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When it comes to running, strength matters. Whether you want to improve your mile time, lengthen your running route, or even correct your form, your muscles gotta be up to the challenge.

That’s where resistance training comes in. There are a bunch of ways to get stronger — you can do bodyweight workouts, lift weights, or use resistance bands to challenge your muscles and see some serious growth.

And while resistance training isn’t new to the running world, resistance apparel is. Thanks to brands like AGOGIE, you can now put on a pair of leggings that have resistance bands sewn into them. That means your quick morning mile run or your afternoon stroll can now double as leg day.

But are the pants worth adding to your running routine? We dug into the latest research and took the pants for a (literal) test run to help you decide if they could be the key to making you a better runner.

Pros

  • Real resistance bands. Each pair of AGOGIE resistance pants has eight actual resistance bands sewn inside.
  • Like wearing your gym. The pants provide resistance training for your lower body without needing any equipment.
  • Pick your resistance. The pants are available in two different resistance levels.
  • Worth a try. AGOGIE offers free shipping, free exchanges, and free returns for domestic orders.

Cons

  • Pricey. They cost more than your average workout leggings, but you’re technically also buying resistance bands.
  • Style-ish. Forget high waists and butt scrunching, these pants are about function, not fashion. They are also currently only available in black, but the company is launching new colors soon.
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So, what exactly are resistance pants?

Well, they are quite literally pants with resistance bands inside them. AGOGIE took your basic workout leggings and put a not-so-basic spin on them.

Inside each pair of pants, you’ll find eight real resistance bands sewn in — four per leg with two running down the front of each leg and two down the back. The bands stretch from your waist down to your ankle, and the pants have a half bootie at the end to anchor them in place.

AGOGIE pants also come in two different resistance levels: +20 and +40. These levels are based on the thickness of the resistance bands inside — the bands in the +40 pants are thicker and create more resistance.

With these pants, you can say goodbye to robot-like moves on machines or with dumbbells. The AGOGIE pants are designed to work with your natural movements. For runners, that means every lower body muscle you use during your stride gets an extra challenge.

The company says wearing the pants also helps you:

Let’s start with what we do know — resistance bands are definitely the real deal. A 2019 study compared resistance bands with weight machines and dumbbells and found that the popular stretchy bands were just as good at building strength as the traditional strength training methods.

Research has also shown that training with resistance bands can be particularly helpful for runners. A 2017 study found that training with resistance bands can help runners increase their pace by strengthening your hamstrings and knee flexors.

Resistance bands are also a super great way to strengthen your glutes (hellllo clams!) and solid glute strength is really important for preventing injury and pain — especially when it comes to your knees — while you’re running.

So, when it comes to upping your running game, resistance bands get the green light. But what about resistance bands in pants?

So far, customers love them. Reviewers praise the pants for helping them lose weight, get in shape, and make everything from a walk to a workout more difficult.

As for running, check out the company’s Instagram and you’ll see videos of quite a few track athletes — from college to professional and even Olympic — training in these resistance pants. If people who run for a living are pulling up the pants to help them train, our guess is they’ll work for most road warriors.

I’m by no means an expert runner, but I’ve put in my fair share of miles.

These days, I consider myself a casual runner. I try to run at least once per week and never more than 3 miles. I also view running as more for my mental health than my physical health at this point. It’s like therapy for me — alone time outside with nothing to do but run.

But still, I am proud to have one full marathon, 13 half marathons, and who knows how many 5K medals stashed in a closet somewhere.

I’ve had my AGOGIE pants for a while but until this review, I’d never worn them running. I primarily wear them while strength training and doing HIIT workouts — but honestly, I’ve always been too nervous to wear them on a run. After all, I’m not in my competitive runner mindset anymore.

But, in the spirit of honest journalism, I pushed my nerves aside, put on my resistance pants, and headed out for my typical 3-mile run.

The first thing I noticed was the cardiovascular difference. I’m usually able to settle into a nice, calm breathing pattern. But running in the AGOGIE pants had me breathing harder from start to finish.

I could almost immediately feel my calves and Achilles tendon working harder. I didn’t think I felt a difference in the rest of my legs until about halfway through my run, when my legs started to feel heavier than usual. Not because the pants are heavy, but because my muscles were fatiguing faster.

I’m proud to say I was able to finish my run in my AGOGIE pants. But I will also admit that I was sweatier and more wiped out than I usually am after a run. And the next day, I could feel it in my legs.

I’m happy to have the pants for the days I want my run to be more difficult without having to increase my speed or distance. And if I decide to run another race, I’ll definitely train in them. I am confident that consistently running in resistance pants has PR written all over it come race day.

Kacie Main, writer

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In the world of resistance apparel, options are limited.

Physiclo is another company that sells resistance band pants, but the design is much different. The resistance in the Physiclo pants is limited to your hips and upper thighs, while the resistance bands in the AGOGIE pants run down your entire leg.

The resistance pattern of the Physiclo pants will still hit your hip and butt muscles, but the rest of your legs won’t get that extra work. The price points of the two brands are similar, with Physiclo coming in just a bit cheaper.

If you’re not willing to drop cash on a pair of resistance pants, you can always dedicate more time to strength training with plain ol’ resistance bands. Here are some good exercises for runners to consider:

Clamshells

Banded air squats

Lateral side walks

Banded step outs

Side lying hip abduction

Donkey kicks with resistance band

Strength training isn’t always a runner’s favorite thing to do, but it’s often a must if you want to keep your muscles up to the task. And when it comes to strength training, resistance bands are all the rage.

AGOGIE resistance pants have eight actual resistance bands sewn inside. Running in these pants can be a runner’s dream — it’s training with resistance bands while running. Two birds, one stone.

Our verdict: If you’re looking to hit some new running goals this running season, these pants are sure to give you a leg up.