Yeah the ab straps are just unnecessary. But Rebel has a tendency to opt for unnecessary flourishes. Which is fine if they’re still conducive to moving around, but these aren’t. It’s my biggest issue with them: these designs that look ok if the athlete is just standing there for a photo, but that lose their effect if the athlete so much as bends over. Those ab straps are a perfect example: they fall in place if the athlete is posing and static, but will crumple/scrunch/fold during literally all other motions (not to mention the safety issue they present). And while I get that Rebel prides itself on doing what others don’t — and that it’s worked well for them — it’s frustrating to see them relapse back to a place where it looks like cheer was an afterthought in the design process. I like a lot of what Rebel does, but sometimes I think they lose focus.
