How Resistance Pants Can Help You Train Smarter And Run Faster

Any runner can tell you that training for a road race is a big commitment, whether you're preparing for your next marathon, half-marathon, 10k, or 5k. You typically dedicate at least several weeks or months on a solid training plan in order to slowly build up endurance. 

But what if you could train more efficiently and accelerate your progress? 

That's the idea behind the new Physiclo Pro Resistance pants. These unique compression tights are packed with built-in resistance bands that push your body to work harder in the same amount of time and training volume.

Still, runners and athletes commonly ask, how does that translate into actual results? Can wearing extra resistance during training actually help you feel stronger and finish faster on race day? 

Infographic created by Stacy Ku (stacyjku@gmail.com) 

So we put it to the test. 

We conducted a field study to determine how training with Physiclo resistance gear helps runners improve marathon and half-marathon performance. The study tracked the daily time and distance trained for 37 runners as they prepared to compete in their next road racem.

Half of the testers were given a pair of Physiclo resistance pants to incorporate into their workouts, while the other half trained in their regular running pants. Subjects who met study entry criteria, including both men and women, were matched within one standard deviation for previous finish times, training volume, and age.

Out of the 18 runners who trained without Physiclo, only 9 managed to finish their race with a new PR. But the other nine didn't, and as a group they finished an average of 3 minutes and 43 seconds slower than their old PR finish times (a decrease of 1.5%, p=0.23). 

On the other hand, 13 out of 19 runners who trained with Physiclo achieved new PR's. And as a group, they finished an average of 7 minutes and 53 seconds faster than their previous best finish times (an improvement of 4.2%, p=0.015). 

How was training with Physiclo different?

During the 10 weeks, testers reported wearing their Pro Resistance pants for 64.5% of their total training time. The majority preferred to use them for shorter runs during the weekdays, while running in regular gear for longer distance runs on the weekend.

Because the Physiclo resistance pants makes each step noticeable harder, testers found that running with the extra resistance resulted in a slight decrease in their average training pace. 

On average, the marathon runners who trained with Physiclo averaged 28.64 miles per week at a 9:41 pace, compared to control marathon runners who trained 33.72 miles per week at a 9:01 pace.

The half-marathon runners who trained with Physiclo averaged 19.37 miles per week at a 10:50 pace, compared to control half-marathon runners who trained 21.23 miles per week at a 10:14 pace.

How does Physiclo's resistance technology improve your workout?

Unlike wearing regular compression pants, Physiclo Pro Resistance gear has built-in resistance bands that actively push your body to work harder, increasing muscle activation and elevating heart rate. By wearing Physiclo pants when you train, you can increase your workout intensity and productivity with every mile you run. 

In a recent study by the Human Performance Research Lab at the California Polytechnic State University, Pomona, athletes who ran while wearing Physiclo experienced:

• 15% increase in oxygen consumption (VO2)
• 15% increase in energy expenditure (kcals/min)
• 18% increase in heart rate (bpm)
• 22% increase in ventilation (L/min)

In conclusion... runners who wore the Physiclo Pro Resistance pants during their training saw a significant improvement in race performance, finishing 4.2% faster than their previous PR's, despite training at a slower pace with a lower weekly mileage.