The 6 Workout Shirts I Wear for All Types of Training

LIVE A LITTLE is a style and lifestyle journal for the adventurous man—written from the pen of a full-time menswear copywriter.

• For the price of one coffee a month ($5/month, $50/year), paid subscribers to LIVE A LITTLE gain exclusive access to additional men’s lifestyle content.

• Paid subscribers gain access to these posts (and many more): the 35 Cool Gadgets That Should Be on Your Radar, the 16 Independent Watch Brands to Know in 2026, and the 57 Gifts for the Man Leveling Up His Life.

• Today’s post is paid. To gain access to my full library of content, I encourage you to try a free 7-day trial.

TRY A FREE 7-DAY TRIAL

I’VE LIVED IN a lot of places in my short 28 years of life. Yet no place has tested my workout shirts more than Austin, Texas, especially during the peak of summer. This week, the forecast is projecting a run of five 100-degree days in a row, with Saturday projected to hit 106, which would be the highest temp here in years.

That kind of heat can take a toll on a workout shirt, and more importantly, my own body. I’ve taken count of the shirts I’ve been turning to lately for all types of training, from merino wool tanks for running to thin long sleeve shirts for weight training in the A/C. (Texas doesn’t play when it comes to their air conditioning.)

All being said, I figure now is the best time to share with you the Live a Little guide to workout shirts. Here’s what to look for, followed by what’s in my current rotation and more excellent picks.

Back in the day, a workout shirt used to be just any old tee. Some guys would cut them up into muscle tanks, while others might throw on just any well-worn cotton tee. Growing up, my Dad wore vintage concert tees when he’d lift weights in our home gym. For years, he wore this one Van Halen tour shirt from the 1980s. It was thin and had three-quarter sleeves. The irony is someone would probably pay upwards of $300 in that shirt’s current condition. Anyways…you get the point.

These days, the best workout shirts are ones that have modernized on fit and material. They’re style-forward and performance-driven. The idea is that if you look good and feel good, you’re likely to perform good. It’s simple Live a Little math. Their fit should be moderately snug enough to show off your physique. Gentle hugging in the shoulders, chest, and stomach. That way, when you get a pump or break a sweat, you’ll start to feel like you’re filling out the shirt. Like you made some gains.

Read more: 50 Pieces of Fitness Gear to Level Up Your Workouts in 2026

It’s true there’s an aversion these days to synthetic fabrics. I wouldn’t be too dissuaded from them, because the right blends can really hold up over time and help with moisture-wicking, cooling, and even sun protection. However, if you want to prioritize natural fabrics, look to merino wool.

Merino wool is naturally odor-resistant, moisture-wicking, and cooling. The right merino wool workout tee will have some sort of blend to help reduce any itching and make sure the shirt retains its shape through hard workouts and heavy sweat. Even before I was at Huckberry, I was wearing Proof merino wool tees and long sleeve shirts. I also had a few merino pieces from Smartwool and Patagonia I enjoyed.

The Live a Little fitness philosophy revolves around staying lean, strong, and limber. I follow the Health is Wealth mantra. I want my body to always be up for any new adventure or physical activity.

To keep in shape, my training is a mix of rucking and running, traditional weightlifting, high-intensity interval training, and yoga. There’s also sports, like pickup basketball, golf, and sometimes pickleball or tennis.

I keep an array of workout shirts to keep up with the different types of training. Some are better for specific activities over others, but they all have a place and functional purpose. Here they are below.

Recently, I interviewed Alex Mette of Unknown Runner, a rising performance merino apparel brand out of Flagstaff, Arizona.

Unknown Runner is built on the natural properties of merino wool, crafting tanks and t-shirts from the natural fiber into durable blends for high cardio activities like trail running. The Courser Tee and Courser Tank have both been incredible for me during my afternoon runs here in Austin. It’s hard to pick a favorite, but right now it seems to be the tank. I love the form-fit. The merino blend feels insanely thin and soft. Priced at $70.

The Type 2 Training Tee is equal parts durable, moveable, and cooling. I’ve been wearing it pretty much nonstop since it released earlier this year, overtaking the Wellen Sol T-Shirt I wore for quiet some time.

I wear the Type 2 for rucking and weightlifting the most, but it’s versatile enough to wear for basically all training. The shirt’s ability to stay flow-y and breathable is my favorite feature. It never feels stuffy. Priced at $58.