Lululemon T.H.E Short Review | Great for Heavy Training?

Lululemon makes a wide variety of workout shorts to tackle different activities. The Lululemon T.H.E. Short is marketed as their short for training. As a powerlifter and athlete, I was really curious how these shorts did in the gym, and more specifically, with heavier resistance training.

Lululemon T.H.E. stands for “Train. Hard. Every. Day”, so I did just that and below I’ll go over all of the details about these shorts that you should know before investing. Overall, I’ve really enjoyed the Lulelmon T.H.E. Short, but I do think there are certain contexts where these shorts will be appropriate.

In this Lululuemon T.H.E. Short review, I’m going to cover a variety of topics to help you decide and contextualize if this short is right for your training needs and wants.

Lululemon T.H.E. Short Review

• Who Should Buy the Lululemon T.H.E. Short?
• Lululemon T.H.E. Short Pros
• Lululemon T.H.E. Short Cons
• Lululemon T.H.E. Short Performance
• Lululemon T.H.E. Short Sizing
• Pockets
• Liner Vs Linerless
• Construction
• Price

Who Should Buy the Lululemon T.H.E. Short?

The Lululemon T.H.E. Short is a solid model for the guy that likes to train recreationally and wants a short that can stretch during various forms of loading. I’ve found that this short does a good job at moving with the body during things like squats, lunge, and cleans, and overall the outer is fairly durable.

I also like this short for daily wear and it’s super comfortable. If you get the linerless option, then it’s incredibly comfortable for daily wear and lounging. Essentially, if you’re a guy that likes to lift and values comfort, then I think the Lululemon T.H.E. Short is a good option for you.

Lululemon T.H.E. Short Pros

Overall, I think there are three main pros about the Lululemon T.H.E. Short that I really enjoy.

1. Super Mobile Material
2. Deep Pockets
3. Thick Secure Waistband

The first aspect to like about the Lululemon T.H.E. Short is that the short’s material is super mobile. It’s designed with 4-way stretch material and moves well with your body and never feels limiting. Plus, these shorts are decent at sweat-wicking and the polyester used in them is 100% recycled, which is a nice subtle perk.

Another pro to this model is their pocket system. The T.H.E. shorts have deep left and right pockets which is great for both wear in a commercial gym and daily settings, and on top of that, they have a zip pocket on the right side for keeping your phone and other belongings secure.

If you like being able to wear training shorts on a daily basis, then I think you’ll like the pocket system in the T.H.E. shorts. Plus, the overall simplistic aesthetic of these shorts is a hit for me because they’re subtle and look much more casual.

The final pro is the thicker waistband that comes on these shorts. I personally love waistbands that offer more security for lifting because they never bunch, slide, or cause doubt in them remaining secure through a variety of exercises. The stitching is also comfortable which is a subtle perk for anyone that prioritizes comfort with security.

Lululemon T.H.E. Short Cons

As a whole, I really enjoy training in the Lululemon T.H.E. Short, but there are a couple of cons worth noting for the avid lifter.

1. Long-Term Material Durability
2. Light Shell Can Get Hung Up

The first potential drawback of the T.H.E. Short is its long-term material durability. The recycled polyester can get worn down rather fast if you’re training hard and often in these shorts. More specifically, the material in-between the legs can get frayed and thinned out if you have meatier legs that cause more friction.

For all my powerlifting and strength sport-focused friends, this could be a concern for you if you have large quads, adductores, and hamstrings.

The second con is that while the lighter material moves really well, it can get snagged on objects fairly easily and the shell can get hung on the legs. Whenever there’s a have light mobile shells on the shorts we train in, we can at times sacrifice aspects like how well the shorts fall back down the thighs when going into deep hip flexion.

The Lululemon T.H.E. Short can get hung up at times if they run small on your waist or if you have a smaller waist and larger legs. It’s not the biggest deal for negatively impacting performance by any means, but something to note nonetheless.

Lululemon T.H.E. Short Performance

To discuss the Lululemon T.H.E. Short’s performance, we’ll break how they fair in a variety of settings which I’ll discuss below.

Lifting

For lifting, I think the Lululemon T.H.E. Short is best served for the recreational lifter. I think the diehard strength sports and CrossFit athlete may find the long-term durability of the material in this short to be an issue with prolonged fairly intense use where there’s a lot of internal friction going on.

Conversely, if you’re someone that trains hard here and there, but you’re not pushing the envelope for your body’s limits, then I think you’ll really like this short in the gym. It’s mobile, comfortable, and the deep pockets make it great for commercial gym use.

Versatile Training

When discussing versatile training, I really like the T.H.E. Short. I think it has a lot of construction features that feed well into HIIT training, classes, and plyometrics. For starters, the sweat-wicking component is a nice perk in super hot indoor settings and the lightweight shell keeps this model breathable.

Another subtle perk is the drawstring and how there are internal and external holes. If you want the string to be tucked, then there are eyelets to string it through on the inside for additional security.

Daily Wear

On a daily basis, the T.H.E. Short provides a comfortable fit and the subtle aesthetics make it great for casual wear. It doesn’t look overly like a gym short in most colors and the deep pockets are a nice perk for stashing the wallet, phone, and keys in.

Lululemon T.H.E. Short Sizing

For sizing, I can wear both a medium and large in the Lululemon T.H.E. Short. In this article, I’m wearing a medium and that’s my preferred size for a majority of my training. Do note, I enjoy it when my shorts fit a bit tighter overall.

My sizing dimensions can be seen below.

• Waist: 33″
• Hip Width: 38″
• Mid-Thigh: 23.5″
• Height: 6′ 0″

In the image below, I’m wearing the T.H.E. 7″ linerless version!

Hopefully, my sizing can help direct you to which sizing would be best for your needs. If you need further help with sizing, feel free to drop a comment below or reach out via Instagram (@jake_boly).

Lululemon T.H.E. Short Pockets

Once again, the Luluelmon T.H.E. Short has two deep left and right pockets. They also have a zipper pocket on the right side of the short behind the traditional pocket.

I love the pockets on this short because they’re deep and the zipper pocket is actually big enough for a phone, which a lot of workout shorts fall short for.

Lululemon T.H.E. Short Liner Vs Linerless

In the Lululemon T.H.E. Short, I think you should be fine with either model in regard to performance and I’d suggest opting for the short you want based on personal preference. If you like having a separate liner, then I think you’ll like how accommodating the shell is.

Conversely, the liner version is also a solid option for the lifter that doesn’t want to worry about bringing a separate liner with them to the gym. The only caveat is that if you go linerless, then you’ll for sure want a pair of compression shorts to secure the valuables when you train.

Construction

Below are some of the key construction features for the Lululemon T.H.E. Short.

• Shell: 86% Recycled polyester, 14% Elastane
• Liner: 82% polyester, 18% Elastane
• Internal/External Drawstring Option
• 4-Way Stretch Material
• Sweat-Wicking Mesh
• Lululemon Out Of Mind Liner
• Zipper Pocket

Personally, I really enjoy the features that Lululemon integrated into this short. As they grow their more serious training vertical, it will be cool to see how this changes over time.

Takeaway Thoughts

Overall, I think the Lululemon T.H.E. Short is a solid workout short for recreational lifters and athletes. There are some subtle construction features that give it a nice blend of functionality and comfort.

If you have any questions on the Lululemon T.H.E. Short, drop a comment below or reach out via Instagram (@jake_boly)!