The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.If youve ever found yourself frustrated that you cant make a workout just a bit harder in every movement and thereby have a shorter, more effective session, then youll likely be pretty excited to learn there are leggings with built-in resistance bands designed to optimize your physical exertion.Physiclo started back in 2013 when one of the founders, Frank Yao, was a medical student at NYU. While working at the rehabilitation center there, Yao and his fellow med students and physicians wanted to make it easier for their patients to increase their physical activity and improve their fitness, especially for those who werent regular exercisers and would benefit from a way to maximize the little time they did get to workout.Resistance clothing not only solved that problem but also helped them turn everyday activities into opportunities to tone muscle and burn calorieskeeping them fit.Yao co-founded Physiclo with ex-professional Olympic fencer Keeth Smart. Before joining the company, Smart had competed in three Olympics and won a silver medal in 2008. The two decided limiting resistance clothing to hospital patients was undercutting its potential. Who doesnt want to make their regular workout routine more productive and get better results in less time'From professional athletes to the occasional gym-goer, everyone could benefit from resistance clothing.In order to make the product as seamless as the technology, the pair aimed to design leggings that looked like the everyday compression pair. Plus, rather than being add-ons like weighted vests or ankle weights, a pair of good-looking leggings is much, much more likely to make the cut in your everyday life. Yao sent over a pair of their resistance leggings for me to try, and I see them fitting in nicely with the rest of my "athleisure" clothes. The natural integration doesnt stress any particular joints, either, which is not a small concern.It is true that they are hard to get on (as they should be)there will be a lot of squirming and bargaining, but once theyre on they stay put; I didnt experience the waistband slipping or feeling oversized.If you plan to take them off to go to the bathroom, though, also plan on a few minutes of awkward readjustment trying to get the bands to lay flat against your skin. The bands are tightdepending on how youre sitting in them you might feel your legs starting to get a little numb from the circulation being cut offwhile working out this was a boon.Granted by virtue of this being a personal review, I can only say what worked for me. I read some reviews that said the pants fit awkwardly where the bands were placed and that the material was itchy. Thankfully, I found neither to be true. Likewise, I read conflicting reviews on sizingI went with my usual size and found that it fit very well.I usually wear leggings to workout, but I think next time around Id be more likely to buy the cropped pair. I overheat easily while running, and I found that my Physiclo leggings were preferable for lifting, biking, and using machines like the StairMaster rather than the fivemile runs I like to take. I think it might be too much to ask of leggings with built-in resistance bands that maximize my workout to also be the lightest, most breathable pair I own. I have pairs that are less breathable but dont have the resistance bands built in to compensate.The cropped pair would probably be a better fit for the summer, and since Physiclo claims testing has shown their resistance technology to increase muscle engagement by 23% and help marathon runners improve their finish times over a 10-week testing period by almost 8 minutes, Im willing to give up some breathability.So while Ill be getting used to using the leggings more and more in my cardio workouts, I am very happy using them at home without weights and in the gym. Even putting them on and going out to climb some sets of stairs is a good example of why you might want to invest in a pair from Physiclothey either a) maximize your workout so you get more results in less time, or b) bring the gym to you and whatever youre doing.My workouts at home were tougher, and I felt better about not going to the gym for the weights because I could feel more of an impact doing it in my living room. One big deterrent to working out at home has always been the need to workout longer to make up for not having the appropriate equipment. Now, I feel more confident in my home exercises and dont anticipate them being nearly as long.In an independent study by the Human Performance Lab at Cal Poly earlier in the year, researchers found that people wearing Physiclo in a variety of exercises had a 15% increase in oxygen consumption, 15% increase in energy expenditure/calorie burn, 18% increase in average heart rate, and 22% increase in ventilation/breathing rate.Your body largely does its own workouts, so anything manmade and additional is obviously not necessary to become fit. You can use your own body weight, or leverage that body weight. But if youre looking for a way to make your workouts harder or to get the most out of everyday movements by increased resistance (like that one neighbor whois permanently wearing ankle weights) these are a sleek, great way to do that. Im certainly glad I now have a pair.Physiclo Pro Resistance Women's Compression Full-Length Tight Training Pants, $112.50on AmazonPro Resistance Tights for Women, $125on PhysicloYou can shop afuller selection Physiclo gear on Amazon or at the Physiclo site here.DON'T MISS:NFL athletes, supermodels, and the US Army all swear by this former Navy SEAL's affordable workout gearJoin the conversation about this story
Click here to read full news..
