- 10 (out of 10)
DURABILITY -- 7 (out of 10)
SEX APPEAL-- 10 (out of 10)
VALUE --9 (out of 10)

Lately, I've been on this kick to find the best everyday-wear brief. So let's hear it, guys - what is your all-time favorite brief for regular wear?

Until next time, with UMan, Chandler, and all you underwear lovers - Rock Out with your Cock Out!

Guest Review: Tactics Sport Thong

Hey guys, the following post is a guest review from Ryan. Be sure to let me know (in the form of comments or email) what you think of his review. If you like it, he'll write more!
Hello, guys. I'm Ryan, and this is the first in (hopefully) a series of posts with product reviews, discussion questions, and the like.

Just to start, let me tell you a bit about myself. I am 22, newlywed, and a grad student at a small Midwestern school. I just recently started to get into fashion underwear, so my collection is small, but little by little growing.

A mainstay of what I'll be reviewing is my monthly shipment from the Mensuas Underwear of the Month Club. This is a great idea for an underwear retailer, and I look forward to getting some fun stuff. For those of you who don't know about it, the Mensuas Club is a deal where you subscribe through PayPal, tell Mensuas your size, and each month they send you a pair of underwear, of their choosing. One side perk of this arrangement is that Mensuas is a PayPal rewards vendor, so you will get back 5% on your purchases. The following is my review of my first shipment, so if you like what you read, let the owners of this blog know, and you'll get more from me.

Product of the month: Tactics Sport Thong

I'm sorry to say that I have no idea where to get this thong. Mensuas doesn't list it on their site, and UnderGear doesn't either; the only place I could find it online is eBay. This is sad, because overall, this thong is very comfortable.

I have a half-dozen or so different thongs, and so far, the Tactics Sport is the most comfortable for all-day wear. Mensuas sent me a black one and a white one, and they are both well-pleasing. A fairly standard soft-elastic waistband holds its shape throughout the day, and doesn't cut into my hips. The pouch is very soft cotton jersey-like material - single-layer, so the white is just slightly sheer (just enough to be fun). It is definitely the largest pouch of any of the thongs I have, but not oversized. Rather, it holds my package securely without squashing anything or having gaps on the sides. My favorite feature of all on this thong is the back. A normal Y-back connects to a strap that is about 1/2" wide, made of the same material as the pouch. I wore mine all day, two days in a row, and I never felt the butt-strap at all.

The only thing that could use improvement, in my opinion, is the waistband. It is fairly standard elastic - not terrible, but not overly comfortable. I wish Tactics would have softened the inside of the band.

This is definitely not the most sexy thong out there - full frontal coverage, and not very revealing - but it is great as all-day underwear. I even wore it under a suit, and it felt awesome. I played soccer in it, and it was completely comfortable the whole game. If I knew where to get it, I would definitely buy more of these.

MY RATING: Overall, I give the Tactics Sport Thong a total score of 9.25 (only because it isn't particularly sexy, and because of the waistband) based on the following criteria:

COMFORT -- 9.5 (out of 10)
Appeal -- 8 (out of 10)
WEARABILITY -- 11 (out of 10)
DURABILITY -- 10 (out of 10)