Good shorts disappear during a workout. 🏋️ Bad ones ride up, chafe, or hold sweat — and you notice them every single rep.
This guide covers six workout shorts that suit home gym training: lifting, treadmill runs, and bodyweight sessions in a small space. Every pick is sold on Amazon US, and every link below is tagged so you can check the current offer.
If you are building out the rest of your home gym, our elliptical guide and stair climber guide cover the cardio side, and our sauna blanket guide covers recovery after training.
How We Picked These Shorts
We researched shorts that are genuinely sold on Amazon US, with listing records we could verify — not roundups copied from other sites. Each pick below names its model or style code so you can match the exact short.
This is a research-based guide. We did not wear-test these shorts, and we claim no hands-on results. What we did do is check each listing’s fabric, fit and liner details, and flag where availability or variant sprawl needs a second look before you order.
A few names did not make the cut, and we name them honestly:
- TSLA — no confident shorts ASIN surfaced in our checks, only compression pants, so we could not verify a shorts listing.
- Nike Dri-FIT Icon — listing crawls showed no featured offers, so we could not confirm it as buyable.
- Nike Dri-FIT Flex Woven 7″ — only third-party sellers surfaced, with heavy variant sprawl, so we left it out rather than guess.
One honest limit up front: no short builds fitness, prevents injury, or fixes bad form. Shorts remove friction from training — they do not do the training for you.
Quick Comparison
| Short | Liner | Fabric | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under Armour Tech Graphic | Not listed | Light, quick-dry | All-round home training |
| CRZ YOGA Linerless 7″ | None (linerless) | Feathery-fit, quick dry | Runners who wear their own base layer |
| Nike Park III | Not listed | 100% polyester, stretch | Soccer and simple training |
| NORTHYARD 7″ | Not listed | 90% polyester / 10% elastane | Outdoor running |
| NELEUS 2-in-1 | Built-in | Dry fit | Runners who want liner support |
| Amazon Essentials 7″ | Not listed | Performance stretch woven | Everyday home gym sessions |
“Not listed” means the listing record we checked did not state a liner — it is not a claim that the short has none. Check the listing before ordering if a liner matters to you.
1. Under Armour Tech Graphic Shorts
The Tech Graphic is Under Armour’s light, loose training short — the kind you reach for without thinking. The listing record we verified covers the Black/Graphite colourway, style 1306443.
Its loose cut is the point: squats, lunges and stretching all get full room, and the quick-dry fabric suits sweaty home sessions. It is a training short first, not a running tight.
✅ Pros
- Lightweight, quick-drying fabric for sweaty sessions
- Loose cut gives full room for squats, lunges and stretching
- Huge range of colours and sizes to choose from
⚠️ Cons
- No built-in liner is listed for this short
- Loose cut is not a close, compressive fit
- Many colour and size variants share the family name, so the exact variant matters
See current availability on Amazon
⚠️ Confirm the variant before ordering: the Tech Graphic family has many colour and size ASINs, and the listing we verified is the Black/Graphite style 1306443. Also note that similar-sounding “Tech 2.0” results are shirts, not shorts — check the product title.
Best for: lifters and general trainers who want a light, loose short for home workouts.
May not fit: runners who want a built-in liner or a close, compressive fit.
2. CRZ YOGA Linerless Workout Shorts 7″ (Feathery-Fit)
CRZ YOGA’s linerless short, style NS001B, is built for people who already know what base layer they like. The short itself is a light, quick-dry 7-inch shell with pockets — no liner, no extra bulk.
That honesty is its appeal. Runners who dislike built-in briefs get a clean shell, and home trainers get a short that works for treadmill runs and floor work alike.
✅ Pros
- Linerless design lets you wear your own base layer
- Quick-dry fabric for running and training
- Pockets for a phone or key
⚠️ Cons
- No built-in support — you supply the base layer
- 7-inch length will not suit everyone
- Check the size chart, as athletic fits vary by brand
See current availability on Amazon
⚠️ Confirm your size and colour before ordering, as CRZ YOGA lists this short in several variants.
Best for: runners and trainers who prefer a linerless short with their own base layer.
May not fit: anyone who wants built-in brief support in the short itself.
3. Nike Park III Shorts
The Park III, style BV6857, is Nike’s classic soccer short: 100% polyester, stretchable, regular fit, flat front. Nothing fancy — and that is why it has lasted.
For home gym use it works as a simple training short: light, unrestrictive, and easy to pair with any top. Its soccer cut also means it handles sprint drills and agility work well.
✅ Pros
- Simple, proven soccer-short cut
- Stretch fabric with a regular, unrestrictive fit
- Lightweight polyester that dries quickly
⚠️ Cons
- The surfaced listing was sold by a third-party seller — confirm the seller
- Minimal feature set, with no liner or zip pocket listed
- Colour and size availability varies by seller
See current availability on Amazon
⚠️ Confirm the seller and the exact variant before ordering: the listing we surfaced was not sold by Amazon directly.
Best for: soccer players and trainers who want a simple, light, no-fuss short.
May not fit: anyone who needs pockets, a liner, or a compressive fit.
4. NORTHYARD Men’s Athletic Running Shorts 7″
NORTHYARD’s 7-inch running short pairs a stretchy polyester-elastane blend — 90% polyester, 10% elastane — with quick-dry fabric and UPF 50+ sun protection, per the line’s listing records.
That mix suits outdoor running best: the elastane keeps the short moving with you, and the sun protection is a genuine bonus for summer road and park runs. It works indoors too, but its strengths show outside.
✅ Pros
- Stretchy polyester-elastane blend moves with you
- Quick-dry fabric with UPF 50+ sun protection
- 7-inch length suits running and training alike
⚠️ Cons
- Several listings in this family showed no featured offers — availability varies
- Confirm the exact variant, as NORTHYARD sells many similar shorts
- No liner detail is listed for this cut
See current availability on Amazon
⚠️ Check availability carefully before ordering: several NORTHYARD listings we checked showed no featured offers at crawl time, so the offer may have moved to another variant.
Best for: outdoor runners who want stretch, quick-dry fabric and sun protection.
May not fit: anyone who wants a built-in liner or a guaranteed in-stock listing.
5. NELEUS Men’s 2-in-1 Running Shorts with Liner (6070)
NELEUS’s 2-in-1, style 6070, is the lined option in this guide: an outer short with a built-in liner, dry-fit fabric, and pockets. It ships from Amazon and is sold by Neleus.
The liner is the whole point. Runners who want support without a separate base layer get it in one garment, and the pockets keep a phone or key close on treadmill and outdoor runs.
✅ Pros
- Built-in liner gives support without a separate base layer
- Dry-fit fabric with pockets for essentials
- Two-in-one design covers running and gym work
⚠️ Cons
- Sold as a multi-pack — confirm how many pairs you are ordering
- Liner feel is personal — some runners prefer linerless
- Check sizing, as two-in-one cuts fit closer than loose shorts
See current availability on Amazon
⚠️ Confirm the pack size before ordering: this listing is sold as a multi-pack, so the quantity in the box may not be one pair.
Best for: runners who want liner support and pockets in one short.
May not fit: lifters who prefer a loose, linerless short for squats.
6. Amazon Essentials Men’s Performance Stretch Woven Workout Shorts 7″ (AM4077)
Amazon Essentials is Amazon’s own basics brand, and this 7-inch stretch woven short is exactly that: a simple, everyday training short with no complicated features.
For a home gym, simple is often enough. This short covers lifting, bodyweight work and short treadmill sessions, and it pairs with anything you already own.
✅ Pros
- Straightforward stretch woven short from Amazon’s own brand
- 7-inch length works for gym and outdoor sessions
- Simple design that pairs with any training top
⚠️ Cons
- This ASIN is size and colour specific — confirm your size
- Basic feature set, with no liner detail listed
- Availability varies by size and colour
See current availability on Amazon
⚠️ Confirm your size before ordering: this ASIN covers one size and colour combination, not the whole range.
Best for: home gym trainers who want a simple, no-fuss everyday training short.
May not fit: runners who want a liner, zip pockets, or a technical running cut.
How to Choose Workout Shorts for a Home Gym
Shorts shopping goes wrong when you buy for the wrong session. A short that is perfect for a treadmill run can ride up in a deep squat, and a loose lifting short can chafe on a long run. Start from what you actually do most.
If you mostly lift and do bodyweight work at home, prioritise room and stretch. If you mostly run — treadmill or outdoors — prioritise a liner, a secure pocket, and a length that stays put.
Inseam and Fit: 5, 7 or 9 Inches?
Inseam is the length from the crotch seam to the leg opening, and it decides where the short sits on your thigh. Shorter inseams (5 inch) free the leg for running; longer ones (9 inch) give more coverage for lifting.
7 inches is the middle ground, and it is no accident that three picks in this guide are 7-inch shorts. It covers the knee area enough for squats while staying clear of the knee for running strides.
- 5 inch: most freedom, least coverage — best for running.
- 7 inch: the all-rounder — good for mixed home sessions.
- 9 inch: most coverage — best for lifting and anyone who dislikes short cuts.
Fit matters as much as length. Try a deep squat and a lunge in any new short before the return window closes — that is where a bad fit shows up first.
Liner or No Liner?
A liner is a built-in brief inside the short. It gives support and stops chafing on runs, and it means one less layer to think about.
Linerless shorts, like the CRZ YOGA pick above, leave the choice to you: wear your own compression short or base layer underneath. Lifters often prefer this, because they can pick the exact support they want.
There is no right answer — only your preference. If you run more than you lift, start with a liner. If you lift more than you run, start linerless.
Pockets and Storage
At home, pockets matter less than they do outdoors — your phone can sit on a bench. But for treadmill runs and outdoor sessions, a pocket is the difference between carrying your phone and leaving it behind.
- Open side pockets: fine for walking and light training, but a phone can bounce out on a run.
- Zip pockets: the safest choice for a phone or key on the move.
- Back or liner pockets: good for a key or card, less roomy than side pockets.
Check the pocket type in the listing before ordering. Many basic training shorts list no pocket at all, and that is fine at home — just not ideal for a run.
Fabric and Sweat: What the Labels Mean
Most training shorts are polyester, sometimes blended with elastane (spandex) for stretch. Polyester wicks sweat and dries fast; elastane adds give for squats and lunges.
- Quick-dry / dry-fit: the fabric moves sweat off the skin and dries faster than cotton. It does not mean the short never gets wet.
- UPF ratings: a UPF 50+ label, like NORTHYARD’s, rates sun protection for outdoor sessions. It says nothing about indoor performance.
- Cotton blends: comfortable for light sessions, but cotton holds sweat and gets heavy — avoid it for hard training.
Ignore marketing words like “performance” and “pro” on their own. The fabric percentages and the liner detail tell you far more than the adjectives.
Care and Durability
Workout shorts live in the wash, so care decides how long they last. Cold or warm machine washing and line drying keeps elastic and stretch fabrics in shape far longer than hot drying.
Skip fabric softener on training shorts — it coats the fibres and reduces wicking over time. Wash sweaty shorts promptly rather than leaving them balled up in a bag, which is what causes lasting odour.
Replace a short when the waistband stops gripping, the liner (if any) loses stretch, or the fabric thins at the seams. A short that slips during a squat is a short that has retired.
What No Short Makes Safe
Shorts are clothing, not safety gear. They will not protect your knees, your back, or your form — and no fabric claim changes that. Train sensibly in whatever you wear:
- Warm up before hard sessions — a few minutes of easy movement, then your working sets.
- Stop on sharp pain. Soreness the next day is normal; sharp pain during a rep is not.
- Fix chafing by changing fit or fabric, not by pushing through it — raw skin gets worse, not tougher.
- Drink water during long or hot sessions, and keep sessions shorter in extreme heat.
- Keep walkways clear and weights racked — most home gym injuries come from tripping, not from clothing.
- See a clinician about pain that persists, swelling, or anything that does not improve with rest.
For recovery after training, our cold plunge guide and vibration plate guide cover two popular options, with their limits stated plainly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What inseam is best for home workouts?
7 inches suits most mixed home sessions — long enough for squats, short enough for running strides. Go 5 inches if you mostly run, 9 inches if you mostly lift or want more coverage.
Do I need a liner in workout shorts?
Only if you run. A liner gives support and reduces chafing on runs. For lifting and bodyweight work, linerless shorts with your own base layer work just as well.
Can I run in gym shorts?
Yes, for short and treadmill runs — but check the pocket and the liner. A phone bouncing in an open pocket and inner-thigh chafing are the two problems that show up on longer runs.
How do I stop shorts from chafing?
Match the fit to the session: a liner or compression base layer for runs, and a short that does not ride up in a squat. If chafing persists, change the short — do not train through raw skin.
How often should I replace workout shorts?
When the waistband slips, the liner loses stretch, or seams thin out. With regular washing, most training shorts last a year or more of home use; heavy daily use shortens that.
Do workout shorts affect performance?
Only at the margins. A short that fits well and stays dry keeps you comfortable, and comfort helps you train consistently. No short adds strength, speed, or endurance on its own.
Our Pick
If you buy one short for home gym training, buy the Under Armour Tech Graphic. It is light, loose, quick-drying, and available in a wide range of sizes and colours — the least fussy choice for mixed lifting and bodyweight sessions.
Runners should look at the NELEUS 2-in-1 instead, for its built-in liner and pockets, and linerless fans should look at the CRZ YOGA 7-inch shell. There is no single right short — only the right short for your sessions.
Whichever you choose, confirm the exact variant, size and seller on the listing before ordering. Listings change, and the variant is what you actually receive.
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This guide is research-based and for general information only. We did not hands-on test these products, and fabric, fit and availability details should be confirmed on the product listing before purchase.