As technology progresses, more high-tech workout equipment is being created. Technology is also being integrated into clothing, including smart pants. However, what are smart pants?
Smart pants are workout pants that have sensors. These sensors connect to an app. Depending on the features, the app can tell the user how to improve their form, if the user can lift more weight, what muscles are being worked, and when the user should take a break.
Keep reading to learn more about what smart pants are and how they can improve your workout.
What are Smart Pants?
In the fitness world, smart pants are essentially leggings, shorts, or yoga pants that have sensors. Some smart pants need to be connected to a central device of some kind in order to work properly, but this device is usually incorporated into a belt or small device that can easily be put on the pants. For example, the Athos Smart Workout Pants have a “core” that can easily be put on the pants and collects information from the sensors. This makes the device easy to wear while you are exercising.
The sensors in fitness smart pants can be connected to an app created by the manufacturer of the pants. Depending on the app’s features and the abilities of the sensors, the app can tell you what muscles are being worked, if you favor one side of your body, how you can improve your form, and if you can handle lifting more weight.
The sensors integrated
The sensors in smart pants can oftentimes be removed when you wash the actual pants. This means that you can easily wash your smart pants without damaging the sensors. However, this also means that you can potentially lose a few of the sensors, making your smart pants less useful.
Essentially, smart pants are high-tech pants with fitness trackers incorporated. Smart pants can count the number of reps you do and keep track of the number of sets you complete. They can also tell you when you should take a break.
Some smart pants aren’t designed to be worn while completing difficult workouts. Some are designed to only be worn while you are doing yoga. For example, the Nadi X smart pants are meant to be worn while you do yoga. They can help you improve your form while performing many yoga poses.
Can Smart Pants Improve Your Workout?
Smart pants can help you improve your workout because the app that they connect to can give you feedback on your form. It can also tell you if you are favoring one leg or can handle lifting more weight. However, exactly how smart pants can improve your workout will vary depending on the sensitivity of the sensors and the features of the app they connect to.
Smart pants can keep track of the number of sets and reps you complete during your workout, giving you less to think about while working out. This can help you keep your exercises consistent until you feel ready to challenge yourself.
Smart pants can also tell you when you should take a break, which will prevent you from getting exhausted. After all, if you are exhausted, you won’t have the energy to work out. If you do work out while exhausted, your form may be compromised, reducing the effectiveness of your workout.
If you enjoy doing yoga, smart pants can definitely improve your workout. Smart pants can ensure that you do yoga poses correctly. In fact, the Nadi X smart pants vibrate until you are doing the yoga pose that you want to be doing incorrectly.
Are Smart Pants the Next Best Fitness Product?
While smart pants can help you improve your workout, most people prefer to use other fitness products such as smart watches or smart mirrors. When people want to improve their form, most people hire or consult with a fitness trainer, as fitness trainers can evaluate your workout form, create a fitness plan, and help you determine your limits. Many people also find other fitness products with similar features easier to use.
Most people prefer using other fitness products because the sensors in smart pants can be finicky and have to be close to the skin. This means that the smart pants have to be extremely tight to work properly, which can make them unflattering and uncomfortable to wear.
Some smart pants can tell you through an app whether or not you can handle lifting more weight. However, the sensors and app don’t necessarily know if you have been injured in the past. Previous injuries can limit your workout capabilities. If you follow the workout recommendations of your smart pants app, you may harm yourself.
New Technology
The technology used to make smart pants work is relatively new, and only a few companies are making the product. Because of this, they are quite expensive. Typically, a non-smart pair of yoga pants or leggings costs between $10-$100. Smart fitness pants cost between $99-$300 per pair.
Since only a few companies make smart pants, they are relatively hard to find and can take a while to arrive if you order them online. When you type “smart pants” into a search engine, you will see results for pants that are meant to be worn when working in an office. You have to type “smart pants fitness” into search engines in order to see results for smart pants that can help you improve your workout.
The sensors in smart pants can also be lost or broken relatively easily, especially when you take the sensors out of the pants to wash the fabric. This is concerning for most people because they know that if they lose or break one of the sensors, their expensive smart pants won’t be able to do everything they are meant to do. The data that the pants will keep track of will also be skewed.
Overall, while smart pants can help you improve your workout, they can only realistically help you improve your workout when you are trying to strengthen your legs. They won’t help you improve your core or arm workouts.