Gym-tested: Toning togs
The pitch is irresistible: Get a better butt and body by slipping into some high-tech exercise clothes and tying on a pair of “wobbly” shoes.
That’s the promise behind Reebok’s EasyTone controversial toning shoes, launched in 2009 and now its new line of fitness wear, EasyTone Apparel.
I recently gym-tested some pants and a short-sleeved top, along with a pair of the EasyTone Reeinspire training shoes.
My workout started with squeezing my body — sort of like sausage meat into a casing — into these teensy-looking clothes, even though both were size large.
That’s because the clothes have built-in bands of material that shrink-wrap the body. Sort of like Spanx for the gym, but edgier.
What they’re supposed to do: According to information from the manufacturer, “EasyTone Apparel uses Reebok’s ResisTone bands to create resistance with every move by helping to tone and strengthen key muscles and to encourage better posture and body alignment.”
It’s based on compression technology, featured in the skin-tight apparel worn by Olympic athletes in cross-country skiing, swimming and other sports.
EasyTone bottoms, which include pants ($79.99), capri pants ($69.99) and shorts ($54.99, available in April), feature a thick, stretchy fabric with bands that criss-cross the butt and hamstrings.
“The combination of the placement and the tightness of the ResisTone bands is designed to help tone the hamstring, quadriceps and butt muscles with every step,” the manufacturer promises.
The EasyTone tops ‚— a long-bra style ($64.99), a short-sleeved ($59.99) top and a sleeveless one ($54.99) — have compression fabric and bands around the shoulder blades.
The tops are intended to help the wearer feel and look better by encouraging better posture.
How they worked for me: While the pants snug up the wobbly bits, preventing any and all jiggling, I found them too heavy and uncomfortable for running or lifting weights indoors. I’d likely be happier in the shorts.
But beyond the sculpting effect (and, hey, that’s not to be minimized) I didn’t notice any improved toning once the pants came off.
The top was a different matter. Resistance bands welded to the outside of the garment hug the shoulder blades like a tight sports bra. It was a continual reminder to stop slouching and to stand up straight, with shoulders back and down. That was a real benefit when I was lifting weights -akin to a vigilant trainer counselling proper posture and form.
On the downside, I found the top made me feel hot (as in sweaty). It also rode up while I was running on the treadmill and the tight fit accentuated my muffin top. Hey Reebok: how about some compression for the belly?
I incorporated the shoes into my day around the house and on walks, which is what Reebok recommends. In all honesty, I can’t give them a full review because they hurt my feet, which cut into wearing time. But I did feel I’d had more of a workout in the calves than normal.
All in all, I figure I’d have to work out four hours a day to approach the physique of the EasyTone brand “ambassador,” actress Eva Mendes.
What an expert says: Benno Nigg, a professor of kinesiology at the University of Calgary, has researched both compression technology and instability or “toning” shoes in the Human Performance Lab. He’s famously worked with big-name sporting goods companies like Adidas (Reebok is a subsidiary) and MBT (Masai Barefoot Technology).
Compression wear has been shown to improve circulation, providing increased blood flow to working muscles and benefiting both performance and recovery, says Nigg.
As far as posture goes, resistance bands stitched into fitness apparel “pull you in a certain direction.”
“It gives you signals and if you listen to that signal it may help you,” he says, adding, “It may not work for everyone.”
Nigg says the Reebok toning shoes have been studied far less than the chunky MBT ones. The latter have curved soles and have been found to strengthen the small muscles crossing the ankle joint in 80 per cent of wearers, reduce knee pain in those with moderate osteoarthritis and lessen lower-back pain in golfers.
“(The Reebok shoe) does the same thing as the MBT shoe, with less intensity,” he says. “And it looks much better.
“But their claim that they tone your bum and lower extremities is not a correct claim.”
In fact, there are lawsuits in the United States against Reebok, New Balance and Skechers, alleging the companies are making false claims about what their toning shoes can do.
However, Nigg says some real stability training can be gleaned from toning shoes just by standing in them.
“They’re like standing on a bubble board (Bosu ball),” he says.
Ironically, the faster you move in them, the fewer benefits you receive.
“It’s like riding a bicycle. You need a lot of stability if you’re balancing on a bike or riding very slowly,” he explains. But once you speed off on your bicycle, momentum carries you forward, and stability becomes less important.
Those with standing jobs may find instability shoes helpful, Nigg says. They cause muscle activity to change constantly, improving blood circulation and easing sore, tired legs.
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