Ever looked in the wrong direction during a yoga class and been confronted with more than you bargained for by a neighbouring downward dog?

Lululemon have completely reinvented their pants range to ensure visible underwear (and everything else) is a thing of the past with their engineered sensations range. Whether you want to feel held-in, hugged, naked (read: feel naked, not look naked) or relaxed, there’s a legging to suit your mood. We caught up with Jodie Gear, general manager of merchandise for lululemon in Australia and New Zealand, to find out more. 

FQ: How will the new technology in the engineered sensation range improve our workouts?
Jodie: Our design team, in partnership with our Whitespace™ R&D team has combined sport psychology, scientific research, and design to create a carefully considered spectrum of sensations that allows our guest to find the right pants for her. There’s no one sensory experience to suit all of your training needs so we’ve developed a spectrum based on engineered sensation.  Now our guests can choose how they want to feel to get the full benefit of their workout. 

Does it really mean the end of see-through leggings during our downward dogs?
Our fabrics provide great coverage, allowing you to feel confident and secure in your downward dog. The double-knit fabric provides amazing coverage and yet is engineered to be a light weight, second-skin layer.

We’re seeing a real trend towards compression technology at the moment. What are the benefits of compression leggings vs old-fashioned lycra and which types of exercise are they best for?
While compression is a popular technology, people often use the same kind of compression for everything. We believe in using different types of compression at different times, i. e. training, racing and recovering. We developed all of our bottoms within the spectrum of training compression. Training compression is just enough compression to get the benefits from each workout and sits just below medical grade compression. It helps stabilise your muscles yet you can get the full benefit of your training. Our range of tights can be used for all types of training including yoga, running, functional fitness and other sweaty pursuits. 

What’s your personal philosophy when it comes to diet and exercise?
My happy place is to be by the water, so most days you’ll find me running on the beach or on a stand-up paddleboard. I also love yoga and the space it creates for me to be present with myself. I love to eat and I love to cook. I think having a well-balanced diet comes down to moderation. While I don’t overthink what I am eating, I try to be good during the week, so I can let my hair down on the weekend.