Review
The best high waisted gym leggings
15 May 2020
1 / 10
The best high waisted gym leggings
If you're anything like us, you'll probably stay in your leggings long after your workout is done (provided it wasn't too sweaty a session) - they're just so comfy!
With so much time spent in our gymwear, we want leggings that look as good as they feel - these are the high-waisted workout leggings that are squat-proof (no awkward reveals here) and well worth adding to your workout wardrobe.
2 / 10
Gymshark Camo Seamless High Waisted Leggings, £50
Great for: HIIT workouts
Gymshark feels like the cool kid of the exercise world - the woman in the corner doing the heaviest deadlifts always seems to be rocking a pair of leggings from this brand. They're thick (meaning noone gets a glimpse of your gym knickers) seamfree for ultimate comfort and come in all the coolest designs. They're best known for their ombre colour ways and sculpting panels, but it's this camo pair we've got out eye on.
3 / 10
ASOS 4505 high waisted legging with panelled jacquard, £26
Great for: Barre
The breathable mesh panels on the sides and stretchy waistband make these leggings feel like a second skin, allowing for greater range of movement for times when you need to bend that little bit further. Providing light support around your middle for a less restrictive feel, they're an ideal choice if you need your kit to be just as supple as you are (or hoping to be!).
4 / 10
LNDR Freefall Compression Seamless Stretch Leggings, £88
Great for: Outdoor training
Made of four-way compression stretch-jersey fabric (just as impressive as it sounds), this slightly thicker tummy-hugging pair offers both style and substance. Not only are they seamless to give a more streamlined shape, but compression leggings are said to also help boost performance (by increasing blood circulation) and also reduce muscle fatigue when you're recovering. So if you’re looking for an option to suit both exercise and rest days, these could fit the bill very nicely indeed.
5 / 10
Sweaty Betty Power Workout Leggings Leggings, £75
Great for: An all-rounder
If you like to dabble in all different workouts, these are the leggings for you. They're super stretchy for yoga-pretzel types, sweat-wicking if you want to take them to a bootcamp workout and have both front and side pockets for keeping things in if you're off for a fun. Seriously comfortable and available in crop and 7/8 lengths, they’re as flattering on tums as they are on bums, thanks to their booty-boosting seaming designed to provide a cheeky lift.
6 / 10
Varley Animal Print Stretch Leggings, £85
Great for: Pilates
These high rise leggings’ extreme stretchiness makes them an ideal fit for full body workouts involving both small and large range-of-motion movements. Silky, high quality and able to withstand an impressive number of washes without going saggy (up to a year we’ve found), you can go straight from barre to brunch in them.
7 / 10
Lululemon Wunder Train High-Rise Leggings, £88
Best for: Spinning
If you like to work up a big sweat in your workouts, we can't recommend the latest leggings from Lululemon enough. The popular Wunder Train range is now available in a special breathable ultra sweat-wicking yarn called Everlux, that pulls sweat away from the body and helps it to evaporate - meaning no unsightly sweat marks no matter if you're drenched post-spin or dripping after Hot Pod Yoga. The fab new fabric can be found in the Wunder Train HR Tight, Train Crop and Luxe Short styles and also in the Invigorate HR, Tight, Crop and Short.
Buy online
8 / 10
Tikiboo Leggings, £36.99
Best for: Running
If you like your leggings jazzy (and we mean VERY jazzy - think Care Bear and Sesame Street prints) you'll love Tikiboo's wacky designs. Besides the out there materials, Tikibook are loved by runners - whether you're pounding the Park Run paths or on the treadmill, these thick waist band leggings can be relied upon to stay put with no chance of slipping down.
9 / 10
USA Pro Seamless Leggings, £30
Best for: Squatting
USA Pro revamped their whole range in 2020, drafting in an entirely female design team to make sure the leggings fitted what we expect from workout wear - completely opaque, very stretchy and comfortable high-waisted, among others. We've tried these and can vouch for how easy they are to wear and how deep you can squat without your knickers peeping through. We would recommend sizing up though, as they are quite snug!
10 / 10
Aybl Core leggings, £30
Best for: Legs, bums and tums
We first came across Aybl when Maya Jama wore them on Instagram for a live workout she was doing and our interest was immediately piqued - the high waist flatters the stomach and creates the illusion of a super-toned waist. They're ultra-soft and breathable with side panels for comfort no matter if you're doing squats, lunges or deadlifts. We want a pair in every colour.