Health: Wearable Workout
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - The wearable toning trend started with footwear that was designed to shape and sculpt.
Reebok commercials say you can get a better butt and legs with every step.
Now Reebok and Fila have workout wear with built in resistance bands that target problem areas.
"I feel my inner thighs and my glutes compressing when I wear them, and I'm held in. So I don't feel my thighs moving around. And when I wear the top everything is held in the same spot," Andrea Jackson-Williams said.
Jackson-Williams, 34, says wearing Fila's toning pants helped her finish the New York City marathon.
"You can actually feel the fabric exerting some force against your muscle," said Jennifer Estabrook, with Fila.
She says their clothing line increases muscle exercise by as much as 50 percent. And she says you don't have to be a tri-athlete to see the benefits.
"The effect is that whatever you're doing in the pant you expend a little bit more energy and a little bit more workout while you're wearing them," said Jennifer.
Physical therapist Sonja Mains says you need resistance to make muscles work. But she's not convinced about the benefits of wearing toning clothing.
"If you just have tightened clothing it might make you look and feel better, but I haven't seen any research that actually makes the muscle work harder when there's just restrictive or tight clothing around it," said Sonja.
But she says the toning clothes may give you a psychological edge.
"If you wear something that makes you feel better, you might be more apt to work out a little harder," said Sonja.
"If you just put them on and sit on the couch you're not going to get a workout. If you put on these pants, whatever you're doing they make it more efficient. They make you work harder," said Jennifer.
The workout clothing costs between $35 and $80.
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