This month I’ve had the good fortune of receiving a pretty cool piece of training gear: Wearbands. Billed as “the world’s most versatile functional resistance system”, Wearbands is definitely the most unique training tool I’ve tried. From squatting and lunging, to running and jumping, nearly every aspect of training gets enhanced once you hook-up those bands.
The Wearbands System
First thing’s first: Wearbands are very well made. The quality of the material, the craftsmanship…this is a product that will hold up to even the most aggressive and vigorous workouts. The people who made Wearbands clearly know what fitness freaks need.
Another thing I love: the entire system fits neatly into a small bag, making it perfect for working out when travelling. Minimalist training at its finest!
The full system consists of a belt, socks, gloves and up to five different levels of resistance bands, depending on the system you choose. The bands attach to the socks and gloves from anchor points on the belt, creating a constant stream of tension. Upon strapping the system on, the impact is immediate.
The simple act of walking is taken to the next level, with your legs having to work that much harder. Once you start running, the bands actually control your stride, keeping your feet from falling too far in front. Never have I felt so efficient and, dare I say, graceful on the running track.
Speaking of feet, the most surprising thing about Wearbands is how much they affect the feet. As soon as I stopped running, my dogs started barking. But according to the inventor of Wearbands, Daniel Schreiber, that’s no surprise at all:
“WearBands does what no other training system does: it incorporates its resistance training to the foot and ankle complex, the foundation of all training and athletics…some folks are surprised to get sore feet, but it is almost always just the activation of foot muscles that are almost never activated!”
The arm band attachments don’t deliver quite the same effect as the leg bands, but Mr. Schreiber says they’re still tinkering with that aspect of the system. Despite this minor quibble, if you’re an athlete competing in a speed or agility sport, or if you simply want to inject a little something extra into your bodyweight training, I strongly recommend Wearbands.
Click here to see a video of Wearbands in action. But don’t just take my word for it, try them out for yourself and you’ll feel the difference right away.